If you haven’t read FAQ’s and Things To Keep In Mind about Feeding Babies yet, that would be a great place to start first!
Coconut butter is something I didn’t find until my first born was close to 1 year old. She just loved it, and after learning more about coconut butter, I made it a part of my second and now third born’s menu of first food introductions.
Coconut butter is basically the “meat” of the coconut in a pureed/buttered fashion. It is more than just the oil of the coconut – though it does contain that. It is like eating a coconut! It is very palatable, so unlike taking straight coconut oil on a spoon, the coconut butter is very kid friendly.
Coconut oil, like human breastmilk, contains lauric acid which helps the body fight viral and bacterial infections and makes immune systems strong. It is full of medium chain fatty acids and friendly fats that are great for brain development and health.
As baby gets older into toddlerhood you can use coconut butter for so many things other than just off the spoon! I often add melted coconut butter to my big girls’ smoothies, yogurt, or soaked oatmeal. I also spread it on gluten free pancakes or apple slices!
I do buy the Artisana Coconut Butter
from my local health food store. You can make coconut butter if you have a high powered blender! (On my someday wish list!)
Here is how I prep coconut butter for my babies:
Coconut Butter for Baby
Ingredients
- 1-2 tsp coconut butter
Instructions
- Melt the coconut butter (NOT in a microwave though!). I like to use my bottle warmer! I put the coconut butter in a little container that fits in the bottle warmer and let it warm up a few minutes! You could also just put the whole jar in a bowl of hot water and it will get soft and melt. If you live in a warm climate your coconut butter may be nice and soft already!
- Add a splash or two of breastmilk, coconut oil, or water to the melted coconut butter to make it the consistency that you want, and serve to baby.
Tips:
- It can take up to 15 attempts of a new food for baby to accept the new food! This is the same for all first foods! If baby makes a funny face at first, don’t give up! They are getting used to new tastes, textures, and feelings in their mouth! Give them a chance to learn how this feels, how to use their tongue, etc!
- Watch baby for a week during those first introductions of the coconut butter. If you see any weird diaper action going on, redness around the mouth, or rashes on the skin, you will want to stop – this is the same with any first foods introductions. Try the coconut butter again in a month and see what happens.
- THIS is a great first foods chart to give you an idea of what to follow when choosing first foods for your baby if you are wanting to follow the WAPF guidelines for feeding babies.
- Read THIS for common FAQ’s and thoughts to keep in mind about feeding babies!
Have you tried coconut butter with your littles before? What do you like to use it for?
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