8 Month Baby Food Chart for Indian Kids (Including 5 Healthy Recipes)

Posted by My Pura Vida Wellness Private Limited on December 08, 2022

Congrats!

Your baby has now hit the 8-month milestone! With merely a tooth or two, your 8-month-old is at both a fun and interactive phase where he feels too curious about everything in the vicinity. It’s mostly about introducing them to new foods and figuring out their likes, dislikes as well as what they can and cannot digest. It is also the time to get them to grasp a taste of foods they will be eating daily and other occasional food items.

You need to ensure the mealtimes consist of more variety of foods too such as different fruits, veggies, or baby cereals as the requirement of breast milk will lessen with an increase in solids.

An 8th-month baby food chart displays an array of foods that you should incorporate for your little champ to consume based on their specific needs for nourishment. Growing babies should be given as many diverse foods as they can eat.

Healthy Food Ideas for 8-Month-Old Baby

It’s time to mix things up! While Stage 2 solids are still basically in a puree form, food contains a little more texture at this point, as well as a few soft chunks.

Wondering how to add diversity to your child’s diet? As babies grow their energy requirement rises rapidly. Planning nutritious meals and creating an effective diet plan is crucial to providing complete nutrition. Here, we have put together a list of right and healthy food items/ recipes that are quick to make. Read on to find out.

Morning – Breast milk or formula milk about 200 ml.
Breakfast – 1 cup of pureed vegetables/ any fruit/ egg
Midday Snack – Any fruit or a half cup of yogurt/ boiled vegetables.
Lunch – Dal or 1 cup of cereal/oats.
Naptime – Sleep for 1 or 2 hours.
Evening Snack – Breast milk or formula milk about 200ml / sabudana kheer.
Dinner – 1 cup of porridge/pureed dal/cereal
Night – Breastfeed before putting to bed

You can find many natural food substances supplying the right mix of nutrients such as carbohydrates, protein, vitamins, & minerals.

Ideally, food for an 8-month-old baby should comprise one or more of the following:

Fruits: Apple, Banana, Pear, Mangoes, Peaches, Plums, Papaya, Blueberries, Dates, Figs, Grapes, Kiwi, Muskmelon, Pomegranate.

Vegetables: Sweet Potato, White Potato, Beetroot, Bottle Gourd, Tomato, Peas, Carrot, Pumpkin, Broccoli, Cauliflower, Onions.

Cereals & Grains: Rice, Broken Wheat (known as Dalia), Oats, Semolina or Suji, Ragi, Wheat.

Pulses: Yellow Moong Dal, Masoor Dal, Chickpeas, Urad Dal, Green Gram, Lobiya, Corns.

Dairy: Ghee, Butter, Cheese, Curd, Paneer.

Non Vegetarian: Egg yolk

Spices: A pinch of Turmeric, Asafoetida, Cumin seeds powder, Cinnamon powder, Nutmeg powder, Pepper powder, Caroms seeds powder, Fenugreek, Mustard seeds, Cardamom Garlic, Ginger can be added as per requirement.

How Much Food Should a Baby Eat at this Stage?

As per the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), babies should be having about 4 ounces of solids in each meal.

Try and find a quiet, dimly lit space where they won’t be stimulated by what’s around them. Babies at this stage get fidgety and easily distracted during feeding. Fret not, it's just a passing phase! Babies often start crawling by this stage and always need to feed on the go. Including three solid meals and two snacks along with at least two sessions of breastfeeding/ formula feeding are a must as part of their healthy diet.

Food Schedule:

By the time your baby turns 8 months old, you are rather getting into a routine about having regularly scheduled meals. It is important not to fret over the volume bit but on an overall positive experience.

6:30-7:00 AM: Wake-Up – Breast/Bottle feed upon waking
7:00-7:30 AM: Breakfast – Water available in a straw cup**, table foods (include a fruit/veggie, carbohydrate, & protein), and optional side of baby food
9:30 AM: Nap time
11:00 AM: Breast/Bottle feed upon waking
11:30-12:00 PM: Lunch – Water in a straw cup, table foods (include a fruit/veggie, carbohydrate, and protein), and optional side of baby food
1:30-2:00 PM: Nap time
3:30 PM: Breast/Bottle feed upon waking, followed by an optional snack like fruit and crackers/rice cake.
6:00 PM: Dinner – Water in a straw cup, table foods (include a fruit/veggie, carbohydrate, and protein), and optional side of baby food
7:30 PM: Breast/Bottle feed before bed
7:45-8:00 PM: Sleep

Are you on the lookout for further details? Let us break it down for you!

