The Best First Vegetables for Babies

Making the transition from baby formula to real food can be an exciting milestone in your baby's life. Give him the best start possible by incorporating plenty of fresh vegetables into his diet early on. There are a variety of options to consider, but easing your baby into eating vegetables by starting him off with ones he will truly enjoy will be your best bet at setting him up to make healthy choices on his own in the future.

Sweet Potatoes

Sweet potatoes are a great start for babies just starting out eating vegetables. They are easy to mash, making them easy to feed to your baby. Sweet potatoes are packed with vitamin C and beta carotene, which can strengthen your baby's immune system. They are also packed with fiber, which promotes a healthy digestive system. True to their name, sweet potatoes are a sweeter vegetable. They are bound to be more pleasing to your baby's palate than other vegetables and may help make the transition into eating vegetables much easier on your little one.

Carrots

Like sweet potatoes, carrots are a sweet-tasting vegetable. This can make the transition into eating vegetables much easier. Carrots are packed with calcium for strong bones, potassium, vitamins A, B and C, which support good vision and help make your little one less susceptible to illness. Mashed carrots are a popular kind of baby food that can be purchased from the grocery store, but you can make your own mashed carrots at home by boiling carrots, mashing them like potatoes and cooling them in the refrigerator. Avoid adding sugar or anything else to keep your child's first vegetables as pure and healthy as possible.

Green Beans

Green beans are a great way to ease your baby into green vegetables 1. They are small and soft, making them easy to chew for little ones that don't yet have any teeth. Green beans are a great source of vitamin K and vitamin A, which helps support a healthy immune system for your baby 1. Making healthy choices like green beans for your baby early on can help her be more receptive to green vegetables, making her more likely to make healthy eating choices on her own later in life 1.

Peas

Small and round, peas are an excellent choice for your baby's first vegetables, according to Baby Center 4. Peas contain protein, fiber and large amounts of vitamins A and C. They can be mashed or fed whole, depending on your baby's preference. Like green beans, peas can serve as a step in the right direction for parents that want to gradually introduce their babies to green vegetables 1.