You and I both know that resisting a sweet treat is never high on the charts. Imagine the same for our little ones. Once they get to taste the sweet delicacies available for them it becomes a near to impossible challenge feeding them the healthy food that may taste boring and usual. On a hot summer day what is better than your favourite scoop of Ben and Jerry but the question that comes to mind while having this sweet dessert is whether it is alright to feed your babies ice cream or at what age can they have the first taste of this goodie. A newborn child is extremely sensitive and therefore needs extreme care and caution, therefore, it is always advisable for parents to collect information and consult their child’s paediatrician before introducing anything new to the child’s dietary habits.

Must Know Things Before Giving Ice Cream to Your Baby

Is eating ice cream safe for my baby?

As parents, we all want what is best for our children and we are sure that is the reason most of you are currently surfing the net. Well, the common trouble of many parents is whether their child can eat ice cream or not or whether it has the potential to cause them harm. It would be interesting to note that the digestive system of the little ones is extremely sensitive and is currently in the developing stages. Until the child reaches the age of one, any heavy food may cause them pain and eating disorders. Therefore doctors generally suggest waiting for around a year for the child to grow and strengthen their immune system before giving them access to the ice cream parlour. It is acceptable to give a small taste of the dessert before the age of one but in a limited and monitored dose.

Ice cream is generally made up of milk, sugar and cream and therefore has no such elements that will harm the baby. The only drawback one can imagine in regards to eating ice cream is that the child may start refusing regular food and grow a liking to this delicacy which can cause a problem to the parents and also deprive the child of the necessary nutrients which he should receive from the green veggies and healthy food.

Read More: Food to Avoid Giving Your Baby During Cough and Cold

Why should you wait before giving ice cream to your child?

A small amount of waiting is essential for the child before introducing ice creams in their diet. Ice creams as common knowledge have high amount of sugar and fats which may become difficult for the child to digest. Some ice creams have added preservatives and food colourings that become harmful for the health of the child. The baby may also fail in digesting such fatty food items due to low metabolic activity and this will indirectly curb his hunger for food. Food colourings and preservatives increases the threat of food poisoning in babies and may cause them pain and diarrhoea.

At times you may not know but your child may be allergic to certain food items and flavoured ice creams are a concoction of a lot of ingredients put together. Therefore it is always advisable to slowly introduce new food ingredients to your child which keeps the risk of severe allergic reactions in check. Ice cream also increases the threat of catching a cold. The frozen treat may become dangerous for your child as their body is already working hard in adapting to the new environment and developing adding a cold dessert may lead to severe cold and cough. Medical issues from the very beginning may leave the child’s body weak making them feel lethargic and irritated hindering in their successful growth.

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Homemade Ice cream recipes

Well, what better for your baby than a homemade treat that is made keeping in mind all the needs of the child, rich in nutrition as well as soothing to the taste buds? Ice creams made at home are always a better alternative for every child since the mother knows what to avoid and what to add in the treat. Here is a list of some of the most savoury dishes that will surely make your child ask for a second scoop;

• If you want to avoid milk and extra sugar in this treat and make it extremely healthy, a good option for you would be to freeze the fruits your child likes the most such as bananas, apples and pears. When they are nicely frozen takes them out of the freezer and blend them thoroughly. This will help you help you avoid ice cream but have a good substitute for the same.
• Whipped fresh fruit smoothies that are refrigerated are also a good option.
• Flavoured yoghurts that are your child’s favourite can be refrigerated and made into a good ice cream.
• Another good option for a homemade ice cream is to blend the favourite fruits of your child separately in a different bowl. Then ensure that all the chunks are properly ground into a puree. Once that part is achieved take the ice cream tray from the fridge and pour the puree in different cubes leaving it later to freeze. This delicacy can be consumed for a long time and is always safe for consumption by the baby.
• Take a banana and put it in the blender as soon as the fruit is transformed into a fine puree add some coco powder in it along with peanut or almond butter according to your child’s taste. Freeze this dish and serve cold to your child for a healthy and tasty snack.

We all as parent want what is best for our child therefore even though all these dishes will consume a considerable amount of preparation time and efforts from your side yet the end result of a happy baby getting all the essential nutrients is bound to leave you with a smile on your face and an empty food bowl on the feeding table.

Read More: 21 Summer Fruits For Your Kids

References

https://sunshinehouse.com/blog/When-Can-My-Baby-Have-Ice-Cream