Complementary feeding refers to solid foods given to babies alongside breast milk once they reach 6 months of age. At this stage, babies begin to need additional nutrients beyond what breast milk alone can provide.
The ideal complementary foods have a very soft texture, such as purees or strained porridge. In addition, these foods should be rich in the nutrients babies need, including proteins, carbohydrates, and essential vitamins.
However, when entering this period, it is completely normal to feel unsure about preparing nutritious and tasty complementary food recipes that your baby will enjoy.
Well, to make the complementary food menu more varied, here are some recommended 6-month-old baby food recipes you can try to add variety to your little one’s menu.
Menu for 6-Month Baby Food Recommendations Recipe
The complementary feeding period is an important period for babies. In addition to increasing the baby’s nutritional needs, this period is also important in supporting the baby’s growth in recognizing the taste, aroma, and texture of foods other than breast milk.
Therefore, to prevent the closed mouth movement (GTM), mothers need to know how to come up with the first 6 months' complementary food menu creatively, deliciously, and can fulfill the baby’s nutritional needs.
However, before starting to make complementary food, make sure you always have AQUA gallon on hand to fulfill the fluid needs of you and your family, as well as for the ingredients for making safe complementary food for your baby.
Why should you have AQUA? Because AQUA water has a cool sensation when drunk at room temperature, even though it is not refrigerated.
This proves that AQUA comes from a protected source and contains natural minerals that are maintained in quality so that it is the best choice to meet the fluid needs of you and your family.
AQUA is also 100% pure mountain water that contains natural minerals without any substances, so it is safe to be consumed directly or as an ingredient in cooking complementary food for your baby.
Well, if you already have an AQUA gallon available, then you can try some variations of the following complementary food recipes for your baby:
1. Chicken Liver Marrow Porridge
The first complementary food recipe for your 6-month-old baby is chicken liver marrow porridge. This menu is surprisingly easy to cook. The ingredients you have to prepare are rice flour, chicken liver, carrots, water, and 200 ml of breast milk. Boil the rice flour until it’s textured like porridge.
Next, boil the chicken liver and carrots until cooked. Then, blend both of them. After that, mix the mashed chicken liver and carrots into the marrow porridge. And the menu is ready to serve!
2. Cinnamon Bread Pudding
The ingredients you need to cook this menu are 50 ml of water, 1 piece of white bread, 1 tablespoon of grated cheese, and a teaspoon of cinnamon powder. When all the ingredients are complete, crush the bread with water until it becomes smoother.
After that, add cinnamon powder (optional). Then, steam the mixture until cooked. When it is already cooked, add grated cheese while the pudding is still hot, then wait until it cools down. And cinnamon bread pudding is ready to be served!
3. Vegetable Cream Soup
To make vegetable cream soup, you need to prepare several ingredients, such as 50 grams of broccoli, 1 carrot, 1.5 potatoes, 10 beans, 200 ml of chicken broth, 3 spoons of ground chicken, 1 clove of garlic, 1 teaspoon of oil, 1 tablespoon of grated cheese, ½ g of salt and 100 ml of breast milk.
Steam the chickpeas, carrots, and potatoes until these all soft. Then, stir-fry the garlic until fragrant and add the broccoli and chicken. One all the steps you already did, mix all the components, and the vegetable cream soup is ready!
4. Chicken and Tofu Strained Porridge
To make this menu, you must prepare several ingredients; these are 25 grams of white rice (soak overnight), 50 grams of chicken, half a piece of tofu, and 100 ml of boiled water.
The trick is to boil the soaked rice together with chicken meat and boiled water until it’s softer.
When it is soft, add the tofu pieces and wait for the tofu to cook. Then, strain all the ingredients with a baby porridge strainer. The chicken and tofu strained porridge is ready to eat!
5. Pumpkin and Chicken Liver Strained Porridge
To make this porridge, you’ll need a few ingredients such as a spoonful of minced chicken liver, a tablespoon of pumpkin, 100 ml chicken broth, 2 spoons of rice (soaked overnight), and a teaspoon of olive oil.
Heat the rice and its soaking water with the chicken stock over low heat. Once the water has been absorbed, add the pumpkin and chicken livers and cook, and then add the olive oil.
Once all mixed, remove and strain using a baby porridge strainer. And the menu is ready to be served!
6. Tomato Fish Rice Porridge
The ingredients you need to make this menu are 2 tablespoons of rice (soaked overnight), 2 tablespoons of finely chopped snapper meat, green onions, 1 tomato, and 1 teaspoon of olive oil.
