Cornmeal

Cornmeal can start when your baby is ready for solids, around 6 months.

Corn that is dried and ground fine is known by several names, among them grits, masa harina and polenta. The method of keeping corn this way began in Central and South America. You will find cornmeal in yellow, white, red, or blue, and in textures from coarse to fine. In Turkey it is common in Black Sea cooking, in dishes like kuymak and in cornbread.

Nutrition

Cornmeal is rich in carbohydrates that give quick energy. It has a little fiber, which helps the gut microbiome and blood sugar balance. It gives plenty of folate. It also carries B vitamins such as vitamin B6 and niacin. These are needed for growth and development.

Porridge and polenta

Cook cornmeal with water or breast milk into a soft porridge or a thick stew. Your baby can eat it by hand or with a spoon. Once polenta has cooled and firmed up, you can slice it thin or cut it into sticks. The slices should be soft enough to mash with light pressure. If you pan-fry them, do not let them turn hard or crisp.

Bread and pancakes

Cornmeal also makes bread, muffins and pancakes. Wet bread tends to cling to the tongue and the roof of the mouth, which can make a child gag. Serve the soft inside in small pieces.

For slippery fruit

You can lightly roll slippery fruit such as avocado, apricot halves or mango spears in cornmeal. It gives your baby a better grip.

Gluten

Cornmeal is gluten free. This makes it an option for anyone with a wheat allergy, celiac disease, or gluten sensitivity. Store-bought items like cornbread and corn cakes can contain some wheat flour. Read the ingredient label.

Cornmeal is a low-risk food. In theory, any food can cause choking. Hard or crispy preparations raise the risk. Prepare it for your child's age and stay close at meals.

Cornmeal is made from corn. Corn allergy is uncommon but has been reported. Symptoms range from brief itching in the mouth to anaphylaxis. A corn allergy sometimes appears together with an allergy to chitinase or lipid transfer proteins. Corn can cross-react with other grains such as rice, wheat and barley. Most people with corn allergy eat other grains safely, and the reverse also holds.

Start with a small amount at the first few meals. If there is no reaction, increase it slowly.