When it comes to baby food, meat might not be the first thing that comes to mind. But the benefits of meat for babies are real. From digestibility to nutritional density, meat baby food provides an ideal source of the nutrients needed for growth and development while also providing great flavor exposure.

Meat is also super versatile. With so many different ways to serve it, we promise your babe will never be bored.

Can Meat Be The Perfect First Food for Your Baby?

But you might be wondering, how early can we start? Can new eaters really have meat? Not only can babies have meat as a first food, but there are also several reasons why meat is the perfect first food! Meat is loaded with nutrients that support healthy growth, like fat, iron, vitamin B12, and zinc. Meat is also easy to digest and introduces a range of savory flavors to support the development of the palate during the important flavor window that shapes a baby’s diet taste preferences.

When to Introduce Meat to Your Baby?

Meat can be introduced to a baby whenever you choose to introduce solid foods, typically around six months of age. Meat can be introduced as a puree, as part of baby-led weaning, or our favorite - a combination of both!

What Meats are Best for Babies?

All meats are great for babies, but as with all food, quality matters. Opt for grass-fed and pasture-raised meats, which come from humanely-treated animals. Well-sourced meat is higher in nutrition than its conventionally-raised counterparts. The meats in our pouches are all from ranchers who practice regenerative agriculture, so in addition to being healthier, they are also supporting the fight against climate change!

Some meats we love include:

1. Beef: 

   Full of B vitamins, iron, and conjugated linoleic acid (CLA)

2. Chicken: 

   Full of B vitamins and selenium

3. Turkey: 

   Full of B vitamins, selenium, zinc, and phosphorus

4. Bison: 

   Full of B vitamins, iron, selenium, zinc, and CLA

5. Lamb: 

   Full of B12 selenium, iron, and zinc

6. Pork: 

   Full of B vitamins, iron, phosphorus, and zinc

7. Salmon: 

   Full of DHA for baby’s brain development!

8. Liver: 

   Full of vitamin A, iron, and B vitamins

Of course, meat is also a great source of healthy protein and fat!

How to Cut Meat for a Baby?

The risk of choking causes many parents to hesitate in serving meat. But it is actually quite easy to cut and prepare meat for a baby. Just cut strips of meat that are the size of two adult fingers. A big chunk of meat allows a baby to safely hold it while sucking and gnawing on it. It gives them the opportunity to taste the flavor and experience the texture without creating a choking risk.

How to Store Baby Meat?

Storing baby foods can make parents antsy, but storing meat for babies is generally just as simple as storing it for yourself. In general, cooked meat can be refrigerated for four days and frozen for two months.  We recommend storing in silicone cups or glass jars.

We recommend that our pouches be refrigerated after opening and consumed within one day of opening.

7 Simple Ways to Serve Meat to a Baby 

Meat can be served to a baby in a variety of ways depending on the type of meat, the preferences of the baby, and the stage of the baby’s development. For example, newer eaters may prefer to eat meat served as a meat puree or softened in bone broth, whereas a more experienced eater may prefer to chew larger pieces of meat. Here are 7 simple ways to serve meat to a baby:

1. Pureed (try thinning with breast milk to get your desired consistency!)
2. Ground into crumbles
3. Shredded
4. On the bone
5. Braised in bone broth
6. In strips
7. As meatballs

Our meat pouches are a convenient option for introducing meat to your little one. You can feel good that they’re made with only ingredients you’d trust yourself such as sweet potato and beef broth baby food, and they’re super convenient and portable for a healthy option on-the-go! 

Meat plays a crucial role in providing essential protein and nutrients for toddlers. However, it is not uncommon for toddlers to experience a phase known as a "meat strike" during their developmental stages. To learn more about this phenomenon and discover valuable tips for dealing with toddlers who refuse to eat meat, we recommend reading our article on "Tips for a Meat Strike".

