20 Indian Baby Food Recipes for 1-Year-Old
Healthy and easy Indian baby food recipes for 1 year old to support growth, nutrition, and balanced eating habits every day.
Medically Reviewed By
Megha Mukhija
(Paediatric Nutritionist)
Food is an experience, and you may have observed your baby’s curiosity about different flavours and textures of foods once he reaches 12 months of age. Babies this age like to taste food beyond simple purees. The worry is how to modify complex Indian recipes to suit their digestive system, so Indian foods must be introduced in a simplified manner. Your child’s eating habits can start to deteriorate around his or her first birthday. Once a baby is a year old, their appetites start to wane, and they don’t need as much food because their growth has slowed down a bit. A one-year-old can consume practically all of your food. He or she needs about 1000 calories each day, which can be divided into 3 meals and 2 snacks (1). Planning a balanced 1-year- old baby food menu, Indian style, helps ensure your little one gets the right mix of nutrients while enjoying familiar and wholesome flavours. Read further to know 1-year-old baby food recipes.
Also Read: 1 Year Baby Developmental Milestones
Indian Food Recipes for a 12-Month-Old Baby
Here are our hand-picked recipes, modified to suit the tummies of one-year-olds. Some of the best breakfast recipes for a one-year-old Indian baby and interesting South Indian baby food recipes for a one-year-old have been simplified to introduce babies to Indian dishes that they will enjoy.
Remember
- Milk can be dairy, breast milk, or formula. Be cautious of heating breast milk.
- Create the ingredients at home, if possible. Avoid buying canned products.
- Do not use honey as a sweetener if your baby is not yet 12 months old (2).
1. Porridge
A favourite of many children, when made the right way, the liquid soft consistency is easy to consume.
1.1. Ragi Porridge
It is high in fibre and helps in bone density and muscle building (3).
Ingredients
How to Cook
- Wash sun-dried ragi grains and soak them overnight.
- Grind these with added water to make a gooey white paste.
- Boil this with enough water.
- Once it thickens, switch off the flame, add some milk and jaggery for a sweet flavour.
- Alternatively, once it cools, add curd and salt.
Also Read: Engaging Activities for 1-Year-Old
1.2. Rava Porridge
This is a good break from other types of porridge. It is sweet-flavoured and easily digestible.
Ingredients
- Rava: 2 tbsp.
- Water: ½ cup
- Ghee: 1 or 2 tsp.
- Jaggery: to taste
- Milk
How to Cook
- Roast rava in ghee on a low flame; do not brown. Switch off when it is fragrant. Set aside.
- Boil water and add the roasted rava slowly. Switch off as the mixture thickens and most of the water is absorbed.
- After ten minutes, add jaggery and milk to the completely thickened upma. Add until it is a porridge consistency.
1.3. Jaggery Oats Porridge
A mildly sweet, comforting porridge that provides energy and supports digestion.
Ingredients
- Rolled oats or powdered oats: 2 tbsp
- Jaggery: 1–2 tsp (powdered or syrup)
- Water: 1½ cups
- Milk: 2 tbsp (optional, after 1 year)
- Ghee: ½ tsp
- Cardamom powder: a tiny pinch (optional)
How to Cook
- Dry roast oats lightly and grind into a fine powder if using whole oats.
- Boil water in a pan and add the oats powder slowly, stirring continuously.
- Cook on low flame until it thickens to a smooth porridge consistency.
- Add jaggery syrup and cook for another 2–3 minutes.
- Switch off the flame, add ghee and milk if using, and mix well.
- Cool slightly before serving.
2. Rice
Rice consumes the flavour of any ingredient easily and is easily digestible.
2.1. Sticky Banana Rice
One of the easiest dishes to swallow, you will be amazed at the speed at which it is consumed by your little one.
Ingredients
- Rice: 1 cup
- Coconut milk (diluted): two cups
- Jaggery: 1 tbsp.
- Banana: 2 elachi or small bananas.
- Thick coconut milk: 2 tbsp.
How to Cook
- Soak rice overnight in diluted coconut milk.
- Pressure cook it with extra water.
- Heat the thick coconut milk with jaggery and add the rice.
- Squash bananas in a serving bowl and add the sweetened rice.
2.2. Kara Pongal
This is a good dish to introduce to your child’s diet.
Ingredients
- Rice: 1 cup
- Moong dal: ½ cup
- Jeera: 1 tsp.
- Ghee: 1 tsp.
- Curry leaves: a few
- Ginger: a large pinch
- Pepper: for taste (optional)
- Water- 5 cups
- Salt: to taste
How to Cook
- Wash and soak the rice and moong dal for half an hour.
