Baby-Led Weaning on a Budget

Baby-Led Weaning on a Budget

Are you looking to introduce solids through baby-led weaning (BLW) without straining your wallet? The good news is that baby-led weaning on a budget can be as wallet-friendly as it is healthy! 

By focusing on whole foods and adopting cost-saving strategies, you can meet your baby’s nutrition needs without breaking the bank. You can skip by the baby/toddler food aisle, which is one of the benefits of baby-led weaning.

As a dietitian and mom of three, I’ll share when to start BLW and how to serve budget-friendly foods in this post. Read on for expert tips for cutting costs while providing balanced, baby-friendly meals!

When Can Babies Start Baby-Led Weaning?

Starting at the right time ensures your baby is developmentally prepared to safely explore self-feeding. The ideal time to start baby-led weaning is around 6 months of age when your baby shows these readiness signs:

• Sitting up without support or with minimal support.
• Grasping objects and bringing them to their mouth.
• Showing interest in family meals.
• Losing the tongue-thrust reflex means food stays in their mouth.

Have you heard that you should start your baby on solids earlier? This may be true for babies who have allergies or are at high risk of having allergies. But not for most babies. For more info, check out my post on whether to start solids at 4 or 6 months here.

How to Serve Affordable Foods for Baby-Led Weaning

Baby-led weaning doesn’t require expensive or pre-packaged baby foods. You can use everyday, affordable ingredients to create balanced meals.

Using affordable whole foods in BLW isn’t just cost-effective; it’s packed with nutritional benefits. Here are some ideas for affordable whole-food options for your baby within each food group.

Fruits and Vegetables 

Seasonal or frozen options offer vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. Click on the links to see video demonstrations of blogs for how to prepare and serve each food.

• Bananas: Cut in half, leaving the peel on one end for easy grip.
• Sweet potatoes: Baked or steamed, served in thick wedges.
• Steamed carrots: Soft strips large enough for your baby to hold.

• Roasted zucchini
• Avocado cut in strips and rolled in ground flax or fortified infant cereal.
• Pears for BLW: Cut in slices, steamed and sprinkled with cinnamon or grated raw.
• Veggie Fritters for baby (scroll to the bottom of the link for a recipe).

Whole Grains: 

Provide fiber, sustained energy, and B vitamins.

• Oats: Made into porridge or baked into baby-friendly muffins (scroll to the bottom of the link for a recipe).
• Sticky Rice: Fully cooked and shaped into small balls for easy handling.
• Pasta: Spiral pasta like Rotini is great, as it’s easy to grasp and holds onto the sauce.
• Toast: cut in strips and topped with nut butter, avocado, hummus or cheese.

Meat and Plant-based Protein:

Beans, lentils, and chickpeas are protein-rich and affordable. Meat is the best-absorbed source of iron, a crucial nutrient for your baby to get from solid foods.

• Eggs: Fried and sliced into strips for a baby with a palmer grasp or scrambled if your little one has a pincher grasp.
• Chicken: Chicken legs with skin and gristle removed or pressure/slow-cooked and shredded chicken thighs (dark meat is higher in iron that white).
• Liver: while very nutrient-dense, serve liver in soft cooked strips or pureed, serve liver max once per week due to high Vitamin A content.
• Tofu for baby: slice into strips and bake or fry with desired seasonings.
• Meatballs: Make a big batch of beef or bison meatballs and keep them in the freezer.
• Beans: Mash and spread on toast or use as a dip.
• Peanuts: spread a thin layer on a strip of toast.
• Salmon: a great source of omega 3. Let your baby eat salmon as a finger food or make salmon cakes.

Dairy or Alternatives: 

Provides calcium for strong bones and protein for growth. And yes, babies can have full fat dairy after 6 months! Just not as their main source of milk.

• Whole fat plain Greek yogurt: serve on a dipper spoon for baby to self-feed.
• Cheese: Bocconcini is my favourite cheese for babies, as it’s soft and low in sodium.

Tips for Making Baby-Led Weaning Affordable

Batch cooking: Prepare large portions of BLW-friendly foods like meatballs, sweet potato wedges or lentil patties and freeze them.

Leftover-friendly meals: Use leftover rice to make rice balls or veggie patties.

Seasonal produce: Buy fruits and veggies in season or choose frozen options. Frozen foods are just as nutritious as fresh. If not more so, as they’re flash-frozen when picked, retaining nutrients!

Bulk staples: Stock up on grains, beans, and lentils from bulk sections for better deals.

Discounts and deals: Shop at farmers’ markets (go late in the day for potential sales!). Or keep an eye out for sales at local grocery stores and stock up when you can.

DIY Snacks: Make veggie fritters with grated carrots and zucchini.

Avoid waste: Use overripe bananas to bake baby-friendly mini muffins (scroll to the bottom of the link for recipes).

Choking Prevention for Safe Baby-led Weaning

Another thing to consider when starting solids, and a main worry of most parents, is choking prevention. Make sure you serve food that is both soft and in a safe shape to prevent choking. While choking is uncommon, taking an infant CPR class is always a great idea. 

Below are a few basic tips to prevent choking. Read this blog post if you want a more in-depth look at preventing choking when starting finger foods. 

• Serve foods in age-appropriate soft textures, like steamed veggies and soft fruits.
• Avoid small, hard, or sticky foods (e.g., nuts, whole grapes, large chunks of nut butter).
• Always supervise your baby during mealtime. Unlike gagging, choking is silent, so you won’t hear your baby if they’re in trouble.

The Bottom Line on Baby-led Weaning on a Budget

Baby-led weaning is not only a way to introduce solids but also a cost-effective approach when you plan wisely. You can skip the baby/toddler food aisle! By using affordable, nutrient-dense foods like beans, whole grains, and seasonal produce, you can provide balanced meals without overspending.

Ready to take the next step in your BLW journey? Grab my free guide: 7 Easy Baby-led Weaning Recipes Your Little One Will Love.