While meat is important for babies because it's a source of iron, your child can also get iron from other foods, such as fortified infant cereal and green vegetables. Nonetheless, continue to offer meat to your child -- try mixing it with other foods you know he likes. In fact, you can go straight to mixed dinner baby foods, such as carrots and beef or apples and chicken. Allergy-wise, if you know your baby has already had the vegetable or fruit with no adverse reaction, then it's fine. Also, a baby who doesn't like pureed meat may like meat once it's offered in a different form, such as shredded chicken in soup (just let the soup cool first). --Gina Bevinetto Feld

Originally published in the October 2007 issue of American Baby magazine.  Updated 2009

Answered by American Baby Team

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