So what do babies eat as their first food in Italy? I was told to boil vegetables (carrots, zucchini and potatoes), then to use the vegetable broth to cook baby cereal (either rice or semolina).

Italian baby food matches local tastes, which includes prosciutto ham, Parmigiano cheese, trout and even horse meat baby food. Here is a walk through an Italian supermarket, plus a recipe for a typical infant meal in Italy.

In 1880, it was common for babies not to be fed solid food until 11-months-old, but by 1950, that age had plummeted to just 6-weeks-old. This stark shift coincides with the introduction and marketing of commercial baby food.

Around the world, it’s more common that baby’s first foods actually reflect any given culture’s native cuisine. In fact, the very concept of separate “baby foods” or “kid foods” doesn’t really exist in many other cultures, and children — including babies — are raised to eat what their families eat.

Add flavour and variety to baby's meals by following in the Italians footsteps. Learn how to serve first foods like Italians do in this post!