The best way to give dates to your baby.

Dates are called superfoods for people of all ages.  It is especially beneficial for growing children as they need all types of nutrients and vitamins to grow healthy. Most kids eat dates because they are super soft and naturally sweet. But many kids don’t like the look and taste of these dates. They feel it’s very sweet and silky to touch. The same happened with my kids too. My elder son didn’t like the look, texture, and taste of the dates. I tried to give him one from an early age, but still, he didn’t like it and completely ignored it whenever I gave him a whole date by removing the seed. But my second daughter loved it just the way it is. She ate it as a whole by removing the seed inside all by herself. She liked only the soft and sweet dates. She ignored all other varieties of dates like dry fruit dates, coconut-filled dates, dry dates, dates powder, dates cookies, dates chocolate, and dates paste. There are many varieties of dates available today. Each has its unique flavor and taste. These are all affordable in price and are especially available in Gulf countries as they are the largest producers of dates. I also didn’t like dates since childhood but due to their health benefits, I started eating them occasionally. If you and your kids don’t like the taste of dates but still want to get their health benefits, you have come to the right place. In this article, I will tell you all the possible ways to use dates in your everyday diet and boost your immunity. Dates were very costly and not readily available in our country when we were in our childhood. But now you can buy different types of dates at an affordable price at every marketplace.

Different Types Of Dates:-

• Sukkari Dates:- These are brown in color, medium in size, very soft to the touch, gummy in texture, and very sweet.
• Safawi Dates:- These are dark brown with a soft texture but their skin is a little dry and sweet and rich in taste.
• Ajwa Dates:- These are black with a slightly dry and chewy texture. It is rich in nutrients, not very sweet in taste, and small in size.
• Khudri Dates:- These are medium in size, dark brown in color, wrinkled skin, slightly dry, and mild sweetness.
• Medjool Dates:- These are large in size, soft and chewy in texture, rich caramel-like taste, and are known as the King of Dates.
• Zahidi Dates:- These are golden brown in color, oval-shaped, Firmer texture, and mild sweetness.
• Kalmi Dates:- These are dark brown, cylindrically shaped, soft and chewy in texture, and sweet in taste. These are popular in the month of Ramadan.
• Deglet Noor Dates:- These are semi-dry in texture, firm from the outside, slightly sweet with a nutty flavor, and commonly used in cooking and baking.
• Mabroom Dates:- These are long and slender in shape, mildly sweet and chewy in taste.
• Barhi Dates:- These are small and round, soft and syrupy when they ripen completely and taste like caramel.
• Dry Dates:- These are the most commonly used dates among many people. These are cheap and can be stored longer. We can also make a powder of these dates and use it in our everyday diet to boost immunity. Recommended for kids who don’t eat normal dates. You can mix the powder in milk or in their food to get the maximum health benefit.

Health Benefits Of Dates:-

1. Prevents Anemia by increasing the hemoglobin levels in the blood due to its high iron content.
2. Reduces Inflammation and pain in your body, especially headaches and body pains.
3.  Strengthen Teeth and Gums as they contain minerals like calcium, phosphorus, and magnesium.
4. Reduces Stress and Anxiety as they contain magnesium, natural sugars, and B vitamins responsible for calming the nervous system and boosting your mood immediately.
5. Supports Kidney Function by flushing out toxins and acts as a natural diuretic.
6. Improves Male and Female Fertility as they contain amino acids and zinc that boost testosterone levels in men, support hormonal balance, and improve reproductive health in women.
7. Helps in Weight management if consumed in moderation as they provide natural sugars and fiber that keep you full for longer hours and reduce cravings.
8. Supports Liver health by detoxifying the liver and preventing liver damage.
9. Enhances Hair growth as it contains iron and B vitamins that promote healthy hair, nourish the scalp, prevent hair loss, and improve blood circulation in hair follicles.
10. Promotes healthy Skin as it is rich in antioxidants and vitamin C that help improve skin elasticity, prevent wrinkles, and has natural anti-aging properties.
11. Boosts Immunity.
12. Supports Eye health as they are rich in carotenoids.
13. Helps control Blood Sugar levels as they have a low glycemic index and do not cause rapid blood sugar spikes.
14. Aids in Pregnancy and Childbirth as they support maternal health, fetal development, and improving cervical dilation.
15. Strengthens Bones and prevents osteoporosis as they contain calcium, phosphorus, and magnesium.
16. Boosts Energy as they are a combination of carbohydrates and natural sugars.
17. Improves Brain function as they contain antioxidants like flavonoids that help reduce inflammation in the brain.
18. Boosts Heart health by regulating blood pressure and lowering the risk of heart disease as they contain potassium and antioxidants.
19. Supports Digestive health by promoting healthy digestion and supporting good gut bacteria as it contains high fiber content and acts as a natural prebiotic.
20. They are rich in Nutrients and act as a natural source of energy as they contain fiber, vitamins B6 and K, carbohydrates, potassium, magnesium, and iron which are needed to improve our overall health.

When To Introduce Dates To Your Baby?

