All About Macros: Planning Well-Balanced Meals for Your Baby

4 min

As your baby grows and develops, a balanced diet becomes very important. Let’s understand this further.

What Is a Balanced Meal?

A balanced meal includes a mix of different food groups that provide essential nutrients for overall health. It typically consists of:

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Why Balanced Meals Are Important for Your Baby

A balanced meal provides your baby with all the necessary nutrients they need for healthy growth and development. A single food type cannot provide all the essential nutrients, and that's why it's important to provide multiple foods that contain these nutrients.

What Are Macro and Micro Nutrients? Why Do They Matter?

Select Nutrient Type

Macronutrients

Nutrients that our body needs in large quantities to function properly. They make up the majority of your baby’s diet and are essential for growth and development.

Carbohydrates

Carbohydrates are the body’s main source of energy, and can be found in foods like:

Bread

Pasta

Rice

Proteins

Proteins are essential for building and repairing tissues in the body, and can be found in foods like:

Meat

Fish

Beans

Micronutrients

Nutrients that our body needs in large quantities to function properly. They make up the majority of your baby’s diet and are essential for growth and development.

Vitamins

Vitamins are essential for the proper functioning of many of our body’s systems, such as the immune system, and can be found in foods like fruits and vegetables. Examples: Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin B12

Fruits

Vegetables

Minerals

Minerals are important for building strong bones, and can be found in foods like dairy products and leafy greens. Examples: Iron, calcium, zinc.

Dairy Products

Leafy Greens

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Macronutrients	Micronutrients
Nutrients that our body needs in large quantities to function properly. They make up the majority of your baby's diet and are essential for growth and development.	Nutrients that our body needs in smaller amounts, but are still very important for maintaining good health. These include vitamins and minerals like iron, calcium, and vitamin C.
Carbohydrates are the body's main source of energy, and can be found in foods like bread, pasta, and rice.	Vitamins are essential for the proper functioning of many of our body's systems, such as the immune system, and can be found in foods like fruits and vegetables. Examples: Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin B12
Proteins are essential for building and repairing tissues in the body, and can be found in foods like meat, fish, and beans.	2) Minerals are important for building strong bones, and can be found in foods like dairy products and leafy greens. Examples: Iron, calcium, zinc.
3) Fats are important for insulation and protection of our vital organs, and can be found in foods like nuts, seeds, and oils.

How to Plan a Balanced Meal for Your Baby?

Your baby’s meal should include foods that contain iron, protein, and fat. Sometimes, this can be incorporated into a one-pot meal; e.g., a veggie khichdi with ghee. Or you can offer these as separate foods; e.g, idli + sambhar + ghee-roasted sweet potato. Iron-rich foods are usually also protein-rich, making planning easier.