Carrot and Zucchini Arepitas
From 6 months · 4 arepitas · 20 min
Ingredients
What you'll need
- Carrot
- Zucchini
- Cornmeal (polenta)
Method
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How to prepare each food
Carrot
Cook carrots until very soft, so a fork slides through with no resistance. Steam, boil, or roast, then serve as a smooth purée or a soft mash. For self-feeding, offer soft-cooked finger-length batons. Raw carrot belongs only as fine shreds. Skip added salt.
Soft-cooked finger-length batons (about thumb-width) for grasping, or smooth purée/mash. Raw carrot only as fine shreds. Press-test every piece: it should squish easily between two fingers.
Raw carrot is one of the top choking hazards for young children: it is hard, firm, and breaks into round, airway-sized pieces. Always cook it until soft enough to squish between two fingers, or grate it finely. Avoid raw carrot coins, rounds, sticks, and chunks until around age 4, when chewing is reliable.
Zucchini
Steam or roast the zucchini until soft, served warm. Offer it as a finger-length spear the baby can hold, or mash it smooth. The skin can be a little chewy early on, so peel it or cook until very tender.
Soft finger-length spear, or smooth mash. Peel if the skin is firm.
Cornmeal (polenta)
Cook polenta soft and smooth and let it cool to warm. Serve it thick on a spoon, or spread it on a preloaded spoon for self-feeding. You can stir in iron-rich foods or a little fruit or vegetable purée.
Serve as a thick, smooth mash on a spoon. No cutting needed.
Putting it together
Grated carrot-and-zucchini arepitas cooked in a pan, ready to fill.
Cook with Lumi
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Chat with Lumi in the appSources7
- AAP - Starting Solid Foods (around 6 months)
- NHS - What to feed your baby from around 6 months
- AAP - Choking prevention guidance for infants and toddlers
- CDC - Foods that are choking hazards for infants and toddlers
- USDA FoodData Central - Carrot (nutrient data)
- USDA FoodData Central - Zucchini (nutrient data)
- USDA FoodData Central - Cornmeal (polenta) (nutrient data)
General informational content, not medical advice. Always consult your pediatrician about introducing new foods, especially if your baby has any medical conditions or family history of allergies.
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