Week 1

Day	Early morning	Breakfast	Mid Morning	Lunch	Evening	Dinner
Day 1	Mother’s milk/Formula feed	Idli with a little ghee/butter	Mother’s milk/Formula feed	Rice Carrot Porridge	Mother’s milk/Formula feed	Jowar puffs+apple puree
Day 2	Mother’s milk/Formula feed	Idli with a little ghee/butter	Mother’s milk/Formula feed	Carrot beetroot soup	Mother’s milk/Formula feed	Ragi (finger millet)-wheatsheera
Day 3	Mother’s milk/Formula feed	Idli with a little ghee/butter	Mother’s milk/Formula feed	Carrot beetroot soup	Mother’s milk/Formula feed	Roti dipped in dal
Day 4	Mother’s milk/Formula feed	Sweet potato+poha (flattened rice) powder	Mother’s milk/Formula feed	Tomato masoor dal (red lentil soup)	Mother’s milk/Formula feed	Roti dipped in dal
Day 5	Mother’s milk/Formula feed	Beetroot broccoli-mushroom soup	Mother’s milk/Formula feed	Sweet potato+poha (flattened rice) powder	Mother’s milk/Formula feed	Roti dipped in dal
Day 6	Mother’s milk/Formula feed	Beetroot broccoli-mushroom soup	Mother’s milk/Formula feed	Ragi (finger millet) -wheat sheera	Mother’s milk/Formula feed	Bajra (pearl millet)-moong dal (green gram split) khichdi
Day 7	Mother’s milk/Formula feed	Sooji (semolina) upma (soft strained) + boiled and grated broccoli	Mother’s milk/Formula feed	Dal (lentil)-spinach soup	Mother’s milk/Formula feed	Millet moong dal (green gram split) soup

Week 2

Day	Early morning	Breakfast	Mid Morning	Lunch	Evening	Dinner
Day 1	Mother’s milk/Formula feed	Sweet potato+poha (flattened rice) powder	Mother’s milk/Formula feed	Egg yolk (boiled)/ homemade paneer (cottage cheese)	Mother’s milk/Formula feed	Millet moong dal (green gram split) soup
Day 2	Mother’s milk/Formula feed	Sooji (semolina) upma (soft strained) + boiled and grated broccoli	Mother’s milk/Formula feed	Egg yolk (boiled)/ homemade paneer (cottage cheese)	Mother’s milk/Formula feed	Tomato masoor dal (red lentil soup)
Day 3	Mother’s milk/Formula feed	Jowar puffs+apple puree	Mother’s milk/Formula feed	Spinach-pumpkin puree	Mother’s milk/Formula feed	Millet moong dal (green gram split) soup
Day 4	Mother’s milk/Formula feed	Sattu (barley) mix	Mother’s milk/Formula feed	Idli with a little ghee/butter	Mother’s milk/Formula feed	Millet moong dal (green gram split) soup
Day 5	Mother’s milk/Formula feed	Sattu (barley) mix	Mother’s milk/Formula feed	Ragi (finger millet) tur dal (red gram) puree	Mother’s milk/Formula feed	Bajra (pearl millet) -moong dal (green gram split) khichdi
Day 6	Mother’s milk/Formula feed	Sattu (barley) mix	Mother’s milk/Formula feed	Mashed sweet potato + murmura (flattened rice) powder	Mother’s milk/Formula feed	Lauki (bottle gourd)-rice porridge
Day 7	Mother’s milk/Formula feed	Ragi(finger millet)-wheat sheera	Mother’s milk/Formula feed	Rice-carrot porridge	Mother’s milk/Formula feed	Ragi (finger millet) tur dal(red gram) puree

Week 3

Day	Early morning	Breakfast	Mid Morning	Lunch	Evening	Dinner
Day 1	Mother’s milk/Formula feed	Stewed apple + murmura powder	Mother’s milk/Formula feed	Wheat sheera (soft)	Mother’s milk/Formula feed	Bajra (pearl millet) - moong dal (green gram split) khichdi
Day 2	Mother’s milk/Formula feed	Stewed apple + murmura powder	Mother’s milk/Formula feed	Sooji (semolina) upma (soft strained) + boiled and grated broccoli	Mother’s milk/Formula feed	Mashed sweet potato+murmura powder
Day 3	Mother’s milk/Formula feed	Stewed apple + murmura powder	Mother’s milk/Formula feed	Sattu (barley) mix	Mother’s milk/Formula feed	Ragi (finger millet) tur dal (red gram) puree
Day 4	Mother’s milk/Formula feed	Jowar puffs + apple puree	Mother’s milk/Formula feed	Tomato masoor dal (red lentil soup)	Mother’s milk/Formula feed	Ragi (finger millet) tur dal (red gram) puree
Day 5	Mother’s milk/Formula feed	Egg yolk (boiled)/ homemade paneer (cottage cheese)	Mother’s milk/Formula feed	Carrot- spinach puree	Mother’s milk/Formula feed	Ragi (finger millet) - moong dal (green gram split) soup
Day 6	Mother’s milk/Formula feed	Mashed papaya	Mother’s milk/Formula feed	Idli with a little ghee/butter	Mother’s milk/Formula feed	Lentil sweet potato soup
Day 7	Mother’s milk/Formula feed	Mashed papaya	Mother’s milk/Formula feed	Ragi (finger millet) - wheat sheera	Mother’s milk/Formula feed	Carrot- beetroot soup

