Can I feed my baby Hello Chef recipes?

The short answer? Yes, of course! To prove it, we’ve teamed up with the ladies behind Mother Tongue – a Dubai-based podcast run by three first-time expat mums, to bring you tried and tested tips on what to look out for when finding recipes for babies. Here, one third of the mama-trio, Maryanne, tells us more about her Hello Chef journey and offers her recommendations on dishes that the whole family will love…

There’s nothing better than a home-cooked meal that can be enjoyed by the entire family, regardless of the differences in age. If you are a busy mum, I am sure you can relate when I say that finding uncomplicated family dinner ideas that will please everyone are sometimes hard to come by.

As a new mum, I was very concerned that I wouldn’t have the time (nor the energy) to fuel myself with healthy, fresh food every day. It was after this that I was introduced to Hello Chef, the creation of mother Olivia Manner, who felt she wanted to find a new lifestyle that suited her family, and her passion was born. Thanks to Hello Chef, I’ve managed to keep my body fueled full of goodness during my breastfeeding journey and postpartum period. But most recently, I’ve been grateful that we can enjoy the same food as our seven month old little boy, who is now eating and enjoying our Hello Chef meals with us. 

From healthy soups and veggie filled pastas to curries and casseroles, with the help of Hello Chef you’ll have endless delicious quick dinners to choose from night after night for you and your little ones to enjoy together. Here are a few of our family favourites:

Hearty Tomato Soup with Cheesy Pesto Toasties

This is a perfect meal for you to enjoy with your little ones, and is especially helpful if your baby is still only eating purees. Tomatoes are a great source of vitamin C and one medium fruit knocks out 34 percent of the daily vitamin C requirement for babies 7 to 12 months. They are also high in provitamin A, packed with antioxidants and helpful for hydration. The average tomato contains 94 percent water so if your baby is struggling with constipation or jaundice, extra fluids from tomatoes can help.

For the full recipe, click here.

Pan-fried Salmon with Lemon Risotto

Salmon is one of the best foods you can feed your baby. It’s rich in nutrients that growing babies need such as protein and fat. It’s packed with iron and vitamin D, which are two nutrients babies can often be deficient in and need for overall health, plus, it is packed with DHA, which is good for brain health. Matched with risotto, this is a well balanced meal that isn’t too childish for parents. For fussy eaters, make theirs simpler by leaving out the lemon juice and zest.

For the full recipe, click here.

Coconut Dal with Paneer and Eggplant

Lentils are packed with fiber, folic acid, and potassium making them excellent promoters of heart health. They also help with baby’s digestion which can become sluggish as their insides start to get used to digesting solid food. A great dish for parents who don’t want their little ones to eat meat, this recipe is warming, filling and packed full of goodness.

For the full recipe, click here.

Classic Spaghetti Bolognese

It’s no secret that spaghetti Bolognese is the best family meal in the world! Red meat is an excellent source of protein and a good source of nutrients such as iron and zinc. When your baby is six months, the stores of iron that he built up when you were pregnant are starting to run out so at this point, it’s important to introduce other sources of iron into his meals. Not only is this dish nutritious, it’s delicious too!

For the full recipe, click here.

Mother Tongue is a Dubai-based podcast run by three first time expat mums. Maryanne, Ellis and Jess share their (very honest) journey on everything they have learned along the way in an attempt to create unity between mothers who might be away from their families and friends. They discuss everything from navigating motherhood as an expat, baby brands that they love, the products they swear by and the experiences they have been through during pregnancy, work, motherhood and beyond. Tune in wherever you listen to your podcasts, and be sure to follow them on Instagram @wearemothertongue.