When babies begin to enjoy solids, one of the most popular favorites is the almighty spud. Whether you serve them sweet, mashed or baked, most lil’ eaters just love the taste --" all by itself of blended with other flavors.

There are more inventive decisions to make when serving the potato, aside from whether to serve sweet or white.

For new eaters

Try blending these foods with a mashed potato -- white or sweet -- for a delicious, nutritious meal:

• Apples

• Carrots

• Peas

• Green Beans

• Bananas

• Apricots

• Squash

 
For 8 months and up:

• Chicken

• Meat

• Turkey

• Tofu

 
Here are some great starchy spud alternatives to try:

• Squash

• Pumpkin

• Zucchini

• Beets

Avoid the Fry

When your toddler reaches a certain age and develops some proficiency with finger foods, the French fry is a very tempting offering. They come frozen, are easy to cook and your kid is most likely to reward you with a happy plate.

A yummy, nutritious, easy alternative to serving French fries is to bake the potatoes instead:

Take a sweet or white potato

Peel if you want, but the skin is full of nutrients

Put the potatoes in a bowl and toss them with a small amount of melted butter

Spread on a cookie sheet

Bake for about 20 minutes or until slightly browned

Try sprinkling your baked potatoes with great toppings before popping in the oven:

• Finely grated Parmesan cheese

• Finely chopped parsley

• Cinnamon

• Nutmeg

• Adobo

• Touch of salt