- Heat ghee in a cooker and add jeera.
- Add and Sauté ginger and curry leaves for a minute.
- Add the rice-dal mixture and top it up with water.
- Add pepper and salt.
- Remove the curry leaves and mash the food before serving.
2.3. Curd Rice
Cooling, gentle, and ideal for warm weather (4).
Ingredients
- Cooked rice: ½ cup
- Fresh curd: ¼ cup
- Water or milk: as needed
- Salt: a pinch
How to Cook
- Mash cooked rice thoroughly.
- Mix curd and water or milk to achieve a soft consistency.
- Add salt lightly and serve fresh.
3. Soups
A flavoursome dish that can be consumed during sickness or even in between meals.
3.1. Tomato and Carrot Soup
A tangy dish full of vitamins
Ingredients
- Carrot: 1
- Tomato: 1
- Onion: 2 tbsp. (finely chopped)
- Garlic: 1 small clove (finely chopped)
- Butter: 1 tsp.
- Cumin seeds: ¼ tsp.
- Pepper powder: a pinch
- Water: 1.5 cups
- Salt
How to Cook
- Clean the vegetables thoroughly and dice them into small cubes.
- Heat butter in a pressure cooker and add cumin seeds
- Sauté onions and garlic until translucent
- Add carrot and tomato with enough water. Also, add salt and pepper.
- Bring it to a boil
- Pressure cook for three whistles on a medium flame
- Grind and strain
- If you do not wish to strain, remember to blanch the tomatoes and peel off the skin.
- Serve it lukewarm.
3.2. Chicken Soup
Especially yummy when kids are down with a cold.
Ingredients
- Chicken: one breast piece, shredded.
- Onion: 1 small (finely chopped)
- Vegetables (carrot, potato): 2 tbsp. (chopped)
- Chicken stock/ water: 1 cup.
- Butter: 2 tsp.
- Salt
How to Cook
- Add butter to a pressure cooker and sauté the onions till translucent.
- Add the chicken, along with veggies and water
- Pressure cook for two whistles
- Blend the cooled mixture and serve it lukewarm.
4. Curries
These contain a burst of flavour; best served with Indian bread or rice.
4.1. Fish Curry
One of the better ways to introduce children to fish and spices.
Ingredients
- Coconut oil: 1 tbsp.
- Large onion: 1 finely chopped
- Garlic clove: 1 finely chopped
- Ginger: 1 tsp. chopped finely
- Tomatoes: 2 chopped finely
- White meaty fish (avoid fish with tiny bones) with skin removed: 125 gm
- Curd: 30 ml
- Garam masala: 1 tsp.
- Chilli powder or pepper powder to taste (Be cautious of chilli powder. Do not make it too spicy)
- Water: 200ml
How to Cook
- Sauté onions, garlic and ginger in a frying pan until translucent.
- Mix the pepper or chilli powder.
- Add water and tomatoes, and bring to a boil.
- Let it simmer for a few minutes
- Add the fish, then cover and cook for 2 minutes. Add the yoghurt and coriander, and cook for another couple of minutes.
- Cook the rice and serve it alongside your fish curry.
- Add garam masala to taste.
- Serve with optional tomato, onion and coriander salad.
4.2. Dal Curry
Dal is a good combination of carbs and proteins.
Ingredients
- Moong dal: ½ cup
- Toor dal ½ cup
- Turmeric: 1 tsp.
- Ghee: 2 tsp.
- Jeera: 1 tsp.
- Water: 3 cups
- Salt as per taste
How to Cook
- Wash the dal and add the turmeric and salt.
- Pressure cook with 3 cups of water.
- Temper jeera in ghee and add it to the dal.
4.3. Vegetable Coconut Curry for Babies
A soft, creamy curry with mild flavours, perfect for 12-month-olds.
Ingredients
- Carrot: ½ cup (finely chopped)
- Pumpkin: ½ cup (peeled and chopped)
- Peas: 2 tbsp
- Coconut milk: ¼ cup
- Ghee: 1 tsp
- Turmeric: a pinch
- Cumin seeds: ¼ tsp
- Water: ½–1 cup
- Salt: a pinch (optional, can skip for younger babies)
How to Cook
- Heat ghee in a small pan and add cumin seeds; let them splutter.
- Add carrots, pumpkin, and peas with a pinch of turmeric and sauté lightly for 1–2 minutes.
- Add water, cover, and cook on a low flame until the vegetables are soft.
- Mash the vegetables gently or blend slightly for a smoother texture.
