It's that time of year again when we're all busy carving pumpkins into fun Halloween creations to entertain the kids (and ourselves too…)
But before you throw away the leftovers from the pumpkin you need to know that pumpkins have nutrients that are great for infants and adults alike.
Whether you're making pumpkin purée for babies or pumpkin muffins for toddlers, we've shared five benefits of using leftover pumpkin in their meals and snacks, along with five tips to ensure you feed it to them safely.
Five surprising benefits of feeding pumpkin to babies and toddlers
- Pumpkin have immune-boosting vitamins A, C, and E which could help keep your baby or toddler healthy and strong
Pumpkin is a source of vitamins A, C and E which help to boost the immune system. According to the NHS vitamin A and C are important vitamin for babies and young children. Both vitamin A and E help your body's natural defence against illness and infection work properly and vitamin C helps to protect cells and keep them healthy.
- Pumpkin contains calcium which could help support growing strong bones and teeth
Another benefit of pumpkin is that it includes calcium which helps to maintain strong bones for all ages according to the BDA (The Association of UK Dieticians), which is very important for growing babies and toddlers. As well as this it is essential for healthy teeth which could be good for teething babies.
- Pumpkin is rich in fibre - which could support healthy digestion in babies and toddlers
If your baby Is feeling constipated pumpkin may help as it is a source of fibre. The NHS advises that fibre is an important part of a healthy, balanced diet but avoid wholegrain or high-fibre foods until your child is five as they can make little tummies too full before getting the calories and nutrients they need. However, don’t worry, pumpkin is okay to give your baby once you start to wean them onto solid foods as it’s not a high-fibre food.
- Pumpkin has vitamin K which may help heal scrapes and scratches
Babies and toddlers will inevitably get scrapes and scratches as they begin to explore the world, whether from learning to walk or playing at nursery, no matter how hard we try to prevent them. Pumpkin is a source of vitamin K which the NHS describes as a group of vitamins that the body needs for blood clotting, helping wounds to heal.
- Pumpkin contains vitamins A and E which could support eye development in babies and toddlers
In addition to vitamins A and E having immune-boosting qualities they also could help support eye development in young children. The NHS website says vitamin A can help vision in dim light and vitamin E contributes to healthy skin and eyes.
Four tips to safely feed pumpkin to babies and toddlers
- Remove all seeds from the pumpkin for infants as they could be a choking hazard
While pumpkin has nutritious benefits for young children, pumpkin seeds are a choking hazard. Before turning a pumpkin into a baby or toddler-friendly snack parents should ensure all pumpkin seeds have been removed.
- Pumpkin should always be cooked and soft so it’s easy for little mouths to eat
It’s best to avoid giving young children raw pumpkins as it will be too difficult for them to eat. Not only this but Healthline states that ‘raw pumpkin and its seeds may contain harmful bacteria that cause foodborne illness’ therefore we recommend cooking pumpkin thoroughly to prevent this.
- Serve pumpkin in a texture that’s suitable for your babies weaning age
According to your baby or toddler's age, pumpkin can be served in different ways. The NHS recommends that for children around six to nine months, fruits should be cooked to soften them and mashed with a fork or blended to a suitable texture for your baby. At nine months plus they should be able to manage lumpy, chopped and finger foods. Just don’t forget to cook the pumpkin first.
- You can also incorporate pumpkin into their diets with weaning recipes
Pumpkin doesn’t have to only be fed to babies as a fruit snack, it can also be pureed and included in age-appropriate weaning recipes. Nuby has collaborated with baby weaning expert Shikha Gill, founder of My Little Food Critic, to create a pumpkin spice muffin weaning recipe.
If you’re on a weaning journey with your baby we have everything you need from baby tableware and baby cutlery to baby food storage and sippy cups.
You can also download our free baby weaning essentials printable checklist, which is a great way to get prepared for starting to feed your baby solid foods, from our 25 must-have weaning essentials blog post.
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