Weaning Baby: Modern Parents Choosing Rice Cakes, Kale And Avocados As First Solid Foods

More and more parents are ditching porridge or rusk as their baby's first solid foods. Modern moms and dads are now picking out unconventional choices like rice cakes, kale, avocados and other exotic choices in weaning baby from milk to solids.

A survey on weaning baby suggested parents' feeding habits have drastically changed in the last 20 years, according to Daily Mail. Among the popular choices these days include sweet potatoes (22 percent), rice cakes (18 percent) and avocados (14.6 percent).

Parents are also introducing mangoes, strawberries, kale, broccoli and other fruits and vegetables as baby's first solid foods. Porridge or rusk, on the other hand, have dropped from the list of choices by as much as 32 percent. Some 72 percent of parents who answered the survey believed that by giving babies a varied selection of flavors early on, they will develop a more adventurous taste buds and not become fussy eaters as they grow up.

The survey was undertaken among 2,000 parents. Half of the participants have children under five while the other half have kids over 20-years-old. The poll was commissioned to coincide with the launch of My First Wafers, a recommended food for weaning babies to solids, according to MENAFN.

"Foods offered at this stage set the tone for future food preferences and patterns of eating and so it's important to offer plenty of variety at this time," nutritionist Charlotte Stirling-Reed said. She encouraged parents to experiment with food choices as it can be both fun and progressive for the baby learning to self-feed.

As for My First Wafers from Kiddylicious, the product is only available in the U.K. It is made of rice flour with fruit and vegetable powders for flavor and texture. It is also gluten-free and dairy-free, according to Retail Times.

Parent, what has your experience with weaning your baby? Care to share tips and other ideas for other parents? Sound off in the comments section below!