The first step is to boil the rice along with the soaking water over low heat. Before boiling, add the sliced tomatoes, snapper, and sliced spring onions.
When almost cooked, add olive oil and stir until blended. After all is done, strain using the baby porridge strainer.
7. Broccoli Meat Rice Porridge
If you are interested in making this complementary food menu, prepare 2 tablespoons of rice (soak overnight), 50 grams of broccoli, 2 tablespoons of ground beef, and sliced scallions.
Cook the rice with the soaking water over heat until soft. Then add the broccoli pieces, ground beef, and sliced scallions, then mix them. Tadaa, the porridge is ready to serve!
8. Ground Meat Steamed Potato
To make ground beef steamed potato, you need to prepare 1 potato, ½ teaspoon salt, ⅓ teaspoon sugar, ½ tablespoon margarine, 2 tablespoons ground beef, 1 spring onion, and celery leaves.
Wash the potato and then shred it without peeling it using a fruit shavings and soak them in salt water to prevent blackening. After that, heat the margarine, then stir-fry the sliced spring onions, celery, and ground beef until they change color.
After that, add the potato and water to the stir-fry and heat over low heat until the texture of the potato softens. Add sugar and mix well. Keep steaming them until the water is absorbed. Once all ingredients have softened, take it out to cool down before serving it to your baby.
9. Potato and Red Spinach Puree
To make this puree, the ingredients you need are 20 grams of potatoes, 40 grams of sweet potatoes, 50 grams of chicken thigh, 10 pieces of chopped spinach, 1–2 tablespoons of oil, and 50 ml of chicken or beef broth.
To prepare, steam the potatoes, sweet potatoes, chicken thighs, and red spinach until tender. Meanwhile, sauté the onion in oil until fragrant. Then, blend all the steamed ingredients together, adding the broth to achieve a smooth puree.
10. Chicken Potato Puree
For this menu, you need 100 grams of potatoes, 50 grams of chicken, 1 spoonful of olive oil, 150 ml of chicken broth, and salt.
To do this, cut the chicken into small pieces and sauté it using olive oil until the color changes. Then add the potato pieces and stir until smooth. Pour in the chicken broth and cook the potatoes also the chicken until soft using low heat.
If the texture has softened, take them out and wait until they cook down. After the temperature has decreased, puree all ingredients using a blender.
11. Egg Cheese Boiled Puree
To make this puree, you need to prepare 1 chicken egg, 1 tablespoon of grated cheese, and 2 tablespoons of boiled water. The trick is to boil the egg until cooked, then peel and cut it into smaller pieces.
Put the egg into a blender, add cheese and boiled water, then puree. If so, then the puree is ready to be served.
12. Tofu Shrimp Porridge
The next menu is tofu shrimp porridge. This menu requires ingredients such as 60 grams of rice, 45 grams of ground shrimp. 30 ml of liquid coconut milk, 20 grams of tofu, 10 grams of tomatoes, basil, bay leaves, lime, salt, 1 onion, ½ clove of garlic, 1 hazelnut, ⅓ ginger, and sugar.
Marinate the shrimp with lime juice and salt, then let them rest for 15 minutes. After that, mix the shrimp, tofu, tomatoes, basil, coconut milk, and other seasonings.
13. Green Bean Puree
The next menu just needs a simple step. You only need 50 grams of green beans and 20 ml of breast milk or formula. Soak the green beans overnight and boil until soft.
Wait for it to cool, then puree it with a baby porridge strainer. Once smooth, add breast milk or formula.
14. Edamame Broccoli Puree
To make this menu, you have to prepare 50 grams of free-range chicken, broccoli, 30 ml of chicken broth, 1 lime leaf, and ½ stalk of spring onion.
Steam the chicken together with the lime leaf and spring onions. Then, steam the broccoli until cooked.
15. Broccoli Chicken Rice Puree
The ingredients you need to prepare are 50 grams of free-range chicken breast, 1 small box of Chinese tofu, 1 broccoli, flat corn, 1 tablespoon of mushy rice, 50 ml of chicken stock, 2 teaspoons of olive and 2 lime leaves.
Steam the chicken together with the lime leaves. Once cooked, steam the Chinese tofu, broccoli, and corn. After all the ingredients are steamed, the puree is ready to eat!
16. Dragon Fruit Puree
The only ingredients you need to make this snack are dragon fruit and 20 ml of baby orange juice. Blend the dragon fruit with the baby orange juice. Make sure the fruit is perfectly smooth before giving it to your little one.
