Dalia for babies can be an excellent choice for preparing healthy snacks and breakfast preparations. Dalia is another name for broken wheat or cracked wheat, which is a whole-wheat breakfast cereal often used to prepare wheat porridge. The cereal is suitable for infants on solids due to its smooth texture and easy digestibility. Dalia also contains fiber and various nutrients that could benefit the baby’s long-term health (1). Read on learn about when to feed dalia to babies and how to make nutritious dalia dishes for babies and toddlers.
When Can Babies Eat Dalia?
Babies can consume dalia from the age of six months, the age when they can consume wheat and wheat-containing products (2). The USDA with WIC recommends starting solids if appropriate and approved by a doctor. The introduction of complementary foods should be done alongside breastfeeding if possible until 12 months. You can make sweet or savory dalia preparations with ingredients, such as fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, and dry fruits. Alternatively, you can try adding cooked dalia to fruit and vegetable purees, soups, stews, and porridge.
Possible Health Benefits Of Dalia For Babies
Dalia contains several nutrients that could offer long-term benefits to babies and toddlers.
Precautions To Take While Feeding Dalia To Babies
These precautions can ensure the safe consumption of dalia in babies.
Buy packaged, organic dalia from a reputable store for quality assurance. Prepare dalia in a semi-thick, soup-like consistency with no lumps to make it easy for a baby to swallow and digest. Follow a “three to five-day wait” while introducing dalia to rule out intolerance, sensitivity, or allergy. Add no new food while you are feeding dalia to your baby. Introduce one to two teaspoons of single-ingredient dalia to your baby for a couple of days. Once the baby adjusts to dalia’s taste, texture, and digestibility, increase the quantity gradually. You can also try multigrain dalia recipes with pulses, oats, millets, and rice. If the baby looks uncomfortable or shows signs of intolerance or sensitivity, discontinue feeding, and try after a few days. If the problem persists, consult a pediatrician. Dalia contains gluten, which is associated with allergies. If your baby has any existing allergies, food intolerances, gastrointesinal issues, or if your family has a history of allergies, then consult a pediatrician before introducing dalia.
Healthy Dalia Recipes For Babies And Toddlers
Below are some healthy and tasty dalia recipes that you can feed to your baby and toddler in moderation.
1. Vegetable dalia khichdi (7 months+)
You will need:
½ cup dalia (washed and drained) 1 small onion (finely chopped) 1 small tomato (finely chopped) 1 potato (peeled and chopped) ½ cup green beans (chopped) 1tsp lemon juice 1tsp parsley (finely chopped) 1tsp cumin seeds 1tsp black pepper powder 1tbsp ghee 4 cups water
How to:
2. Dalia halwa (laapsi) (8 months+)
You will need:
½ cup dalia ¼ cup jaggery powder ⅛ cup almond, cashews, and raisins (finely chopped) 1 pod of cardamom 1 clove 4tbsp ghee ⅛tsp cinnamon powder ¼tsp cardamom powder 3 cup water 2-3 strands of saffron
How to:
3. Dalia upma (10 months+)
You will need:
½ cup dalia 1 small onion (finely chopped) 1 small tomato (finely chopped) ¼ cup green peas ¼ cup carrot (finely chopped) 3-4 curry leaves 1tbsp lemon juice 1tbsp roasted peanut (coarsely ground) 1tsp mustard seeds 1tsp red chili powder ½tsp turmeric powder 2tbsp sesame oil 4 cups water
How to:
4. Curd dalia (12 months+)
You will need:
½ cup dalia (roasted) 1 cup fresh curd 2-3 curry leaves 2 whole red chilies 1 black pepper clove 1tbsp urad dal 1tsp cumin seeds 1tsp cashew (roasted and roughly ground) 2tbsp sesame seeds oil
How to:
5. Sweet dalia porridge (dalia kheer) (12 months+)
You will need:
½ cup dalia (roasted) ½ cup almonds, cashew, pistachio, and raisin (finely chopped) 4 cups whole milk 1 ripe banana (thinly chopped into small pieces) 1tsp cardamom powder ½tsp cinnamon powder 1tbsp jaggery powder
How to:
