Every mother knows very well that complementary foods must be introduced correctly into her child’s diet. If mistakes were made, then he may refuse such a product forever or for the next ten years. Turkey is an important product for babies. It is necessary to follow all the rules and recommendations so that this particular dietary meat becomes his favorite.
The benefits of turkey meat for babies
Parents are well aware that the benefits of turkey meat for babies are great. First of all, it contains protein. This is the most important material for the construction of tissues in a child’s body. Thanks to its easily digestible appearance, all the beneficial substances found in turkey meat are beneficial. Visual acuity, a stable nervous system, good hematopoiesis, a reliable musculoskeletal system and much more depend on the timely introduction of proper complementary foods. An undeniable advantage, in this case, is that the meat is dietary.
The benefits of turkey meat for babies can also be seen in the main components contained in it:
- Iron.
- Phosphorus.
- Magnesium.
- Vitamins A and E.
- Sodium.
- Calcium.
Compared to beef, the amount of sodium contained in meat is twice as much. Calcium is present in abundance, which undoubtedly benefits joints and bones. In terms of iron levels, turkey meat exceeds all types of meat combined. A small amount of cholesterol has a beneficial effect on the liver and does not cause any harm.
How to cook turkey for babies
In this case, you can experiment endlessly. But, when thinking about how to cook turkey for a baby, you need to remember that pureed complementary foods are the best choice. Although kids enjoy consuming broth too. It's quite simple to prepare. You should first prepare the meat: remove films, skin, cartilage. Place a small piece in a saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil and simmer for about five minutes. It is important that all fats and unnecessary substances come out. After washing the meat, pour cold filtered water and cook until completely cooked. For better absorption, you need to cook the broth for at least an hour and a half. This broth is perfect for a bottle. It will remind your baby of water, but the benefits will be undeniable.
Turkey by-products may be good, but a child should consume them no earlier than one and a half years old. Until then, you should limit yourself to purees, broths and soups.
How to cook turkey for babies
It must be remembered that well-washed and cooked meat contains more benefits and less harm. Therefore, if you want to know how to cook turkey for a baby, you should follow the warning rules. To ensure that no harmful substances, which are unlikely to be contained in this meat, enter the child’s body, it is worth preparing the meat well. Initially, it is recommended to use exclusively sirloin. Rinse the meat well, remove all excess, pour cold water and boil. Drain, rinse again and fill with water. Bring to a boil and cook for at least 7 minutes. Drain and rinse again. Pour in water until the surface of the meat is completely covered, bring to a boil and cook over very low heat for at least one and a half hours. After thorough washing and boiling, the jar will contain only useful substances.
How long to cook turkey for a baby
This issue is resolved individually in each specific case. How long to cook turkey for a baby depends on the meat. Poultry sold in stores is often cooked for no more than one hour. And for domestic animals, even an hour and a half will not be enough, since the fibers are denser, due to proper and natural food, as well as the possibility of free movement. The best option, in both cases, is to cook for an hour and a half. Such meat is easy to puree.
Turkey for babies: recipe
In this case, the mother decides what kind of turkey will be for the baby. The recipe for each dish is quite simple. Mashed potatoes, soup, broth, meatballs and much more will please a child only if they are prepared correctly. Although even in this case, success is not always expected and the mother may end up with a “mask” on her face.
Turkey soup for babies
In this case, it is necessary to remember that such a dish is not the first complementary food. Despite all the benefits, turkey soup for babies is a little heavy. Therefore, it is better to include it in the diet no earlier than 10-12 months of age. It is at this time that the amount of enzymes is sufficient to process the product.
Cleaned and well washed, boiled meat a couple of times, cook for an hour. After the turkey is almost ready, you need to add some carrots, potatoes, broccoli, zucchini and cauliflower to the broth. Boil for at least another half hour. Remove from heat and cool slightly. Place one ladle of soup in a blender and mix well. Turkey soup for a baby should contain vegetables and meat in equal parts. Literally from the first spoon, your child will like this delicacy.
Making turkey puree for babies is very simple. To do this, it is worth boiling the bird well in several waters. Cool the meat and mince it a couple of times. Only after such preparation can it be placed in a blender and brought to the desired consistency. Add a little vegetable broth to the puree and stir. Put on fire and boil. If the baby is breastfed, then it can be diluted with breast milk. Turkey broth should not be added at first, as it may be difficult for the body.
Turkey is an ideal dish for a baby to help him grow and develop. You need to learn how to cook it correctly and then the charming creature will feast on your favorite dishes with pleasure.
Peculiarity: dietary, low-calorie meat, recommended as first complementary foods.
