If the child does not masticate well, either grind
the fruit or scrape it very fine. The sweet fruits require so much
mastication that only their juices should be fed until the child is old
enough to masticate thoroughly. Bananas should also be withheld until
there is no doubt about the mastication. They must be thoroughly ripe,
the skin being dark in spots and the flesh firm and sweet. A green
banana is very starchy, but a ripe one contains hardly any starch and
digests easily.
At first the meal is fruit, followed with milk. Buttermilk or clabbered
milk may be substituted for sweet milk. A little later, begin giving
cottage cheese occasionally in place of milk, if the child likes it.
The succulent vegetables may be given quite early. At the age of two
years stewed onions, green peas, cauliflower, egg plant and summer
squash may be given. Gradually increase the variety until all the
succulent vegetables are used. At first it may be necessary to mash
these vegetables.
The longer children go without meat the better, and if they never
acquired the meat-eating habit it would be a blessing. If the parents
believe in feeding their children meat, they should wait until the
little ones are at least four years old before beginning.
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