12–18 months
Green beans with beef
Main mealPrep 16 minCook 32 minPortions: 4
Ingredients
- 100 g of lean minced beef
- 2 cups of green beans
- 1 ripe tomato
- 1 teaspoon of olive oil
- Water
Method
- Top, tail and string the beans, wash them and chop them into small pieces.
- Cook the mince with the olive oil, breaking up the lumps, until no pink remains.
- Add the peeled, deseeded tomato and the beans; add no salt.
- Simmer with enough water to cover until the beans crush under your finger.
- Mash lightly with a fork and serve once warm.
Texture
Small soft pieces of bean with finely broken-up mince, and no strings and no firm bean left.
Serving
Serve warm and let your child eat it with a spoon.
Preparing for choking safety
The beans' side strings must be removed and the beans chopped small; a whole bean is not served in this recipe. The tomato must be peeled. Use mince with visible fat and gristle removed.
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.
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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.