- Stir in coconut milk and cook for another 2 minutes.
- Let it cool to lukewarm before serving.
- This curry is sweet, creamy, and very digestible for babies.
5. Egg Dishes
An egg is a good introduction to complex food (5).
5.1. Egg Bhurji
This is a good snack and can be served with rice.
Ingredients
- Eggs: 1
- Pepper powder: a pinch
- Milk: 3 tbsp. boiled
- Cheese (grated): 1 tsp
- Butter: ½ tsp.
- Salt
How to Cook
- Beat the egg with milk.
- Melt some butter and add the beaten egg. Stir the eggs continuously until scrambled.
- Mix cheese, pepper, and salt.
- Stir it evenly before switching off the flame.
5.2. Bread Omelette
The softness of the egg will reduce the dryness of the bread.
Ingredients
- Eggs: 1 (beaten)
- Pepper powder: a pinch (optional)
- Bread: 2 slices
- Butter: 1 tsp.
- Salt as per taste
How to Cook
- Cut the ends of the bread.
- Beat an egg and add pepper and salt
- Heat butter in a pan.
- Dip the bread into the eggs, coat it evenly on both sides, and transfer it to the pan.
- Cook on both sides until golden brown.
- Repeat with the other bread.
6. Instant Dosa
Dosa is the staple food of a South Indian breakfast.
6.1. Rava Dosa
A version of dosa that needs no fermenting. You can add veggies as the baby gets used to them.
Ingredients
- Sooji/ Rava: ½ cup
- Curd: ½ cup
- Rice flour: ½ cup
- Water: 3-4 cups
- Jeera: 1 tsp.
- Salt
- Ghee
How to Cook
- Mix rava, rice flour, salt, and jeera.
- Add curd carefully, as well as water in small amounts. Do not make it lumpy.
- The consistency should be like thick buttermilk. Not thick, but not too thin.
- Heat the pan well and spread the dosa batter outward to inward in a circle.
- The dosa will have holes. Circle a teaspoon of ghee before closing the lid.
- Remove when crisp.
6.2. Wheat Dosa
A better, softer way to introduce wheat to your little one’s diet.
Ingredients
- Wheat flour: 2 cups
- Rice flour: ¼ cup
- Onion: 1 chopped finely
- Ginger: 1 tbsp. chopped finely
- Jeera: ½ tsp.
- Water: 4 cups
- Salt
- Ghee
How to Cook
- Mix wheat flour, rice flour, cumin seeds, chopped onions, ginger, and salt.
- Add some water and mix well. The batter is similar to the rava dosa.
- Heat a non-stick pan and pour the batter outward to inward in a circle.
- Cook until brown, before flipping.
7. Desserts
Rich in sugar, desserts give energy and uplifts mood.
7.1. Sweet Pongal
A South Indian must at every festival.
Ingredients
- Rice: ½ cup
- Moong dal: 1 to 1.5 tbsp.
- Jaggery: ½ cup
- Salt: a pinch
- Water: 2.5 cups
- Cardamom Powder: ¼ tsp
- Ghee – 4 tsp
- Milk
How to Cook
- Melt the jaggery with ½ cup of water and dissolve completely. Strain the liquid and set aside
- Heat the ghee and roast the moong dal for three minutes in a cooker. Mix the washed rice and add water.
- Pressure cook for four whistles.
- Once the pressure wears off, add the jaggery water to the mixture, along with ghee, salt and cardamom powder. Add half a cup of milk as the mixture thickens.
- Cook it for a few minutes, stirring regularly.
7.2. Naryal or Elaneer Payasam
A unique sweet that’s best for the summer.
Ingredients
- Tender Coconut Water: 1 cup
- Tender Coconut Pulp: 1 cup
- Milk: 2 cups
- Jaggery: 1/4 cup
- Cardamom Powder: 1/2 tsp
How to Cook
- Beat the tender coconut pulp, add the tender water, and refrigerate.
- Boil milk and jaggery until thick, and add the cardamom powder
- Pour the milk into the tender coconut pulp and let it cool.
7.3. Apple Jaggery Halwa
A naturally sweet dessert made without refined sugar and easy on a baby’s tummy.
Ingredients
- Apple: 1 large (peeled, cored, and grated)
- Jaggery: 1–2 tbsp (powdered or syrup)
- Ghee: 1 tsp
- Water: 2–3 tbsp
- Cardamom powder: a tiny pinch (optional)
How to Cook
- Heat ghee in a small pan on low flame.
- Add the grated apple and sauté for 2–3 minutes until soft.
- Add water and cook until the apple is completely mushy.
