ParentSide
9–11 months

Lumpy beef and potato mash

Main mealPrep 10 minCook 30 minPortions: 3

Ingredients

  • 80 g of lean minced beef
  • 2 medium potatoes
  • 1 small courgette
  • Cooking water

Method

  1. Pick out any visible fat or gristle from the mince.
  2. Cook the mince in unsalted water, breaking up the lumps, until no pink remains.
  3. Boil the potatoes and courgette separately until a fork goes in easily.
  4. Mash the vegetables with a fork, leaving small soft lumps.
  5. Stir the mince through, moisten with the cooking water and let it cool.

Texture

Moist and lumpy, with vegetable lumps that squash with gums and finely broken-up mince, and no firm lump left.

Serving

Serve warm. If it seems dry, add a little more of the cooking water.

Preparing for choking safety

Use lean mince with visible fat and gristle removed; mince is never served in lumps but broken up finely with a spoon as it cooks.

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 baby should be sitting upright and someone should stay with them while they eat. Add no salt, sugar or honey; honey is not given before one year. Your baby may not have teeth yet, so every piece must be soft enough to squash with gums. Babies do not all manage the same texture at the same age — follow your baby's pace rather than pushing. If your baby 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.