You can introduce dates to your baby around 6 months of age when they start solid foods. It can be their first solid food. You should always start with a very small quantity. When you start introducing start by giving only half a spoonful of dates puree or mashed dates. You can slowly increase the quantity according to age. If your baby gets any kind of allergy after eating dates, stop it completely and introduce it again after a few months. They should be given in a safe and age-appropriate form. Before giving, wash the dates with clean water. If the dates are soft, you can mash them with your hands or fork and feed them. You can also make a date puree, mix dates paste in baby food, or just give soaked dates water if your baby is not having mashed dates. Some people feed a small pinch of mashed dates and honey to newborn babies when they are born as a part of an old-age tradition. This can be very harmful to the baby as any type of solid food before 6 months of age can impact the overall health of the baby.

Different Forms of Dates for Kids:-

1. Dates Water:- Soak 1-2 dry dates in water overnight and Mash or blend the softened dates in a grinder or with a fork along with a little water to make it like a paste or semi-solid form so that your baby can have it easily.
2. Dates Puree:- Soak dates in warm water for one hour to soften. Blend into a smooth puree by mixing it with warm water, breastmilk, or formula milk.
3. Mashed Dates:- Take soft dates and mash them with a hand or spoon and feed your baby little by little. If the skin of the dates is a little dry, remove the skin and then mash them.
4. Dates Powder:- This is something every mom loves to do as this powder can be stored in an airtight container for months. You can use it whenever you want and in every meal you make for your baby. Dates powder is usually made with dry dates. Take a handful of dry dates, and roast them on low flame till they become light red. Cool them down and remove the seeds from the dates. Grind it into a fine powder in a dry grinder without adding any water.  Whenever you want to add dates to your meal, you can add half a teaspoon of date powder to your baby’s meal.
5. Dates Paste:- Soak a few dates in water for 20 minutes. Drain all the water or just drink it as the water becomes very healthy when dates or nuts are soaked in it. Once they become soft, grind it into a smooth paste with the help of a grinder. These are easily available nowadays in every market. It is used just like date powder. Dates paste is a little more sweet than dry dates powder so it is used in meals that need some sweetness. You can use date paste to make smoothies, date milk, sweet yogurt, etc.
6. Dates Milk:- Take 2 dates, remove the seeds, and add them to a glass of warm or hot milk. You can directly drink it after 20 minutes as all the nutrients and vitamins from the dates are now spread into the milk. Or you need to boil the milk on low flame by adding 2 dates to it. Boil till the dates dissolve completely.
7. Dates with fruits:- You can always combine your everyday fruits with any form of dates. You can make a fruit salad with date paste. You can make custard with dates and fruits. You can add date paste on top of some fruits that are not sweet.
8. Dates Energy Balls:- Blend dates along with nuts and oats. Roll into small balls by adding a little water or honey for a healthy snack. Store it in an airtight container and use them within 2 weeks.
9. Dates chocolate:- These dates are the healthy alternatives to all types of chocolates available in the market. If you start introducing these to your kids as chocolates, they will never eat those regular chocolates. They are a bit costly but worth it. You can buy them in supermarkets or make them at home.
10. Dates Cookies:- Take a handful of dates. Chop them into small pieces. Soak them in hot water for 15 to 20 minutes. mash them slightly and keep them in a bowl. Add sugar, cream, butter, egg, and vanilla extract. In another bowl, whisk flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt together. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture and mix until combined. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Scoop spoonfuls of dough onto a lined baking sheet, leaving space between them. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until the edges turn golden brown. Let the cookies cool on a wire rack before serving.

Best Methods to Give Dates to kids who don’t like dates:-

1. Add a small amount of date paste to your baby’s everyday meal.
2. Mix date puree with oatmeal, rice porridge, or ragi (finger millet) porridge.
3. Add one spoon of dates puree to your baby’s milk.
4. You can also add dates purr in mashed banana, or any fruit puree to make it naturally sweet.
5. Blend dates with banana, apple, or pear for a nutritious fruit mash.
6. Use dates as a natural sweetener when you make milkshakes for your baby.
7. Add dates paste in cakes and pancakes while baking to improve sweetness.
8. Make a powder of dry dates and mix it in your baby meal.
9. Add dates paste instead of sugar while making laddus.
10. Make date jam at home and give it to your baby with bread or roti.
11. There are many dates-based products like date cookies, date cakes, date chocolate, and date sweets available in the market. You can give this to your baby if you are not able to make it at home instead of giving other unhealthy packaged food items when your baby turns 2 years old.

Important Tips:-

• Always remove the seed of the dates before giving it to your baby.
• Ensure the dates are soft enough for your baby to chew properly.
• Always open the dates and check if there are any tiny insects inside.
• Wash the dates with clean water before giving them.
• Begin with small amounts (one or half date per day) and check for any allergies or digestive issues.
• Choose organic, seedless dates to avoid preservatives.
• Avoid whole dates before age 2 due to choking risks.
• Choose only good-quality dates as there are many types of dates available in the market nowadays.
• If the dates are a little hard, boil them in water or slightly steam them till they become super soft.
• If the outer layer of the dates is hard, remove the skin and give only the inside soft part of the dates.