- Stir in jaggery and cook for another 2–3 minutes until it blends well.
- Add a tiny pinch of cardamom powder if using.
- Switch off the flame and let it cool to lukewarm before serving.
You can always add or subtract ingredients according to your baby’s taste, as these foods can be easily modified. Above all, do not cook with stress. Cook with love, joy and positivity. Babies sense it in the food as much as they sense it in your arms.
8. Sweet Potato
Sweet potato is a nutritious root vegetable that is high in fibre and vitamins (6).
8.1. Sweet Potato Cinnamon Pancake
A yummy pancake for your baby with enhanced nutrition!
Ingredients
- Sweet potato, peeled and chopped (how many?)
- 1 Ground cinnamon,
- 1 teaspoon (optional)
- 1 tablespoon ghee
- One ripe banana
How to Cook
- Steam and puree the sweet potatoes.
- Blend them with bananas until they are smooth.
- To give them a runny consistency, you can add water.
- Ghee should be heated in a pan. Combine the mixture with the cinnamon powder.
- To make tiny pancakes, spoon the mixture into the pan. Almost 2 tablespoons should be used per pancake.
- Cook it thoroughly on both sides.
8.2. Sweet Potato Puffs
Sweet yumminess on the plate!
Ingredients
- Cooked and mashed sweet potato- 4 cups
- Vegetable oil- 2 tbsp
- Water- 2 tbsp
- Applesauce- 1 tbsp
- Baby cereal- 1 cup
- Flour- ½ cup
How to Cook
- Combine oil, sweet potato mash, and applesauce in a bowl. Once the mixture is smooth, add the water and stir.
- To this, add the baby cereal and flour. Add more cereal to make it coarser.
- Pour the dough into a cone you’ve made out of a biscuit sheet or plastic sheet. Remove the tip.
- Now take little bits and roll them into balls. To leave some air bubbles, create a hole in the centre. It will appear to be a puff as a result.
- Place them on a baking sheet and drizzle with oil.
- The dish should be baked for 155 minutes at 350.
Tips on Feeding Your One-Year-Old
Here are some simple and practical tips to help you feed your one-year-old with confidence and care. Choosing the right food for a 1-year-old Indian baby can support healthy growth while making mealtimes enjoyable and stress-free for both you and your child (7).
1. Don’t Force-Feed Your Child
Kids at this age are just beginning to develop their sense of flavour and figure out what they like or dislike. Encourage toddlers to eat, but don’t force-feed them anything they don’t like, no matter how nutritious. Try to look for alternatives or mask the ingredient in other foods.
2. Food Should Be Easy to Eat
Your one-year-old still risks choking on big chunks of food, so keep the food soft, in small pieces, and easily chewable.
3. Cool Down the Food Before Serving
Your child may begin to eat without considering how hot the food is, so test the temperature on yourself before feeding.
4. Avoid Adding Excess Salt, Fat, Spices, and Sugar
These ingredients may cause health issues in the long run, so only use as much as is needed in the dish. Additionally, your child cannot handle as much spice as you can, so bear in mind his tastes when cooking.
5. Supervise Your Child During Mealtimes
Children at this age may insist on eating food by themselves, but don’t simply hand them the spoon and go about your chores. Make sure to stick around your child when he is eating to administer immediate help in case of choking, etc.
Foods You Should Avoid Feeding to a One-Year-Old
Avoid offering your child the following foods as they may present choking hazards:
- Popcorn
- Raw and hard vegetables
- Whole grapes
- Hard candies
- Hot dogs
- Nuts
- Raisins
FAQs
1. Can Indian baby food recipes for a 1-year-old be customised based on regional diets?
Yes, Indian baby food can be easily adapted to regional eating habits while still meeting nutritional needs. Whether following North, South, or West Indian diets, parents can align meals with a 1-year baby meal plan while using locally available, familiar ingredients.
2. How can parents ensure variety without overwhelming a 1-year-old’s digestion?
Introducing variety gradually is key. Rotating ingredients and textures while sticking to healthy baby food recipes for a 1-year-old helps prevent monotony and supports digestive comfort at the same time.
3. Is it necessary to follow a strict food chart for a 1-year-old in India?
Not necessarily. A food chart acts as a helpful guide, but flexibility is important since every child’s appetite and digestion differ. Parents often use a 1-year baby food chart in India as a reference rather than a rigid rulebook.
These are some amazing food recipes that your child will like. These recipes are extremely healthy and nutritious for your little one.
Also Read:
1 Year Old Activities
1 Year Old Baby Milestones
1-Year-Old Baby Food Ideas
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