Turkey meat is the meat of turkeys. Turkeys come from the Western Hemisphere, where they were the only poultry of the Aztecs. They are currently of quite wide economic importance for humans, mainly as a source of protein. The highest quality turkey meat is obtained in the USA.
In 100 g turkey meat contains 174 kcal.
Composition and nutritional properties of turkey meat
- Water - 74.07 g
- Proteins - 17.07 g
- Fat - 1.66 g
- Carbohydrates - 3.71 g
- Fiber - 0.5 g
- Cholesterol - 74 g
- Ash - 2.99 g
Turkey meat is tender with a creamy pink tint, turning into a more intense reddish color, and is absolutely devoid of fat. Turkey breast, which is often called “white meat,” is lighter in color and slightly dryer after cooking, in comparison with other parts, characterized by intense color and juiciness, and is considered the most useful for therapeutic and dietary nutrition.
Useful properties of turkey meat
Turkey is a dietary meat. It is low in calories, low in fat and cholesterol. Easily digestible due to the low content of insoluble fats. Protein digestibility is 95%. Gives a quick feeling of fullness. Turkey has a richer flavor than chicken.
Turkey is rich in proteins, vitamins and minerals. Only turkey contains phosphorus in the same significant amount as fish. One serving of turkey provides the body with the daily requirement of vitamin B3. The lack of this vitamin causes vitamin deficiency, disruption of the cerebral cortex, nervous and mental disorders, and a general decrease in the level of intelligence.
Turkey meat almost never causes allergies. It is ideal for baby food. Due to its easy digestibility, the meat of this bird can be one of the products for the first feeding of an infant.
Contraindications for use
There are no special contraindications to eating the meat of this bird. However, like any other product containing a large amount of protein, it should be limited in the diet of those who suffer from kidney failure, gout and urolithiasis. Since turkey contains a large amount of sodium, hypertensive patients and people who have to limit their salt intake need to under-salt this product when cooking.
Turkey meat in children's diet
Starting from 7-8 months, pediatricians advise introducing meat into the diet of babies. Turkey is ideal for your first introduction to meat products. It is easily absorbed by the body, so it can be given even to small children who still have an imperfect digestive system.
The undeniable advantage of turkey is that it does not cause allergies, so it can be safely included in the diet of children with allergies.
First, the baby is given meat puree at the tip of a teaspoon and the serving size is gradually increased. At 9 months, the baby should receive 20-40 g of meat puree per day, at 10 months - 40-50 g, at 11 months - 50-60 g, at 12 months - 60-70 g.
At 8-9 months a child can be offered meatballs, a year - steamed cutlets. It is necessary to switch to meat dishes with a denser consistency when the child’s chewing skills are well developed and teeth have erupted.
The best side dishes for meat dishes are fresh vegetables rich in vitamin C.
Preparation and consistency
The first meat supplement should be in the form of puree. Of all the methods of heat treatment of turkey meat for children's diets, three are most preferable: baking, stewing and steaming. To keep your child’s diet varied, it is recommended to alternate them.
Turkey recipes for children
Turkey and potato skewers
Ingredients:
- Turkey fillet - 1 kg
- Potatoes - 7-10 pcs.
- Onions - 1 pc.
- Soy sauce
- Salt, pepper - to taste
Preparation:
- Peel the potatoes and cut into rings (slices) - 1 -1.5 cm, salt and pepper.
- Cut the onion into rings.
- Cut the turkey fillet into large cubes and marinate in soy sauce for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Take skewers and thread meat, potatoes and onions onto them.
- Line a baking tray with baking paper and place our kebabs on it
- Then put the baking sheet in the oven, preheated to 180-200 degrees for 1 hour.
Turkey cutlets
Ingredients:
- Turkey fillet - 1 kg
- Onions - 3 pcs.
- Garlic - 4 teeth.
- Full hard (grated) - 100 g
- White bread - 3 slices
- Salt - 1 tsp.
- Pepper - to taste
- Butter - 100 g + for greasing the baking sheet.
Preparation:
- Pass the turkey fillet through a meat grinder along with onions, garlic and bread pre-soaked in water.
- Add cheese, salt and pepper to the minced meat.
- We form a ball from the minced meat, then shape it into a flat cake on our hand, put a piece of butter in it, then carefully close the edges and form cutlets.
- Place baking paper on a baking sheet and grease it with butter.
- Place the cutlets on a baking sheet and place in the oven preheated to 180 degrees for 35-40 minutes.
- Let the cutlets cool slightly and carefully place them on a plate.
