Banana buckwheat porridge

A porridge of soft buckwheat grains and mashed banana.

Serve warm and let your child eat it with a spoon.

The banana is mashed, not sliced — round slices can block the airway. The buckwheat must be soft enough to chew.

Serve as soon as it is made. If you want to keep what is left over, refrigerate it and use it within 2 days. Throw away a half-eaten portion rather than storing or reheating it.

Your child should be sitting upright and someone should stay with them while they eat — never while walking, running or in a moving car. No salt or sugar is added to these recipes. Avoid hard foods such as raw carrot or apple pieces, and cut food into small pieces. Round foods such as grapes and cherry tomatoes are always cut into quarters. Whole nuts and popcorn are never given. Egg, meat and fish must be cooked all the way through, and unpasteurised dairy is not used. 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 family doctor or paediatrician before introducing new foods.