Daily Meal Architecture

Traditional feeding isn't complicated, but it helps to have a structure. This framework organizes nutrient-dense foods into a sustainable daily pattern.

How Many Meals?

6-8 months: 1-2 solid meals per day. Breast milk or formula remains the primary nutrition.

8-10 months: 2-3 solid meals per day. Solids becoming more significant.

10-12 months: 3 solid meals plus 1-2 snacks. Breast milk or formula continues.

12+ months: 3 meals plus snacks. Transitioning toward food as primary nutrition.

Don't force feeding. Some days babies eat more; some days less. Follow their cues.

The Daily Framework

Breakfast

Anchor food: Egg yolk

The single most important breakfast food. Provides cholesterol for brain myelination, choline for memory, and a fat/protein foundation for the day.

Complete breakfast examples:
• Soft-cooked egg yolk + mashed avocado + butter
• Egg yolk mixed into bone broth rice porridge
• Egg yolk + full-fat yogurt + mashed banana

Optional additions:
• Fermented dairy (yogurt or kefir)
• Fruit (if already introduced)
• Cod liver oil (on non-liver days)

Lunch

Anchor foods: Vegetables + fat + protein

This is typically the exploratory meal—a good time for variety.

Structure: 1. Vegetables (1-2 types, well-cooked) 2. Added fat (butter, olive oil) 3. Protein (meat, fish, or leftover dinner protein) 4. Liquid from bone broth (used in cooking or alongside)

Examples:
• Steamed zucchini + butter + shredded chicken + broth
• Mashed sweet potato + olive oil + salmon flakes
• Carrot purée + bone broth + lamb meatball

Dinner

Anchor foods: Protein + vegetables + broth

Dinner often aligns with family eating—modified for baby.

Structure: 1. Protein (meat, organ meat, or fish) 2. Vegetables (cooked with or in broth) 3. Fat (cooked into food or added) 4. Optional grain (if introduced)

Examples:
• Beef meatball (with hidden liver) + broth-cooked carrots + butter
• Salmon + mashed potato with butter + steamed broccoli
• Liver pâté + sourdough strip + bone broth + vegetables

Snacks (if needed)

Purpose: Bridge gaps between meals, not constant grazing.

Good snack options:
• Full-fat yogurt
• Avocado slices
• Soft fruit
• Cheese (if introduced)
• Bone broth in a cup

Avoid: Packaged baby snacks, puffs, crackers. These are low in nutrients and high in processed ingredients.

The Non-Negotiables

Certain foods should appear daily or near-daily:

Every day:
• Egg yolk (1 whole yolk minimum)
• Fat in some form (butter, olive oil, animal fat)
• Fermented food (yogurt, kefir)
• Vegetables
• Bone broth (used in cooking or served)

2-3 times per week:
• Liver or other organ meat (small amounts)
• Fatty fish (salmon, sardines)

Alternating:
• Cod liver oil on non-liver days

The Weekly Rhythm

A sample week that hits all nutrients:

| Day | Protein Focus | Organ/Fish | CLO | |-----|--------------|------------|-----| | Mon | Beef | Liver (skip CLO) | No | | Tue | Chicken | Salmon | Yes | | Wed | Lamb | Liver (skip CLO) | No | | Thu | Fish | Sardines | Yes | | Fri | Beef | Liver (skip CLO) | No | | Sat | Pork | Heart | Yes | | Sun | Chicken | — | Yes |

Daily constants: Egg yolk, vegetables, fats, ferments, broth.

Balancing Act

Animal foods vs. plant foods:
• Animal foods provide the highest nutrient density
• Plants provide fiber, variety, and some unique compounds
• Balance: Animal foods as anchors, plants as complements
• Don't aim for 50/50—nutrient density matters more than volume

Variety vs. familiarity:
• Too much variety can overwhelm
• Too little limits nutrition and palate development
• Balance: Rotate within categories (different vegetables, different meats) while keeping the structure consistent

Texture variety:
• Include purées, mashes, and finger foods
• Different textures at different meals
• Don't get stuck in one texture phase

What About Volume?

Parents often worry about amounts. Guidelines:

6-8 months: A few tablespoons per meal. Breast milk/formula is primary.

8-10 months: Gradually increasing. Let appetite guide.

10-12 months: Meals become substantial. Maybe 1/4 to 1/2 cup per meal.

General rule: Offer; don't force. Healthy babies regulate their intake well.

Simplicity Is Sustainable

The most elaborate plan fails if you can't maintain it. Principles for sustainability:

1. Batch cook: Make broth weekly. Cook proteins for multiple meals. Prepare liver pâté in portions.

2. Keep it simple: Three ingredients per meal is fine. Egg yolk + vegetable + fat is complete.

3. Use leftovers: Dinner proteins become lunch ingredients.

4. Accept imperfection: Missing liver one week isn't a crisis. Consistency over time matters more than daily perfection.

5. Cook once, serve twice: The family meal, modified for baby.

The Core Insight

Traditional feeding isn't about following rules—it's about providing the building blocks for development.

Every day, your baby needs:
• Cholesterol and fat for brain building
• Protein for tissue construction
• Bioavailable minerals for blood and bones
• Probiotics for gut ecosystem
• Variety for palate development

The specific menu varies. The principles remain constant.

Structure your days around these principles, and the details take care of themselves.