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Variety is the spice of life. It is super important to a balanced diet and helps prepare your baby to enjoy a wide range of foods as they grow. Some foods are healthier, some are easier to prepare, and some are devoured quicker (or messier) than others.

Here are five items that you may not have considered during mealtime that provide a benefit to your baby. As always, please consult a pediatrician when starting your baby on solid food.

Also remember: feeding your baby any new item is a gradual process; so if they don’t take to one of these foods straight away, don’t lose heart! Take a break for a day or two and try, try again to see if she changed her mind.

1. Meat

Your baby’s store of iron has been all but used up by the time they are around six months old. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends chicken, turkey, or beef for high-quality iron, protein and zinc. Meat can easily be cooked, chopped, and then puréed just like any fruit or vegetable.

2. Kale

Have you had a good kale salad lately? Trick question, because there’s no such thing as a bad one. Kale has vitamin A, which helps babies maintain healthy skin, promotes good vision, supports the immune system and is important for growth and development. Go kale!

3. Mangos and Papayas

Okay, we’re cheating here and including two foods, but both of these tasty tropical fruits contain vitamin C, plus they are sweet but not TOO sweet. Vitamin C is essential to form collagen, heal wounds, and, as anybody who’s ever had the common cold knows (i.e. everyone), it boosts the body’s resistance to infection.

4. Beets

Beets get a bad reputation as being one of those foods you were forced to eat as a kid. But there actually is some logic to it, since they contain something called folate. Folate (or folic acid) isn’t something you think of often, but it’s an essential B vitamin. It helps turn protein into energy and aids in the growth and development of blood cells. Not only are beets naturally sweet and delicious, they are simple to cook.

5. Avocados and Other Fatty Foods

Don’t fear fat! To help their brain and body develop well, your child needs good fats. Avocados contain unsaturated fats, and so do yogurt and cheeses made from whole milk. Fats can indeed be good.

Now go enjoy creating some wonderful meals with ingredients that are super nutritious and that your baby will love. And be sure let us know what unexpected ingredients your baby enjoys!