Green beans, also known as string beans, are legumes whose tender pods are cooked before they mature and swell to tiny seeds. It can be given to babies as soon as they hit six months and are ready for solids.
Green beans can be offered to babies as finger food or pureed for spoon-fed kids. Either way, this green veggie is a perfect baby-led weaning meal, only that it has to be well cooked and safely prepared. Therefore, read on to find out everything you need to know about giving green beans to your young one.
When Can Babies Have Green Beans?
It is safe to wait until six months to give your baby solid food. Until then breast or formula milk will work just fine for the baby. However, according to the NHS, green beans can be offered to babies as early as six months. At this time the baby is ready for you to start weaning them onto solid foods.
You will give it in small portions to make the baby get used to the flavour. As the baby transitions to weaning, breast milk remains to be the place where your baby gets the majority of nutrients. Therefore, do not be worried about the amount; even a teaspoon will be sufficient.
How to prepare green beans for your baby
Baby-led weaning is an approach where solids are introduced as soft gummable finger food instead of mashed or pureed food. If you are planning to try baby-led weaning, you have to know each stage of your baby’s growth has a different size of the finger food presentation. This approach has a great impact on your baby’s self-feeding ability.
Always stick to serving your baby or toddler with cooked green beans. Avoid serving it raw since it will be too hard for your kid’s gum and may end up choking them. Instead, you can either cook the green beans by steaming, sautéing, or roasting. All these methods will work to soften the green beans to a point you can smash them with your fingers.
Green beans are available in different colours; green, red, purple to yellow. From the farm, these veggies are sold as canned, fresh, or frozen. Try a variety and check what works best for your baby.
However, for canned green beans, get one with low sodium, and before giving it to your kid, rinse it to get rid of any extra salt. Also, fresh beans are easier for babies to hold since they are longer than their frozen and canned counterparts.
How to Cut Green Beans for Babies
Following your baby’s development pace, observe the tips below to determine how best to serve green beans at different stages. Remember, before embarking on baby-led weaning, you should consult your paediatrician to know which food is best, how to prepare it, and any future concerns.
6 -12 Months Old
You can give your baby a green bean pod that is well-cooked and uncut at this stage. This is best and safe for babies since they will easily grasp it, and since it is cooked, their gums will be able to smash the round pod. Here, your baby is learning to feed and you do not want to see them getting choked by swallowing the small pieces as a whole.
12 – 18 Months Old
Cut the cooked green beans into small bite-size pieces. You can introduce feeding with a spoon instead of hand-picking at this stage.
18 – 24 Months Old
Continue with the bite-size as you reduce the cooking time to help your child gain the skills to chew tougher foods. Also, you can present the whole green bean pod with a dip.
Health Benefits of Green Beans for Babies
Green beans are a great source of vitamins. It contains vitamin K, which helps in blood clotting, vitamin A for boosting the immune system and healthy eyesight, and vitamin C, which helps give our body iron.
Also, green beans are an excellent source of proteins and fibre, which help in body growth and food digestion.
Are Green Beans A Common Allergen?
Green bean allergy is very rare but possible in kids. Therefore begin by giving it in small portions as you observe your baby’s reaction, and gradually increase the quantity if the baby is okay with it.
If your baby has a peanut allergy, chances are they may also react to green beans since the two are in the same legume family. Check out for some allergy signs like; itchiness, hives, sneezing, wheezing, throat tightness or swallowing troubles, nausea, vomiting, stomach aches, trouble breathing, and skin, lip, or tongue swelling.
You may notice the signs immediately after feeding or a few hours later. In case of the above signs, get in touch with the doctor immediately before the allergic reaction becomes more severe.
Are Green Beans A Choking Hazard For Babies?
Raw green beans can be a choking hazard for children under 4 years since they are very hard to chew. Before serving, ensure it is well-cooked and soft enough for your young one. While feeding, keep a keen eye on your baby as they take a bite. Make sure they are sitted upright and steady during meal time. Also, to prevent choking, offer the pods as a whole string. The bigger, the better.
Conclusion
Try serving your baby with a variety of green bean preparation methods. For instance, you can pair the veggie with proteins like bacon, fruits, and earthy meals like oyster mushrooms. Also, green beans with a creamy food like yoghurt have a bright grassy flavour.
Being monotonous in presentation and preparation will bore the baby, and they may refuse to eat. Your end goal is to ensure they love the meal and get the best out of it. Therefore make it as fun as possible. Apart from pairing it, you can also season the dish with mint or your favourite herb and add some butter.