Tofu Recipes for 1 Year Old

I am a registered dietetic technician so I have to put my 2 cents in regarding the soy controversy--sorry for the rant! The problem with soy products comes in when US food companies decide they want to make a profit and extract or condense the "good for you" properties of soy and put it in powder or pill form. Taking parts of something out of its natural state can cause problems and alter how it works--similar to antioxidant vitamin studies showing an increase in lung cancer risk in smokers when they take an abundance of these vitamins. Antioxidant are meant to be eaten in whole fruits and vegetables to reap the most benefits.
Asian countries have been eating naturally derived soy products for years and these people live long lives without many of the western world ailments of heart disease, cancer etc.
Stick with organic tofu, soy milk and edamame as your main sources of soy as some of the veggie burgers, nuggets and chick patties do have altered versions of the soy protein--and are more processed with sodium and sugar added.

My son is 10 months old and he loves the tofu steaks. You can buy pre-seasoned blocks of tofu (at Whole Foods). I cut it into little cubes, cook it in a pan, and serve it to him. I keep the leftovers in the refrigerator and serve it to him cold.

I also cut up plain, firm tofu into little blocks, put a little seasame oil and soy sauce and mix the plain tofu blocks with different vegetables for a stir fry. He eats this with his fingers.

As far as what the other person wrote, I am unaware if tofu is not the best food for a baby, however, I feel it's a better choice than all of the other processed, preservative, and chemical filled foods that people feed their babies.

i have a one year old and i just cut up tofu into cubes and serve it to her raw. she loves it!

Tofu doesn't require much preparation - just a quick stir fry to warm it more than anything. For grown ups I add a bit of soy sauce but for your little one just a lightly oiled pan would do. I would recommend the "extra firm" style if you are new to tofu, as it is easier to dice and cook. You can serve it will just about anything - it takes on the flavor of whatever it is cooked with.

If you are looking for soy protein, consider small bites of "Chikn" patties. My little guy loves them!

By the way, I have been a vegetarian for over 13 years and have eaten/drank soy products almost every day of those 13 years. I don't think you should be afraid to go soy - just be aware that some soy products are genetically modified and you should probably avoid those. Look for "Non-GMO" on the packaging to be sure you are getting a natural product.

http://www.soyinfo.com/haz/company.shtml

I don't know about 1 year olds' tofu preferences, but here's an easy way we make tofu about once a week:

Buy extra firm tofu. Slice the square into about 1/2 inch slices (I make about 3-4 slices the long way.) Lay the slices in a single layer on paper towels, put paper towels on top, and put another pan on top with some weight on it and leave for a few minutes, longer if you have more time. This will squeeze the extra liquid out of the tofu. (if in a hurry you can press the pieces in your hand with paper towels, but they won't get as dry or cook up as nicely.)

Marinate in marinade of your choice. We usually use oil and soy sauce, but you can google for other recipes (just look for "tofu marinade.") Let marinate at least 20 minutes. I find the best cooking method is broiling - do it by sight, about 3 minutes per side until it looks golden brown. You can also grill or pan fry in a non-stick pan. It's important to let it get kind of crispy for the best flavor, so if you do it in a pan, use high heat. You can then cut into cubes for serving.

p.s. When my son was one, we took him to chinatown for dim sum a couple of times and he LOVED this sweet tofu dessert they have. It's a little bit like a pudding - soft tofu pieces in a sweet clear sauce. I don't know what it's called, but I've seen it at a couple of the dim sum places.

I used the firm tofu and just stored it in the fridge in a tupperware container with vegetable broth. It stays good for a while, just check expiration date or maybe 5 days or so. When you're ready, cut it into cubes and nuke for 10 seconds or so, just until warm. My daughter loved it and it's the perfect consistancy for that age.
S.

Buy the silken tofu and make shakes with it. We put the silken tofu, banana (or any other fruit your one year old likes- peaches or pears are good to0), add some milk or soy milk, and blend. If your child cannot drink through a straw, put it in a sippy cup (make sure the fruit is completely blended. Use your imagination, my kids LOVE the shakes!

I'm wondering why you want to feed your child tofu? Could I would recommend you do a little research on it? It's horrible for you...

I would beware of tofu and please do your research - we used to eat a lot of it and we found out some very BAD news regarding soy derived products. I would get into the whole thing but you are better off looking up the damage it does to development and hormones. I really don't have the time to start sending all the stuff to you. I apologize. There was an international case where in Israel they have banned all soy production unless it is organic (they won the case) but the FDA is way to scared to lose the soy based industry because of the size of income our economy is making off of it, with it being such a HUGE market. Please please read up on it before feeding it to your child or yourself.

Soy is NOT horrible for you. Sheesh! If you eat it non-stop 24 hours a day, maybe, but the same can be said about anything we eat. Meat, with its cholesterol and fat, is no better in my opinion. Definitely look for organic, though. If you want to try meat alternatives other than tofu, I recommend the Morning Star Farms Chick'n Nuggets - my son loves them. Their corndogs and veggie burgers are good too. You can also get veggie crumbles to mix into spaghetti or mac and cheese. Don't be afraid of soy! Good luck :)