Iron is a critical nutrient during childhood. Learn easy ways to add iron-rich foods for babies during complementary feeding to ensure your infant meets their nutritional needs. 

Did you know that as a baby’s brain develops, it triples in size during the first three years?

Iron is one of the most critical nutrients during childhood because it plays an essential role in brain development. 

Iron deficiency is a common childhood nutrient deficiency worldwide. But many foods manufactured in the U.S. are fortified with iron, so deficiency isn’t as common here.

In the first 6 months, infants rely on infant formula or breast milk to meet their nutrient requirements. Then, solid foods fill the gap to help provide all the nutrients babies need for healthy growth and development.

The risk of iron deficiency and iron deficiency anemia increases between 6 – 24 months old (and during the teen years for girls).

Let’s dive into this essential nutrient and the best iron-rich foods for babies, whether you’re spoon-feeding or baby-led weaning.

How Much Iron Does a Baby Need Daily?

Iron is a mineral that can build up in the body. Infants begin storing iron even before they’re born. And depending on the mother’s diet, babies should have enough iron to sustain them for approximately the first 4-6 months. 

Around 6 months, babies need iron-containing complementary foods, like animal products and iron-fortified baby cereals, especially if they’re breastfeeding. The iron content of breast milk naturally declines and the iron needs of young children increase. 

These are the daily iron requirements for babies and toddlers:

• 0 – 6-month-old infants, Adequate Intake (AI) is 0.27 mg*
• 7 – 12-month-old infants, DRI is 11 mg
• 1 – 3-year-old toddlers, the DRI is 7 mg

*Since all of an infant’s nutrients come from breast milk or formula in the first 6 months of life, the DRI isn’t established for ages 0-6 months. So Adequate Intake is used instead.

What Are the Best Sources of Iron for Babies?

There are three primary sources of iron for babies: breast milk, standard iron-fortified formula, and complementary foods (solids). Let’s take a closer look at each source of iron.rd iron-fortified formula, and complementary foods. Let’s take a closer look at each source of iron.

Breast Milk

The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends exclusive breastfeeding for the first 6 months. The amount of iron provided by breast milk depends on the quantity of the mother’s diet. 

There are some circumstances when breast milk may not provide enough iron for your baby. If you’re concerned that your baby isn’t getting enough iron from breast milk, ask your pediatrician whether they recommend iron supplements. 

Breastfed babies who are starting solids benefit from prioritizing iron-rich foods like red meat, dark meat poultry, and iron-fortified cereal.

Iron-Fortified Formula

Most baby formula in the U.S. is fortified with iron and will meet a baby’s daily iron needs. Standard formulas contain 12 mg/dl of iron.

Watering down formula reduces the concentration of nutrients and is dangerous for babies. It can lead to nutrient deficiencies and slow growth and development.

Also, babies don’t need water before 6 months of age. Introducing more water than the amount required to prepare the formula can cause an electrolyte imbalance.

Complementary Foods (Solid Food)

When your little one is around 6 months old, it’s time to introduce solids! (As long as they’re showing signs of developmental readiness.)

When you introduce solids into your baby’s diet, they’ll gradually rely less on breast milk or baby formula for nutrients. It’s vital to offer nutritious foods and a variety of iron-rich foods during this transitional weaning phase. 

If babies get most of their nutrition from breast milk or formula, do they need nutrient-rich foods too?

Yes!

Babies benefit from solid foods packed with vitamins and minerals even while they’re still nursing or drinking formula for two big reasons:

• Babies can develop a taste preference for early foods, so it’s best to offer nutrient-rich foods like fruits and veggies early
• Nutritious foods compensate for the decline in nutrients as you decrease formula or breastfeeding between 7 – 12 months of age

When starting solids, there are two types of iron from food sources. Animal sources of iron will contain heme iron which is easily absorbed and used in the body. Plant-based foods will contain non-heme iron. This source of iron is a bit harder to absorb, so adding a source of vitamin C will increase iron absorption.

Sometimes a child’s pediatrician will recommend introducing solids in a specific order, starting with rice cereal or another iron-fortified infant cereal. But, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), you don’t need to offer your baby’s first foods in a particular order. 

Whether you spoon-feed or practice baby-led weaning, there are three main concerns when making the transition to real food: choking, food allergies, and high-iron foods. 

As for iron, your baby’s iron stores are used by 6 months of age. So, a baby’s first foods must contain iron to support the rapid brain development that’s happening during the first three years.

Offer pureed foods or foods modified to a safe texture and size to reduce the risk of choking. 