Turkey baked in cream
Ingredients:
- Turkey fillet - 700 g
- Kefir - 300 ml
- Salt - to taste
- Cream (10%) - 100-150 ml
- Nutmeg - on the tip of a knife
- Basil
Preparation:
- Cut the turkey fillet into pieces, pour in kefir and leave to marinate for 5-7 hours.
- When the turkey is marinated, you need to remove it from the kefir and dry it.
- Then the meat should be placed in a baking dish, salted, sprinkled with nutmeg, poured with cream and sprinkled with dried basil on top.
- Place the turkey in the oven, preheated to 180-200 degrees, for 40 minutes.
Bon appetit!
Meat must be present in the diet of children. It fills the body with necessary proteins and useful elements, restores strength and improves tone, strengthens the immune system. Meat and meat dishes prevent the development of anemia, stimulate the growth of cells and tissues, brain function, and improve appetite. Meat is introduced into complementary foods for infants at the age of 8 months. Children on artificial or mixed feeding are given this product as early as six months.
The best dish for a child would be turkey puree. For the first time, give your baby 10 ml of meat puree to try and watch the reaction for two days. If you notice indigestion, stool problems, or other negative reactions, postpone administration and consult a doctor. You can try again no earlier than in a month.
If there is no negative reaction, you can continue to introduce turkey dishes into your baby’s diet. Gradually increase the portion to 100-120 ml. Give meat in the first half of the day so that the product is easier to absorb and digest in the baby’s body. Each time it is better to prepare a new portion so that the food retains as much vitamins and beneficial elements as possible. If necessary, prepared meat puree or other dish for infants can be stored in the refrigerator for no more than a day.
Give your baby warm food. Hot food can burn the delicate esophagus, and a cold dish loses half of its beneficial properties. After the puree, you can introduce other dishes, including cutlets and meatballs, broth and turkey soups, stews and salads.
How to cook turkey for kids
Turkey for children should be served stewed, boiled, baked or steamed. Eliminate fried foods from your diet, as they are difficult to digest, often disrupt digestion and lead to excess weight. In addition, hot spices and seasonings should not be used for cooking; salt and pepper are also best avoided for babies under one year of age. After 10-12 months, food can be lightly salted and peppered.
Give preference to fresh meat, turkey fillet and breast. You can also use homemade minced poultry to make cutlets or meatballs. By the way, it’s better to start with small meatballs, as they are easier to chew. Turkey meatballs for children can be served with vegetable puree, rice, pasta, buckwheat, or placed in soup.
Start complementary feeding with purees. To prepare the puree, boil the meat and pass it through a meat grinder or grind it in a blender. You can lightly salt it and add a little vegetable oil for taste. If necessary, the puree is diluted with water, vegetable broth, breast milk or formula.
Many people are interested in how long to cook a turkey for a child. As a rule, cooking time takes 1.5-2 hours. For children, first cook the meat for half an hour, then drain the water and add new water, then cook for another 1.5 hours. It is enough to cook the fillet for 30-40 minutes after draining the water. Meat broth is better, as it negatively affects the child’s digestion and irritates the mucous membrane of the intestines and stomach. If you are preparing turkey soup for a child, boil the meat separately, chop it and add it to the prepared broth with vegetables.
It is better not to give babies ready-made baby food or canned meat for children, as they contain various additives. It is not recommended to cook offal, although tongue and liver are very useful due to the large amount of iron. However, they accumulate toxic substances, so it is better to include by-products in the diet after three years.
Turkey recipes for babies
Meat puree for the first feeding, steamed and in a slow cooker
- Turkey fillet or breast – 100 g;
- Water, breast milk or formula – 100 ml.
Rinse the fillet well and cook or steam, grind in a meat grinder or blender. Then pour in half a glass of boiled water, milk or the finished mixture. You can pass it through the blender again. After the baby gets used to the new dish, you can dilute the puree with vegetable broth. Then two or three drops of vegetable oil and a little salt are added to the dish.
Turkey puree is also easy to make in the slow cooker. Place the prepared fillet on the grill, pour a liter of water into the bowl, or you can prepare another dish, for example, soup for the whole family. Cook in “steam” mode for 40 minutes. Then the dish is also diluted. Gradually the puree is mixed with other ingredients. Meat puree can be given with (zucchini, potatoes, broccoli or cauliflower, carrots and herbs).
Noodle soup for children over one year old
- Turkey fillet – 250 gr;
- Potatoes – 3 pieces;
- Homemade noodles – 150 g;
- Onion – 1 head;
- Chopped spinach to taste.
Cook the turkey separately and drain the broth. To prepare homemade noodles, break two eggs, pour in 30 ml of water and add a glass of flour. Knead the dough, roll it into a thin layer and cut out the noodles. Place a whole onion and chopped spinach into boiling water. Chop the potatoes and add to the soup. After two minutes, add the noodles and cook until they float. Remove the onion.
