Shepherd's pie for kids

Pre-heat oven to 180°C.

Brown mince in the oil in a hot pan, breaking the mince up into small pieces with the back of a spoon.

Stir in canned tomatoes, ½ cup of water and all the vegetables except the potatoes.

Cover and simmer gently for 15 minutes.

Boil the potatoes in a pot of unsalted water until tender. Drain and mash.

Spoon mince and vegetable mixture into a pie dish and top with mashed potato. Use a fork to rough up the top of the mashed potatoes.

Bake at 180°C for 15 minutes or until top is golden.

Serve with steamed green vegetables in a texture suitable for your baby/toddler.

Smooth Stage (Babies around 6 months): At this age purée the meat and vegetable mixture. Mix with a little breast milk, infant formula, or boiled water if necessary to achieve a smooth consistency.

Mashed/Lumpy Stage (Babies around 6½ – 7 months): Mash the meat and vegetable mixture to a lumpy, mashed consistency so your baby can experience the different textures.

Minced and Finely Chopped Stage (Babies from 8 months): Serve the layers separately so your baby can experience different tastes, textures and colours. Serve with some steamed green vegetables finely chopped into bite-sized pieces.

Toddler/Family Food (From 12 months): For additional flavours, add cooked garlic and/or herbs when simmering the mince. Serve as you would for the rest of the family, and place in a bowl with steamed green vegetables. Encourage your toddler to eat with a fork.