Recent studies show that introducing allergens to babies early may reduce the risk of food allergies. This is great news! But parents should still use caution when introducing new foods to babies. Whether you introduce one new food at a time, be sure to keep moving forward with food introduction. Generally, after a baby shows tolerance, you can introduce another new food.

Best Iron-Rich Foods for Spoon-feeding

Let’s dive into the best iron-rich foods and purees for babies and young toddlers. First, let’s look at pureed foods. You can make your own baby food or use stage two purees to spoon-feed your baby. 

1. Pureed meats

Pureed chicken, beef, or lamb are all great sources of iron. You can make your own purees using baby formula or breastmilk to thin it out, or buy it pre-made at the store. Just make sure to check the labels to ensure they don’t contain any added salt, sugar, or other ingredients.

2. Fortified cereals 

Fortified baby cereals are another great option for iron-rich spoon-fed meals. You can vary the types of grain-based cereal to reduce the exposure to rice cereal. Single grain oatmeal is a great choice, or you can try quinoa, barley, or brown rice cereals.

3. Lentils 

Lentils are a nutritious powerhouse and an excellent source of iron for babies. They’re also easy to puree, so they’re perfect for spoon-feeding. You can cook them from scratch or buy them pre-cooked in a can. Drain and rinse them before pureeing to lower the amount of sodium.

4. Beans 

Black beans, kidney beans, navy beans, and lentils are all great iron rich foods for babies (and adults!). You can puree them on their own or mix them into other food purees like vegetables or baby cereal for added flavor and nutrition.

5. Dark leafy greens

Dark leafy greens like spinach and kale are packed with nutrients, including iron. Cook them first, and they’ll be much easier to blend into a smooth consistency. You can also try adding them to other food purees to add some extra nutrition. Don’t forget to offer these with a source of vitamin C like bell peppers sauteed with spinach.

Best Iron-Rich Foods for Baby-led Weaning

Baby-led weaning (BLW) is a great way to introduce your baby to solid foods. With BLW, your baby can use graspable pieces of whole foods and self-feed from the very beginning. It’s a good way to encourage self-regulation and control of how much babies eat, and what they eat. Pre-load a spoon with puree and place in your baby’s hand to promote self-feeding of purees.

Food for baby-led weaning needs to be modified to the right texture and size to reduce the risk of choking.

1. Meats

Beef, pork, lamb, chicken and turkey are all excellent sources of iron. Cook ground meat or cut soft meats into finger-length pieces so it’s easy for your baby to pick up and eat. 

2. Seafood

Low mercury fish is a great source of iron. If you’re feeding seafood to your baby, be sure to cook it thoroughly to reduce the risk of food poisoning. Run your hand across fillets of fish to check for small bones first. 

Stick to 2 servings of low-mercury fish per week and choose low mercury content sources. The lowest mercury fishes are anchovies, Atlantic mackerel, catfish, clams, crab, crawfish, flounder, haddock, mullet, oysters, plaice, pollock, salmon, sardines, scallops, shad, shrimp, sole, squid, tilapia, trout, and whiting.

[Related: 5 Tips to Help Kids Eat More Fish]

3. Eggs 

Eggs are another great source of iron for baby-led weaning. You can hard boil them, scramble them, or make them into mini omelets or quiches. Avoid added salt, but feel free to use eggs as a vehicle to introduce other seasonings.

4. Beans and lentils

Beans and lentils are packed with nutrients, including iron. They’re also easy for babies to eat since they can be mashed, shaped into bite-size patties, or pureed as needed. Rinse, strain, and cook them thoroughly before feeding them to your baby. Once your baby has developed the pincer grasp, they can pick up one bean at a time!

3. Tofu

Tofu is a great plant-based source of iron for babies that’s also an excellent source of protein and calcium. It can be pureed, diced into small pieces, or offered as finger food. Tofu is naturally soft and easy for your baby to “chew” and swallow.

4. Fortified Foods

Some examples of fortified foods include cereal, bread, oatmeal, and pasta. Look for brands that say “enriched” or “fortified” on the label. These whole grains have the added benefit of other nutrients, as well.

Even during BLW, I recommend offering cereal made for babies because they’re packed with the nutrients babies need during the first year. 

Learn More About the Essential Nutrients During Childhood

• Be sure to check out my guide, Nutrients for Kids: Advanced Guide, which dives into the 7 most critical nutrients for growth and development during childhood.  
• Read, The Ultimate Guide to Baby’s Nutrition in the First Year.
• Got a teen? Read The Best Iron-Rich Foods for Teens.
• For more information and help you can watch these videos of mine on my Youtube channel.