How do I serve corn for baby-led weaning?
The beginning of summer is almost here, and that means corn is in season. Learn how to serve it for baby-led weaning.
My wife and I were very enthusiastic about introducing foods to my son once he started baby-led weaning, but he didn't try corn until he was somewhere around 9 or 10 months old. Why the delay? Little ones shouldn't eat corn kernels (off the cob) until their first birthday, so corn on the cob is the only safe option. But my son started eating solids in March, and that is definitely not the best time to get corn on the cob in Texas. So we waited to introduce corn until summer rolled around.
Well, summer is soon to be here again. That means fresh corn on the cob, one of the ultimate flavors of summer, is on the menu. Not just for adults, but also for little ones making their first steps into the world of solids. This article will walk you through the basics of serving corn for baby-led weaning.
Serving corn for baby-led weaning
Babies can eat corn starting at 6 months, as long as it is on the cob. This section will break down how to serve corn to young eaters in different age ranges. But here's the good news: serving corn for baby-led weaning is simple.
6-9 months
Serve a 1 or 2 inch long segment of corn on the cob. A shorter piece of corn on the cob will probably be more manageable for small hands. Your little one is unlikely to get much corn off the cob at this age, but it's good practice eating and still exposes them to new foods.
This video gives an example of cutting corn for baby-led weaning for a 6-9 month old based on the instructions above.
9-12 months
Serve a slightly longer segment of corn on the cob, perhaps 2 or 3 inches. At this age, it's likely that your child will actually eat some of the corn from the cob.
This next video continues from where the previous video ends. It gives an example of cutting corn for baby-led weaning for a 9-12 month old based on the instructions above.
12+ months
At this age, there are more options for serving corn. You can continue to serve corn on the cob. Corn kernels are also a safe option.
Conclusion
I love corn and I love sharing my favorite foods with my little guy, so I was very excited when he finally got the chance to try it. He really enjoyed it, and it was adorable watching my son figure out how to manage this strange (to him) piece of corn on the cob.
Being able to share my favorite foods with my son is a big part of why I really enjoyed the process of baby-led weaning. Making it easier for people to have that kind of shared experience with their little ones was a big motivation for me to build MealAppeal. MealAppeal personalizes serving instructions for your family and makes that information short and easy to digest, so you can get to the fun part: eating. Try MealAppeal free for 1 week, no credit card required.