Week 4:

Day	Early morning	Breakfast	Mid Morning	Lunch	Evening	Dinner
Day 1	Mother’s milk/Formula feed	Sooji (semolina) upma (soft strained) + boiled and grated broccoli	Mother’s milk/Formula feed	Palak (spinach) khichdi	Mother’s milk/Formula feed	Idli with a little ghee/butter
Day 2	Mother’s milk/Formula feed	Egg yolk (boiled)/ homemade paneer (cottage cheese)	Mother’s milk/Formula feed	Tomato-pumpkin soup	Mother’s milk/Formula feed	Millet moong dal (green gram split) soup
Day 3	Mother’s milk/Formula feed	Egg yolk (boiled)/ homemade paneer (cottage cheese)	Mother’s milk/Formula feed	Beetroot broccoli mushroom soup	Mother’s milk/Formula feed	Lentil sweet potato soup
Day 4	Mother’s milk/Formula feed	Sattu (barley) mix	Mother’s milk/Formula feed	Stewed apple + murmura powder	Mother’s milk/Formula feed	Roti dipped in dal
Day 5	Mother’s milk/Formula feed	Carrot- beetroot soup	Mother’s milk/Formula feed	Mashed sweet potato	Mother’s milk/Formula feed	Ragi (finger millet)-wheat sheera
Day 6	Mother’s milk/Formula feed	Mashed carrot	Mother’s milk/Formula feed	Sweet potato + poha (flattened rice) powder	Mother’s milk/Formula feed	Spinach pumpkin puree
Day 7	Mother’s milk/Formula feed	Sooji (semolina) upma (soft strained) + boiled and grated broccoli	Mother’s milk/Formula feed	Palak (spinach) khichdi	Mother’s milk/Formula feed	Cheesy potato

5 Simple Food Recipes to Try Out

1. Banana Puree

Banana Puree Recipe for 8 Month Old Baby

Did you know that ripe bananas make super simple homemade baby food with just a blender? Use the ones with brown spots to make sure the puree tastes sweet & is easy on the tummy.

2. Bean Puree

Try this easy bean puree with chickpeas, pinto or black beans, or even white beans, thinning it as needed with water, formula/ breastmilk. A great puree to mix with a little sweet potato/ butternut squash.

3. Blueberry Puree

Take fresh or frozen blueberries to whip this up. Packed with fresh flavor & antioxidants, It’s on its own or stirred into plain whole milk yogurt or baby oatmeal. A quick tip: It thickens up as it sits in the fridge, so you’ll need to stir it well before serving.

4. Sweet Potato Scramble

Ingredients:

1/2 cup sweet potato puree
2 egg yolks (you may use whole eggs if you wish)
Butter or olive oil
Pinch of pepper

Directions:

Warm the butter/ olive oil in the pan.
Mix sweet potato & eggs in a bowl and whisk together.
Add mixture to the warmed pan & scramble with a wooden spoon until thoroughly cooked.
Puree or mash as needed to reach the baby’s texture preference.
A perfect finger food & can be stored in the fridge for up to 3 days.

5. Easy Pumpkin & Apple meal

Ingredients:

1 cup fresh pumpkin, peeled and diced *
2 cups apples, peeled & chopped *
1 cup water
Pinch of cinnamon

Directions:

Mix all the items in a medium saucepan.
Bring ingredients to a gentle simmer and continue to simmer on low until soft
Let it cool down, mash/puree if required.

Essential Food Hacks to Remember:

Babies usually start finger-feeding themselves at this stage as they learn to sit upright and progress from a whole-hand grasp to a premature pincer grasp. Safety comes first! To avoid choking, cut the whole fruits into tiny pieces for the baby.

Veggies should be cooked thoroughly before feeding. Chicken and fish need to be fully cooked.
Steer clear of all processed meats such as sausages, ham, salami. Cow’s/ Soy Milk and Nuts are better avoided at this time.

Feeding Tips:

Always start with a spoon or two. Give him/her more only if he/she likes the taste.
You may add natural flavours to enhance the taste of the food like cinnamon, jeera powder, lemon juice, curry leaves, etc if the child doesn’t take it initially
Start encouraging finger foods & self-feeding from 8 months of age

Precautions to be Taken While Feeding:

Force-feeding the little one is a strict no-no.
Supervise while feeding to make sure he/she doesn’t choke
Sterile all utensils & cutleries used to prepare your child’s food
Wash all fruits & veggies thoroughly before feeding them (No brainer, right?)

Each child is unique in his or her own way. So follow these meal plans at your discretion. Remember to customize the meals keeping the child’s preferences & requirements in mind.