Introducing First Foods Safely: A Parent's Guide

The move from milk to food is one of the most exciting changes of your baby's first year, and one of the most question-filled. When is the right time? What should the very first spoonful be? How much is enough? What about peanuts and eggs? This guide walks through those questions calmly, step by step.

One thing we do not cover in depth here is gagging and choking. It deserves its own careful explanation, so please read our guide to gagging vs choking when starting solids before your baby's first meal. Everything below assumes your baby is always seated upright and supervised while eating.

When can my baby start eating solid food?

Many health organisations recommend starting solid food at around six months of age, when most babies show the signs of readiness described below. Starting earlier than that is generally not advised unless your doctor suggests it. If your baby was premature or has health needs, ask your doctor about the right timing.

Age is a guide, not a switch. Some babies are clearly ready right around six months; others need a few more weeks. Watching your own baby is more useful than counting days on a calendar.

What are the signs my baby is ready for solids?

The main readiness signs are being able to sit upright with little or no support and hold their head steady, bringing objects to their mouth with reasonable coordination, and swallowing food rather than pushing it straight back out with their tongue. Interest in your food is nice to see, but alone it is not enough.

Signs that are often mistaken for readiness include waking more at night, chewing on fists or watching you eat intently. These are common at many ages and do not on their own mean your baby needs solid food. If you are unsure whether your baby is ready, your health visitor or doctor can help you decide.

What should my baby's first foods be?

There is no single correct first food. Many families start with simple, soft single foods such as cooked and mashed vegetables, soft fruit or iron-rich options like iron-fortified cereal, mashed lentils or well-cooked, finely prepared meat. Offering a variety over the first weeks helps your baby get used to different tastes.

Some ideas families often use in the early days:

• Mashed or pureed cooked vegetables, such as carrot, sweet potato, broccoli or parsnip.
• Soft fruit, mashed or pureed, such as banana, ripe pear or avocado.
• Iron-fortified baby cereal mixed with your baby's usual milk.
• Well-cooked lentils or other pulses, mashed smooth.

Avoid adding salt or sugar to your baby's food, and do not give honey before twelve months. Your local health service will have a list of foods to avoid in the first year; it is worth reading it once before you start.

Should I start with purees or finger foods?

Both approaches can work. Some families start with smooth purees fed from a spoon, others offer soft finger foods for the baby to pick up, often called baby-led weaning, and many mix the two. What matters most is that food is soft, the right size and shape, and your baby is upright and supervised.

If you choose purees, the aim is to move gradually towards thicker, lumpier textures over the following weeks rather than staying on smooth food for months. If you choose finger foods, pieces should be soft enough to squash between your finger and thumb and shaped so your baby can hold them, for example a stick about the length of an adult finger.

How should textures change over the first months?

Most babies move from smooth or very soft foods towards mashed, lumpy and then soft chopped foods over the first few months of eating. Moving on to more texture when your baby seems ready helps them practise chewing. If your baby struggles with a step, go back briefly and try again later.

A rough sequence many families follow:

• First weeks: smooth or very soft mashed foods, or soft finger-sized pieces.
• Following weeks: thicker mashes with soft lumps, plus more soft finger foods.
• Later in the first year: soft chopped family foods, without added salt, cut to a safe size.

Every baby goes at their own pace. If your baby seems to have ongoing trouble moving on from smooth foods, mention it to your health visitor.

When and how should I introduce common allergens?

Current guidance in many countries encourages introducing common allergens, such as egg, peanut in a safe form, dairy, wheat, fish and sesame, as part of your baby's diet once they have started solids, rather than delaying them. Offer one new allergen at a time, in a small amount, so you can spot any reaction.

A few practical points:

• Never give whole nuts. Peanut is usually offered as smooth peanut butter thinned into food, or a suitable peanut product.
• Egg should be well cooked.
• Offer new allergens at a time of day when you can watch your baby afterwards, not right before a nap or bedtime.
• Once an allergen is tolerated, many families keep offering it regularly.

If your baby has severe eczema, an existing food allergy, or there is a strong family history of allergy, speak to your doctor before introducing allergens; they may want to advise you individually. If you see swelling of the face or lips, difficulty breathing or your baby seems very unwell after eating, call emergency services immediately.

How much food does a baby need when starting solids?

In the first weeks of solids, portions are tiny: often just a few small spoonfuls or a few pieces once a day. Milk is still your baby's main source of nutrition at this stage. Let your baby lead, stop when they turn away, close their mouth or lose interest, and gradually offer more meals over the following months.

Appetite varies from day to day, just as it does for adults. A baby who eats a lot one day and very little the next is usually completely normal. If you are worried about your baby's growth or how much they are eating overall, talk to your doctor or health visitor.

What drinks does my baby need once they start solids?

Breast milk or formula remains your baby's main drink through the first year. Once solids start, many health services suggest offering small sips of water with meals from an open or free-flow cup. Cow's milk as a main drink, juice and sugary drinks are generally not recommended in the first year.

Guidance on water and milk varies slightly between countries, so check the advice from your local health service.

Keeping track without overthinking it

In the early weeks, it can help to jot down what you offered, roughly how much was eaten and any new allergens, along with the date. If your baby has a reaction, you will know what changed. If they love sweet potato and refuse broccoli, you will see the pattern rather than guess.

Mina Bloom lets you log meals alongside milk feeds and share them with your partner in real time, so whoever does the next meal knows what has already been tried.

Most of all, try to keep mealtimes relaxed. Babies learn by touching, squashing and dropping food as much as eating it. Mess is part of the process, and so is your patience. If something does not feel right, your healthcare professional is always the right person to ask.