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Build Good Habits by Offering Many Types of Foods in Your Baby's Diet

Last Updated: September 26, 2008

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Parenting Tips for Your 7 Month Old Baby

Did you ever stop to think why you don’t like some foods? Food habits are formed during childhood. If a variety of nutritious foods are offered in the early years, most children will eat a variety of foods throughout life.

Children copy their parents, brothers, and sisters. If your baby sees her family eating healthy foods, she probably will, too.

Ways to help your baby develop good eating habits:

  • Make meals pleasant and relaxed.
  • Feed her with the rest of the family.
  • Feed her as much as she wants, but don’t force her to eat more than she wants.

Introduce foods one at a time. After you are sure your baby is not allergic to a new food, introduce another one. Over time, your baby will learn to like a variety of healthy foods. Use colorful foods to make eating more interesting. Give different textures to help develop chewing skills.

Prevent choking. Do not give your baby small, firm, and slippery foods such as peanuts, raisins, whole grapes, hard candy, popcorn, raw carrots, or hot dogs cut into circles. Some people think it’s OK to cut foods into small circles for babies to eat, but this is the perfect size to cover their windpipe and choke them. Do not cut foods into small circles.


Learn more about Your 7 Month Old Baby from Just In Time Parenting. You can also go to our Resource Links for additional information on child care and development.


Note to Parents: When reading this newsletter, remember: Every baby is different. Children may do things earlier or later than described here. This newsletter gives equal space and time to both sexes. If he or she is used, we are talking about all babies.
References: These materials were adapted by authors from Extension Just in Time Parenting Newsletters in California, Delaware, Georgia, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Tennessee, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, and Wisconsin.

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