Home-cooked baby food 'leads to healthy diet'

Babies fed home-cooked food are more likely to eat fruit and vegetables when they are older than those given meals from jars and packets, a study has shown.

Researchers at De Montfort University in Leicester and the universities of Bristol and Birmingham found that infants weaned on home-made casseroles and puddings develop a taste for what is good for them by the age of seven.

Data from 7,866 mothers of children born in 1991 and 1992 was analysed.

The results showed that youngsters who were frequently given home-cooked fruit or vegetables aged six months were more likely to be eating higher amounts of fruit and vegetables aged seven than those given home-cooked meals less often.

There was no positive effect on later eating habits for babies fed shop-bought meals.