Can I give Biscuits to my baby? When to give biscuits?
Ever heard the advice to mix Biscuits with water for your hungry little one? It’s a common practice, and I’ve been there myself. Picture this: a fussy baby craving a snack, and in my quest for a quick fix, I stumbled upon the idea of Parle-G and water. So, here’s the scoop on this suggestion.
First things first, let’s talk from the heart—I’ve tried this trick, and I get the appeal. It’s convenient, and babies seem to enjoy it. But, here’s the catch, there are some important things to think about
What goes into biscuits?
Generally, Biscuit is processed food that is made using refined flour(maida), vegetable fats(dalda, etc), excess sugar, salt, raising agents, milk solids, added flavors, preservatives, emulsifiers, and few more chemicals.
Can I give Biscuits to my baby? When to give biscuits?
The above list is the whole reason why you SHOULD not give Biscuits to babies.
1. Maida – Carcinogenic and babies cannot digest it, contains no fiber or nutrition. This can be a major reason for constipation in babies. Maida as such does not have any nutritional value but does have plenty of calories and can cause obesity in kids.
2. Vegetable Fats – Vegetable Oils or hydrogenated vegetable fats are the most used in biscuits for they being cheap than butter.
3. Salt or Sugar – Salt and sugar are best avoided for babies until a year. Salt is high in sodium, is not required for babies as they get enough of it from the breast milk. Consumption of high amounts of sodium can damage the baby’s kidneys. Sugar, processed food, contains sulphur which is again not good for babies, and consuming any form of sugar can make them get addicted to it and hyperactive too. Babies who consume a high amount of sugar can get obese and sleepless too.
4. Milk Solids – Formula milk or breast milk are the only options for babies until a year. Cow’s milk contains a high amount of proteins which can cause lactose intolerance or digestion issues or damage their kidneys. Check our detailed video on Cow’s milk for babies.
5. Added Flavors – These added chemicals make it too addictive for one to resist and always ask for more. They may play a role in increasing hyperactive behavior among young children. This can cause us to eat more, gain more weight, and have a harder time digesting the real sugars that our bodies need.
6. Preservatives & Other Chemicals – To increase shelf life and varied other chemicals pose a threat to kids’ immunity. The more chemicals into our system the weakened we are. Preservatives can cause a problem with young children like hyperactive behavior. This problem is also measured by parental and objective reporting
7. Junk-filled Lifestyle – Biscuits, when not homemade is just another junk food, which will fill your baby’s small stomach and then avoid all other healthy food. If you feel good that at least something is going into your baby’s body, you rather don’t feed as this contains zero nutrition but mere few calories.
What else is suggested?
Homemade Biscuits made of whole wheat, millets, or multigrain without adding sugar or salt for babies till a year are best. Here, we are sharing the links to recipes that are already there on our channel or blog. You can customize it according to the baby’s age and liking.
Below are a few recipes of cookies and all snacks on our blog that you can try:
Video: Can I give Biscuits to my baby? When to give biscuits?
- Video in Hindi – बच्चो को बिस्कुट दे सकते है?
- Video in Kannada – ಶಿಶುಗಳಿಗೆ ಬಿಸ್ಕುಟ್ ಕೊಡಬಹುದಾ?
At, TOTS AND MOMS FOODS we have millet-based cookies made with Jaggery and Butter made in 3 different flavors. Do check them out.
As I always recommend, we can build a healthy habit by eating healthy along with our babies or kids. Traditional laddu, chikki, etc, or easy finger foods can be a great option for snack time. Biscuits are not mandatory foods. Kids would also love to eat our traditional foods and snacks when we offer them with love. We as a family first learn to be proud of our food, for them to be so.
Do also check our Finger Food recipe link for more finger food ideas for babies and kids.
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