Turkey cutlets and meatballs
- Turkey fillet or breast – 700 g;
- Quail eggs – 4 pieces;
- Bread soaked in brackish water – 100 g..
Pour cool water over the turkey and leave for 4-6 hours, changing the water periodically. Then twist the meat into minced meat. Do not add salt or pepper. For children over 1.5-2 years old, you can add chopped onion or crushed garlic to the minced meat. Break the eggs into the minced meat and add the soaked bread. By the way, instead of bread, you can use thick barley or oatmeal porridge. The mixture should not drip from the spoon.
Mix the resulting mass thoroughly; you can additionally add chopped herbs or vegetables. It is important that each ingredient has already been introduced into the baby’s diet! Form the minced meat into cutlets and meatballs of the desired shape and steam for 40 minutes.
Turkey meatballs for kids
- Turkey breast or fillet – 0.5 kg;
- Onion – 1 head;
- Quail eggs – 3 pieces;
- Chopped greens to taste.
Stewed turkey fillet for children 1.5-3 years old
- Turkey fillet – 300 gr;
- Green apple – 2 medium fruits;
- Onion – 1 pc.;
- Garlic – 2 cloves.
Chop the onion and lightly fry in vegetable oil. Cut the fillet into pieces and add to the onion. Dilute the garlic and add to the pan. Peel and cut the apple into cubes and add to the meat. Lightly salt the ingredients and pour in a glass of water. Simmer with the lid closed for 15 minutes, adding water if necessary.
Salad for children 1.5-2 years old
- Cauliflower – 150 g;
- Turkey fillet – 150 gr;
- Carrots – 150 gr;
- Fresh green peas – 50 gr..
Parents who care about the health of the younger generation always try to combine benefits, taste, and aesthetics in one treat. Our recipes for turkey dishes for children will help you easily cope with this task: these dishes are healthy because they contain almost no harmful fats. After all, meat can be served not only fried or boiled - there are a huge number of interesting ways to prepare it.
We will tell you how to prepare delicious children's turkey dishes that will surely be appreciated not only by the youngest members of your family - they will also appeal to adults. This lean meat will appeal to both young ladies who are losing weight and men who want to build muscle mass. In a word, this is not a simple, but clearly a golden bird that will help you amaze everyone with your culinary abilities.
Top 3 reasons to say “Yes!” turkey meat
- Turkey meat is rich in vitamins A and E, which are extremely beneficial for our skin and hair.
- The meat of this bird is easier and much faster than beef, pork and chicken, and is absorbed by our body.
- This product contains a lot of iron, so its increased intake is prescribed to patients with anemia.
We hope we have helped you to become convinced that turkey meat is worthy of being included in the menu of your child and the whole family as a whole. Well, now let's look at some unusual and original ways to cook turkeys!
Pasta with sauce? No no and one more time no! Our recipe for a turkey dish for children will give a hundred points ahead to a banal recipe that tastes like a school cafeteria! Treat your baby and the rest of your family to a classic Italian treat that will take you to the outskirts of Rome.
Turkey pasta “Viva Italia!”
Ingredients
- Turkey (fillet) – 450 g + -
- Eggplant - 1 fruit + -
- — 200 g + -
- - 2 tbsp. l. + -
- - a third of a tsp. + -
- — 150 g + -
- — quarter of a fruit + -
- Spiral pasta— 350 g + -
Preparation
1. Place our pasta in a saucepan with boiling salted liquid and cook, stirring occasionally. Italians prefer to cook pasta just a little until it softens - they call this state al dente. If you need to achieve the same effect, drain the water a couple of minutes before the product is ready.
2. Cut the turkey into small pieces, add salt and squeeze lemon juice into this mixture. Leave to stand for a while so that the meat marinates a little.
3. Chop the eggplant into small cubes, first removing the skin.
4. Cut the mushrooms into several parts and add them to the sliced eggplant.
5. Fry the meat thoroughly in a frying pan with oil.
6. Add the vegetable mixture to the turkey in a frying pan and fry until the eggplants and champignons are soft.
7. Pour cream into the pan and let it simmer until everything thickens.
8. Add the spirals to the pan, stir and keep the dish on the fire for a couple more minutes.
Ready! You have created an unusually tasty baby turkey dish that your child will surely love and will become one of his favorite treats!
*Tips from the Cook
Cream, if it is missing, can be replaced with the same amount of fresh milk, but then do not forget to add a spoon or two of wheat flour to the pan so that the food does not turn out to be too liquid.
