Tuna, Mayonnaise, Potato and Cucumber
From 7 months · 4 foods
Ingredients
How to prepare each food
Tuna
Cook tuna through until it flakes apart and is no longer translucent, or use canned tuna packed in water, drained. Flake it finely and remove any bones, then mash into a smooth purée or mix into another mashed food so it holds together. Choose canned light tuna, which is lower in mercury, and keep portions small. Serve plain with no added salt. Introduce it on its own as one of the early fish, then wait a few days before adding another new food so any reaction is easy to spot.
Smooth purée, or finely flaked and moistened so there are no firm clumps. Check by hand for bones first.
Fish itself is soft, but bones are the main hazard. Run your fingers through every piece and remove all bones, including the small ones in canned tuna. Serve it moist so dry flakes don't bunch up.
Mayonnaise
Mayonnaise is mostly oil with egg, so it works as a thin binder rather than a food on its own. Stir a small spoonful into a smooth purée, soft mashed vegetables, or flaked cooked fish to add moisture. Choose a brand made with pasteurized eggs, or skip homemade mayo made with raw egg. Since it counts as an egg exposure, offer it on its own first, on a day when you can watch for any reaction.
Smooth and spreadable, so no cutting is needed. Mix a thin amount into other foods rather than serving a spoonful on its own.
Potato
Potato is always cooked, never raw. Boil, steam, bake, or roast until very soft, then mash to a smooth purée or offer a finger-length soft-cooked wedge. A little breast milk, formula, or water loosens a stiff mash. Skip salt.
Smooth mash, or a soft finger-length wedge.
Cook potato until soft; raw or undercooked potato is hard. A very sticky, gluey mash can cling to the mouth, so loosen it or serve a fluffier texture. Keep pieces small and watch as your baby eats.
Cucumber
Peel the cucumber and offer a large, finger-length spear to hold and gnaw on, or grate it finely and stir into yogurt or a purée. For very young babies you can scoop out the seedy center first.
A large peeled spear to hold, or finely grated into another food.
Raw cucumber is firm and crunchy, so hard coins, rounds, or chunks are a choking risk for babies. Peel it and serve it as a large spear to gnaw on, finely grated, or soft-cooked rather than in raw bite-size pieces.
Putting it together
Mash the cooked potato with the tuna and mayonnaise and serve with cucumber.
Sources
- Meal idea from NHS
- AAP - Starting Solid Foods (around 6 months)
- NHS - What to feed your baby from around 6 months
- FDA/EPA - Advice about eating fish (mercury and best low-mercury choices)
- AAP - Introducing common food allergens to your baby
- USDA FoodData Central - Tuna (nutrient data)
- USDA FoodData Central - Mayonnaise (nutrient data)
- USDA FoodData Central - Potato (nutrient data)
- USDA FoodData Central - Cucumber (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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