Bonus: Tasty Homemade Meat Baby Food That Your Little One Will Love 

Ready to give your little one a taste of some high-quality, ethically sourced meat? Here are a few of our favorite recipes for homemade baby food to get started. 

Beef + Ginger Patties

Simple, five-ingredient #babyledweaning recipe from @caitwittman & sous chef Baby Ben! 👨‍🍳

This quick & easy #BLW Beef + Ginger Patties recipe is the perfect meal to immerse your little one's taste buds into a gourmet culinary experience this week! 

INGREDIENTS

• 1 Serenity Kids Grass Fed Beef + Ginger pouch
• 1 large egg (pasture-raised if possible)
• 3 tbsp hemp hearts (or ground flaxseed)
• 1/3 cup chopped spinach
• 1 tbsp ghee or grass-fed butter (we love @fourthandheart & @vitalfarms)

DIRECTIONS

1. Heat a burner to medium-high
2. Mix all ingredients together in a bowl
3. Add ghee or butter to your pan & let melt
4. Scoop batter onto the pan in little circles (like making pancakes)
5. Let cook for about 1-2 minutes (checking often to make sure it doesn't burn & adjust heat accordingly)
6. Flip & cook the other side for an additional 1-2 minutes until cooked all the way through
7. Serve & enjoy!

If you try, be sure to report back how you liked it & tag us on Instagram @myserenitykids + #myserenitykids!

This dish was inspired by one of our faves @wholefedbabies— check out her page for all the #BLWinspo — and her Wild-Caught Salmon Patties recipe below:

Salmon Patties

This five-ingredient Wild-Caught Salmon Patties recipe is the perfect meal to make for your little one this week!

INGREDIENTS

• 1 Serenity Kids 100% Wild-Caught Salmon pouch
• 1 large egg (pasture-raised if possible)
• 3 tablespoons ground flaxseed
• 1/4 cup chopped spinach
• 1 tablespoon ghee or grass-fed butter (we love Fourth and Heart & Vital Farms)

DIRECTIONS

1. Heat a burner to medium-high
2. Mix all ingredients together in a bowl
3. Add ghee or butter to your pan and let melt
4. Scoop batter onto the pan in little circles (like making pancakes)
5. Let cook for about 1-2 minutes (checking often to make sure it doesn't burn. You can adjust the heat accordingly). 
6. Flip and cook the other side for an additional 1-2 minutes until cooked all the way through. 
7. Serve & enjoy!

Thanksgiving-Inspired Baby Food

Celebrate Thanksgiving with your little one anytime of the year with this easy baby food recipe!

INGREDIENTS

• 1/4 lb cooked turkey
• 1/2 c cooked pumpkin puree
• 1/2 avocado
• 1/2 c turkey bone broth (or any bone broth)
• pinch of Himalayan sea salt

DIRECTIONS

1. Combine all into a blender and blend until smooth. Add more liquid to thin if needed.

Bacon Baby Food

Pasture-raised meats are not only better for the animals and the earth - but better for those that consume them! Pastured pork contains 300% more Vitamin E and more Vitamin D thanks to being raised in the sunshine. Take a look at our easy pasture-raised pork & uncured bacon for this recipe!

INGREDIENTS

• 2 pieces of uncured bacon
• 1/2 cup ground pork 
• 1 1/2 cup butternut squash (peeled and cooked)
• 1/2 cup spinach or kale (de-stemmed and cooked)

DIRECTIONS

1. Cook bacon and pork on low until it's cooked through. Try to avoid browning.
2. Combine meat and grease with cooked veggies in a blender or food processor.
3. Add water or breastmilk as needed to thin.
4. Purée till smooth. 
5. Serve & enjoy! 

And of course, our organic baby food brand makes grass-fed meat pouched purees that are a convenient way to get high quality meat into the belly of your baby. They’re nutritious and delicious and require NO prep or cleanup! 

Check out our full lineup here. There’s a flavor for every mood and every palate. With all this variety, we promise your babe will never get bored!