12–18 months
Baked meatballs with vegetables
Main mealPrep 20 minCook 35 minPortions: 4
Ingredients
- 120 g of lean minced beef
- 3 tablespoons of fine bulgur wheat
- 1 medium potato
- 1 small carrot
- Water
Method
- Soak the bulgur in a little hot water until it has swollen and softened completely.
- Pick out any visible fat or gristle from the mince and knead it with the softened bulgur; add no salt.
- Shape finger-length flat meatballs and place them on a lined tray.
- Add the chopped potato and carrot to the same tray, sprinkle on a little water and cover it.
- Bake at a moderate heat until no pink remains in the meatballs and the vegetables crush with a fork; chop the meatballs into small pieces and serve once warm.
Texture
Soft meatballs chopped into small pieces with fork-soft vegetables, and no dried hard crust and no firm bulgur grain left.
Serving
Serve warm and let your child try eating it with a fork.
Preparing for choking safety
A meatball is never served whole; it is chopped into small pieces after baking. It is not shaped as a round ball and is not fried. Carrot is never given raw. Bulgur is made from wheat and a firm grain is a risk.
Key nutrients
ProteinIronVitamin B12Zinc
Storage
Cool within 1 to 2 hours of cooking, then refrigerate or freeze in small portions. Use a refrigerated portion within 2 days. Eat a defrosted portion within 24 hours. When reheating, heat until steaming hot all the way through, then let it cool before serving, and reheat any portion only once. Throw away a half-eaten portion rather than storing or reheating it.
Safety
Your child should be sitting upright and someone should stay with them while they eat. No salt or sugar is added to these recipes; honey is not given before one year. Their back teeth may not be through yet, so every piece must be soft enough to squash with gums and cut to a safe size. Children do not all manage the same texture at the same age — follow your child's pace rather than pushing. If your child has an allergy, eczema, or a family history of allergy, talk to your GP or health visitor before introducing new foods. Introduce foods that can trigger an allergic reaction one at a time and in small amounts, so you can spot any reaction.
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Recipes are a suggestion; they do not replace breast milk, formula, or your child's own feeding plan. If there is an allergy or a specific dietary situation, speak with a health professional.