Starting Solid Foods for Your Baby
How to Tell if Your Baby Can Start Eating Solids
Most babies are ready for solid foods when they are between 4 and 6 months old. You will notice changes in your baby’s actions. Babies who are ready can hold their heads steady, sit up with some help, and bring objects to their mouths. They also start moving food from the front to the back of their mouths without pushing it out with their tongues.
Some other signs include reaching for food, opening their mouths when offered a spoon, and turning away when they’ve had enough. Talk to your healthcare provider before starting solids.
Which Foods to Offer at Different Ages
Keep giving your baby breast milk or formula, up to about 32 ounces each day, as you start solids. Begin with simple, single foods and slowly add more variety. Focus on foods that meet your baby’s nutritional needs and add new options as your baby’s eating skills grow.
Begin with Single-Ingredient Foods
Choose foods with only one ingredient and no added sugar or salt. Try mashed bananas, plain applesauce, or pureed carrots. Wait three to five days before offering each new food, so you can spot any allergic reactions like rashes or stomach upset. If your baby has no problems, you can move on to foods with more than one ingredient.
Important Nutrients for Growing Babies
By six months, babies especially need iron and zinc along with breast milk or formula. Offer pureed meats, single-grain baby cereals with added iron, mashed beans, and well-cooked egg yolks to help meet these needs. A table of common iron and zinc sources:
| Food | Iron Content | Zinc Content |
|---|---|---|
| Pureed Meat | High | High |
| Iron-fortified Cereal | High | Modest |
| Mashed Beans | Moderate | Moderate |
| Egg Yolk | Moderate | Low |
| Whole-grain Oatmeal | Moderate | Modest |
Basics of Baby Cereals
Start with a tablespoon of single-grain iron-fortified cereal mixed with about four tablespoons of breast milk or formula. Keep the mix thin at first to help swallowing. As your baby gets used to it, make the blend thicker and increase the amount served. Try different grains such as oatmeal, barley, or multigrain options. Avoid giving only rice cereal, since rice may contain arsenic, which is not safe in large amounts.
Tips
- Never put cereal in a bottle; always use a small spoon.
- Begin with 1-2 teaspoons at a time.
Introducing Veggies and Fruits
After cereals and meats, add pureed vegetables and fruits, such as sweet potatoes, peas, pears, or peaches. Only introduce one new food at a time. Watch for any signs of allergies or stomach problems. All vegetables and fruits should not have extra sugar or salt.
Offering Small, Soft Finger Foods
When babies reach 8 to 10 months, many can handle tiny pieces of soft foods. Try steamed vegetables, diced fruit, small pasta bits, shredded cheese, and soft-cooked meat. Offer foods that dissolve easily, like baby crackers or dry cereal.
List of Safe Finger Foods
- Tiny banana slices
- Steamed carrot cubes
- Scrambled eggs (small pieces)
- Well-cooked tiny pasta shapes
Do not give large chunks, hard foods, or anything that could cause choking.
Introducing Water with Meals
Once your baby is eating solids, start offering water in a small cup at meals. Before this, if your baby only has breast milk or formula, extra water is not needed. Switching from sweet drinks to water early helps build good habits. Avoid offering juice or flavored waters.
If Your Baby Does Not Want Solids
Trying solids is new for your baby, so it’s normal if they spit food out or refuse at first. If your baby turns away, stop and try again after a few days. Don’t force them. Some babies need more time to get used to new textures and tastes. If your baby keeps refusing, talk with your child’s healthcare provider.
Handling Food Allergies and New Foods
Introduce high-risk foods (like eggs, peanuts, or shellfish) after your baby tries and handles basic foods. Waiting to give foods that may cause allergies does not lower risk; early introduction might even help. Common allergy-causing foods include:
- Peanuts or peanut products
- Tree nuts
- Eggs
- Wheat
- Soy
- Dairy (except milk as a main drink)
- Fish or shellfish
- Sesame seeds
Offer these foods at home and have an antihistamine nearby, just in case. If there’s no reaction, slowly increase the amount. Do not give regular cow’s milk as a main drink until your baby is one year old.
Giving Juice Safely
Babies do not need fruit juice before age one. If your healthcare provider says juice is okay, make sure it is 100% fruit juice with no added sugars, and limit it to four ounces or less per day. Too much juice can cause diaper rash, diarrhea, tooth decay, and may lead to extra weight gain.
What Foods Should Not Be Given
Avoiding certain foods helps keep babies safe and healthy. Do not give honey before age one, since it might cause a dangerous illness. Some foods can cause choking and should be avoided or cut into very small pieces:
- Hot dogs
- Chunks of cheese or meat
- Whole grapes
- Raw carrots or hard veggies
- Nuts, seeds, popcorn, and hard candies
- Marshmallows or sticky clumps of nut butter
Spread nut butters thinly or blend them with other foods to make them easy to swallow.
Tips for Making Homemade Baby Food
Making food at home lets parents save money and control what goes into each meal. Use simple ingredients without added sugar or salt, and try different foods for more variety.
Babies under four months should not eat homemade spinach, beets, carrots, green beans, or squash, as these vegetables may carry nitrates that can be harmful. Always cook meats, eggs, and vegetables until soft and easy to puree.
Turning Meals Into a Fun Experience
Talk and smile at your baby during meals to build positive feelings about eating. Sit your baby upright in a strong, safe highchair when they can sit steadily. Use a wipeable mat or sheet underneath for easy cleanup. Keep the mood light and respond to your baby’s cues to help them relax and enjoy trying new foods.
Encouraging Your Baby to Explore Foods
Babies enjoy playing with new foods—touching, squishing, and learning new textures. Let your baby self-feed with their hands, using soft pieces that dissolve easily. This helps improve hand-eye coordination and makes eating enjoyable. Watch your baby closely and only offer pieces that are small and soft to avoid choking.
Learning to Use a Spoon and a Cup
Give your baby a spoon to practice holding, even while you feed with another spoon. This helps them get used to feeding themselves. Introduce a small cup with breast milk or formula around nine months. This makes weaning from the bottle easier later.
Serving Food Safely
To keep baby food fresh, always put a small amount from the main container into a bowl to serve. Don’t feed straight from jars, since germs from your baby’s mouth can spoil leftovers. Store open baby food jars in the fridge and use within two days.
Watching for Signs That Your Baby Has Had Enough
Babies will turn away, push food away, or close their mouths when they are full. Respect these signals and do not force more food. Crying, turning their head, or showing no interest are clues to stop feeding. Babies know when they have had enough.
Trying to give extra before bed does not help them sleep longer. Mealtimes with new foods can get messy, but let babies explore. Hands, faces, and trays might get sticky—this is all part of learning and healthy eating.
