queso fresco, Arepa and Black beans
From 6 months · 3 foods
Ingredients
How to prepare each food
queso fresco
Queso fresco is a soft, mild fresh cheese that crumbles easily. The most important step is to choose one made from pasteurized milk, since fresh cheeses made from unpasteurized milk can carry harmful bacteria. Crumble it very finely over soft purees and mashed vegetables, or stir it through warm food so it softens. It is mildly salty, so keep portions small.
Finely crumbled over soft food, or stirred into warm dishes. Avoid cubes or larger chunks.
Although soft, queso fresco can be a choking risk in firm cubes or large pieces. Serve it finely crumbled or stirred into warm food.
Arepa
Make the arepa soft and thin rather than thick and dense, and serve the tender inner crumb instead of a hard or browned crust. Cut a warm arepa into finger-length strips your baby can hold, or scoop out the soft center and mash it with a little water or breast milk/formula. Make it without added salt.
Finger-length strips of the soft inner crumb, or mashed soft center. Avoid hard crust and avoid dense, doughy chunks.
A dense or thick arepa, and any hard or dry crust, can compress into a wad that is hard to clear. Serve the soft inner crumb in thin pieces, keep it moist, and always supervise eating.
Black beans
Cook black beans until very soft, then mash or flatten each one well, or blend into a smooth spread (a no-salt hummus-style mash). Never offer a whole, intact bean at this stage. Skip added salt.
Mash or flatten every bean, or a smooth spread.
A whole, round bean is a choking shape. Mash or flatten each one until the airway-blocking shape is gone, and keep flattening round beans through the toddler years.
Putting it together
Prepare each ingredient using the age guidance above, then serve them together.
Cook with Lumi
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- 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
- AAP - Why infant formula instead of cow's milk before 12 months
- AAP - Introducing common food allergens to your baby
- USDA FoodData Central - queso fresco (nutrient data)
- USDA FoodData Central - Arepa (nutrient data)
- USDA FoodData Central - Black beans (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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