Follow along as I introduce my daughter to solids using the Solid Starts First 100 Days Daily Meal plan.
As a first-time mom who has decided on baby-led weaning to introduce food, I was a bit overwhelmed at the prospect of combining appropriate sizes, foods, and nutrition for her without any guidance. Enter the Starting Solids First 100 Days Meal Plan.
The First 100 Days Meal plan helps parents safely introduce over 100 Foods and offers age-appropriate amounts and the number of meals for your child as you work through the program. It also offers an allergen introduction schedule for common allergens.
Why I Choose This Plan: Taking the Guess Work Out
As I mentioned above, I love this plan because it means less planning for me. The guide includes grocery lists each week, and it is made by specialists, so I know that the nutrition my little one is receiving covers a variety of vitamins and minerals, fiber, iron, etc. I like knowing that what I am following is created by doctors and nutrionists and will be more well rounded nutritionally than my personal meal planning which is much less intentional.
Allergen Introduction: Easy Prevention Strategies
We did not have any allergy concerns, or family history so an early allergen introduction schedule was best for us. I love that the plan walks you through how much and when to introduce, telling you how long to observe for an allergic reaction before feeding more, and other details like that. I also love that the plan continues to keep allergens in the meal plan every week after they are introduced to offer the best protection against allergies in the future. I also love that I can go back to these meals after the first 100 days to continue keeping these foods in my babies diet regularly
Family Meals: The End Goals
I grew up in a household where family meals were emphasized, and I look forward to continuing that tradition in my own household. This plan contributes to that goal by introducing family meals, or meals that you and your baby can eat the same thing in week three or the plan. By the end of the plan, there is a meal every day that you and any members of your household can eat with baby.
Family meals also helps keep things simple. BLW can be double the work if you are making something separate for yourself and your baby. Family melas is no more work than cooking for yourself and bonus, helps me make healthier meals for myself and my husband.
The Cons: Time and Availability
This plan has been working for me because I am a stay at home mom. If I was working full time, as the plan progresses to 2-3 meals a day, I would not be able to follow it as closely. Especially if I had a child in daycare, I would not plan on following it 100%. I think this plan can work for everyone if you follow it at your own pace. There is no harm is skipping a meal or even a day of solids and picking up where you left off the next meal or day. That being said, the time for the first four weeks when only one meal a day is listed, has not been too bad.
The only other con I have come across so far is the availability of some food on the plan. I live in small town rural NH and we do not have as many options at the grocery store as other places I have lived. Occassionally the meal plan calls for something I simply cannot source in my area, such as nopal (cactus). I love that they include such a wide variety in the meal plan, and they usually offer substitutes for these items, but do be aware if you live somewhere with less access to a great variety of foods that you will have to be flexible at times with ingredients.
Example Meals:
Final Thoughs:
So far I am loving using this plan, and I will continue to use it. I am learning that flexibility if key and it's OK to take a day off and jump right in the next day.
I knew it going in, but baby-led weaning is MESSY.
I often have to remind myself that it is worth it when I know a meal has a lot of mess potentially. This is also where having a dog comes in really handy to take care of the floor messes after the meal is over. Definitely have to keep the dog in his kennel during the meal because baby girl gets very distracted otherwise.
If you are interested in purchasing the First 100 Days Meal Plan it can be bought here:
Comment if you have any questions, and I will answer them in next months review of weeks 5-8.
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