17. Date Banana Puree
You can make this fruit-based puree from 1 Cavendish banana, 4 dates, and 50 ml of boiled water. Simply put all the fruit and water into a blender and puree. This will make a delicious snack for your little ones!
18. Date Avocado Puree
You only need ½ a buttery avocado, 4 dates, and 20 ml of water to make this healthy meal for your little ones.
To make it easy, puree all the fruits and water using a blender and wait for a while. If you have made sure it is evenly smooth, then the puree is ready to be served. However, keep in mind that his menu is only suitable as a snack to a main meal.
19. Potato Milk Puree
To make this menu, you need to prepare 150 grams of potatoes and 30 ml of breast milk or formula. The milk can be substituted with chicken broth if your little one is allergic to lactose.
Peel the potatoes and cut them into small pieces, then boil until soft. When the potatoes have cooled down, you can mash them using a fork or blender for maximum effect.
Add milk little by little while mashing the potatoes. If the texture is soft, then the potatoes are ready to be served!
20. Salmon Potato Puree
The ingredients you need to prepare to make this menu are 100 grams of potatoes, 50 grams of salmon fillet, 1 tablespoon of olive oil, 150 ml of fish stock, and salt. Sauté the salmon using olive oil until it changes color. Then add the potato pieces and mix well.
Add the fish stock and a pinch of salt, then cover the pot. Heat over low heat and wait for a while. When the potatoes are soft, take them off the heat and let them cool down.
21. Egg and Broccoli Puree
You need to prepare 50 grams of broccoli, 1 egg, and 1 tablespoon of boiled water. Boil the egg until fully cooked, then peel and cut it into smaller pieces. Steam the broccoli until it becomes soft.
Once everything is ready, blend the egg and broccoli together. Don’t forget to add 2 tablespoons of water. When the mixture is smooth, the puree is ready to be served!
22. Egg, Tofu, and Caisim Leaf Steam
To prepare this dish, you will need: 1 egg, 1 leaf of cabbage, 1 slice of tofu, 1 tablespoon of rice, ¼ teaspoon of olive oil, water, and garlic powder.
Start by cutting the caisim leaves into small pieces. Then, cook the scrambled egg and add water, rice, tofu, and the chopped Caisim leaves.
Next, heat the mixture until all the ingredients become soft. Add a little garlic powder for flavor. Once cooked, puree the mixture using a baby porridge strainer to create a smooth texture.
23. Carrot Puree
You only need 1 carrot and 50 ml of water or chicken broth to make this puree. First, peel the carrots, then wash them thoroughly. Then cut the carrots into small pieces so that they soften quickly when boiled.
Next, boil the carrots using water or chicken broth until they’re soft. If so, mash the carrots together with the cooking water, and the puree is ready to be served!
24. Red Bean Puree
Prepare 1 handful of red beans and soak them overnight, and 50 ml of beef broth. Boil the beans until soft.
When soft, cool down the red beans and puree using a blender. After blending, strain the puree to make it smoother.
25. Chicken Liver Quail Porridge
Prepare 60 grams of rice, 5 quail eggs, 15 grams of chicken liver, 15 grams of chickpeas, 7.5 ml of corn oil, salt, 1 clove of garlic, and 1 shallot.
Saute garlic and shallots until fragrant, then add chopped chicken liver, quail eggs, and chickpeas. Wait until it changes color. Blend all ingredients, and the puree is ready to serve!
26. Pea and Carrot Puree
You’ll need to prepare 1 handful of peas, 30 grams of carrots, and 50 ml of chicken stock to make this. Steam the peas and carrots until cooked. If so, then blend the peas, carrots, and chicken broth.
Those are some 6-month-old baby food recipe recommendations that you can try for your baby so that they start to recognize a variety of new flavors. Besides being varied, of course, the various menus above also contain nutrients and vitamins that your baby needs.
But to maintain the quality of your baby’s menu, make sure you only use the best ingredients, especially the drinking water. For that, don’t forget to always have AQUA Gallon available at home to fulfill your fluid needs as well as the ingredients to make the complementary food for your baby.
AQUA Gallon contains 19 liters of water, which is enough to fulfill the fluid needs of you and your family. With a price of IDR1,000 per liter, you can save more and get quality water for you and your family.
Remember, not all water is AQUA! AQUA comes from selected mountain springs that are protected through 9 selection criteria, 5 stages, and at least 1 year of research on more than 600 parameters.
And most importantly, AQUA is an authentic Indonesian product. AQUA has been certified Halal, BPOM, and SNI, so it is safe for consumption. AQUA is 100% Pure, 100% Indonesian, and 100% Halal.
