"Pumpkin can be a good early food for babies and toddlers," says
Peggy O'Shea, a Boston-based nutritionist and president of the
Massachusetts Dietetic Association. "Pumpkin can be prepared in
many ways that are baby- and toddler-friendly. They are a fun
food to involve kids in the preparation of, and pumpkin is
packed with many great nutrients—it is high in vitamin A, beta
carotene, and is also good source of iron and potassium." O'Shea
says pumpkin also is low in fat and high in fiber. Pumpkin can
be prepared in a number of different ways. "It can be baked or
steamed, poached, or boiled," O'Shea says. "Just keep in mind
that the longer you cook it, and the more liquid it is cooked
in, the more nutrients that are going to be lost during the
cooking process." The soft-cooked pumpkin can be diced up as
finger food for older babies, or pureed for smaller babies. "You
can also use canned pumpkin," O'Shea says. "You can also try
adding different flavors to the pumpkin such as cinnamon,
nutmeg, or a little bit of b