It is best to serve pasta according to our recipe by sprinkling it with finely chopped herbs: parsley, dill, thyme, etc.
Cutlets “Kolobok with a secret”
Ingredients
- Wheat bread - 100 g + -
- Minced turkey - 0.5 kg + -
- - half a tsp. + -
- Fresh cottage cheese – 250 g + -
- Breadcrumbs- 4 tbsp. l. + -
- - 1 PC. + -
- — 120 ml + -
-
3. Finely chop the greens and mix with cottage cheese until smooth. If this is difficult, use a blender.
4. Now we form our “balls”: take a small piece of minced meat, knead it into a plump cake. Place a ball of cottage cheese filling approximately three times smaller on it and roll it with minced meat on all sides to form a circle.
5. Roll each ball in breading and place in a frying pan. Fry the buns, generously doused with oil, on all sides. Place the finished balls on a paper towel, which will absorb excess fat.
The resulting “sweets” can be served as a full meal and with any side dish - in any form the child will like it. “Koloboks with secrets” will be especially interesting for little participants in a children’s party - who wouldn’t want to see what the “secret” is inside the meat ball?
These turkey dishes for children are not banal, boring products that have to be literally forced into the child, but the most appetizing products for little gourmets.
Our treats will most likely become a favorite not only among the younger generation, but also among adult family members.
The cooking time for turkey meat depends on the part of the bird's body and its quantity. An important role is played by the dish that is planned to be prepared from it. Meat is cooked for the longest time for broths and jellied meats. In this case, the optimal cooking time will be at least two to three hours.
Cooking time for turkey in a regular saucepan :
- fillet should be cooked for an average of 30-40 minutes;
- a whole turkey, depending on its size, is cooked for 2-3 hours;
- Individual pieces of poultry meat are cooked within 40 minutes.
You can reduce the cooking time for turkey meat using a steamer or slow cooker. In the first case it will take 40 minutes, in the second – 30 minutes. In a multicooker, meat is cooked in the “Cooking” mode with the timer set for 45 minutes.
A special method is used to prepare boiled turkey meat for a child.. First, the product is cooked for 30 minutes, then the water is completely drained and replaced with a new liquid, after which the meat must be cooked for another hour. This method is recommended for newborns, young children, and also for dietary nutrition. The part of the bird's body (fillet, drumstick, thigh, etc.) does not matter in this case.
How to cook turkey meat
You can prepare a huge number of dishes from turkey. It is almost always recommended to pre-boil the meat until cooked. In order for the turkey to lose less weight and retain its beneficial properties, it is recommended to pour boiling water over the carcass or its individual parts before starting the cooking process. This nuance will help close the pores of the meat and retain the juice.
- to make turkey meat softer and juicier, it is recommended to add a small amount of milk to the water during the cooking process;
- when cutting a turkey carcass into separate pieces, it is recommended to cut the meat across the grain (otherwise it may be tough after cooking);
- so that after cooking the turkey is not too fatty, skin and fat are removed from the meat before cooking;
- if the product is used to prepare jellied meat or rich soup, then pieces of meat should be selected with the maximum amount of fat and skin;
- if you plan to prepare a first course from turkey, then the meat should be placed in cold water;
- If after cooking the turkey will be used for preparing second courses, it is recommended to place the meat in boiling water.
The process of preparing meat for cooking and cooking stages :
- before starting the cooking process, the turkey carcass or its individual parts must be washed as thoroughly as possible;
- depending on further use, the meat is immersed in cold or boiling water;
- to enhance the taste, it is recommended to add a finely chopped onion to the meat;
- During cooking, a characteristic foam may form, which must be removed from the broth regularly;
- The turkey should be cooked over high heat for 20 minutes, and over low heat in the second part of cooking;
- at the beginning of cooking, it is better to cook the turkey in a pan without a lid, and closer to readiness, be sure to close the container so that the broth turns out richer and the meat is juicy;
- You can make sure the turkey meat is ready using a knife or fork (if the meat is easily pierced with a sharp object, then the product is ready);
- During the cooking process, turkey meat should be completely immersed in water; if necessary, add liquid;
- After finishing the cooking process, it is not recommended to immediately remove the turkey meat from the pan; it should simmer in the broth for 10-15 minutes.
Turkey meat must be salted during cooking.. Salt prevents the transfer of useful substances from the product into water. The product must be salted before starting the cooking process. The meat is placed in already salted water. If the turkey is frozen, be sure to defrost it before cooking. Otherwise, the meat will become tough.
Interesting things on the Internet
How long to cook turkey for a child, step-by-step video recipe
We have also prepared a video for you to fully understand the step-by-step cooking process.