12–18 months
Chard and rice dish
Main mealPrep 12 minCook 30 minPortions: 3
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons of rice
- 5 chard leaves
- 1 teaspoon of olive oil
- 300 ml water
Method
- Wash the chard leaves thoroughly and cut out the thick central stalks.
- Chop the leaves finely.
- Rinse the rice until the water runs clear and cook it with the olive oil and water until the grains are completely soft.
- Add the chard for the last 8 minutes and cook until the leaves are completely soft.
- Fluff lightly with a fork and serve once warm.
Texture
Finely chopped soft chard among soft grains of rice, with no piece of stalk left.
Serving
Serve warm. Do not leave cooked rice standing — its storage rules are stricter than the other recipes.
Preparing for choking safety
The thick chard stalk is fibrous and is not used; only finely chopped, fully cooked leaves. Raw leaves are never served and no firm grain of rice may remain.
Key nutrients
CarbohydrateFolate
Storage
Cooked rice has its own stricter rule: cool it within 1 hour, refrigerate it and eat it within 24 hours. Never reheat rice more than once; when you do reheat it, heat until steaming hot all the way through, then let it cool before serving. 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.
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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.