A Guide to Introducing Baby Food + Recipes for Older Babies (2024)

FAQs

What is the guideline for introducing food to baby? ›

Your child can begin eating solid foods at about 6 months old. By the time he or she is 7 or 8 months old, your child can eat a variety of foods from different food groups. These foods include infant cereals, meat or other proteins, fruits, vegetables, grains, yogurts and cheeses, and more.

Start simple. Offer single-ingredient foods that contain no sugar or salt. Wait three to five days between each new food to see if your baby has a reaction, such as diarrhea, a rash or vomiting. After introducing single-ingredient foods, you can offer them in combination.

WHO recommends that infants start receiving complementary foods at 6 months of age in addition to breast milk. Initially, they should receive complementary foods 2–3 times a day between 6–8 months and increase to 3–4 times daily between 9–11 months and 12–24 months.

Solid foods may be introduced in any order. However, puréed meats, poultry, beans and iron-fortified cereals are recommended as first foods, especially if your baby has been primarily breastfed, since they provide key nutrients. Only one new single-ingredient food should be introduced at a time.

Increase the amount of food gradually, with just a teaspoonful or two to start. This allows your baby time to learn how to swallow solids. If your baby cries or turns away when you feed them, do not make them eat. Go back to breastfeeding or bottle-feeding exclusively for a time before trying again.

The stage at which he becomes ready for chunkier textures depends on many factors, from his physical development to his sensitivity to texture. But as a guide, it's wise to try to gradually alter the consistency of his foods from seven months onwards, and aim to have stopped pureeing completely by 12 months.

Babies take the same amount of volume in 24 hours from 4 weeks of age until 6 months of age. At 6 months of age, solids are added as well. Babies six to eight months old typically eat two to three meals (of solid foods) per day.

By 8 months most infants can also eat finger foods. By 12 months, most children can eat the same types of foods as consumed by the rest of the family. However, they need nutrient-rich food, as explained in Guiding principle 8, and foods that can cause choking, such as whole peanuts, should be avoided.

Cow's milk can be an alternative

In a bind, babies over 6 months old—who are already eating solids—can have cow's milk, Dr. Phillips notes. Keep the dairy to under a week. Babies allergic to cow's milk can also drink soy milk fortified with calcium and vitamin D, she adds.

What are 4 principles to consider before and after initiating complementary feeds? ›

storing foods safely and serving foods immediately after preparation; using clean utensils to prepare and serve food; using clean cups and bowls when feeding children; avoiding the use of feeding bottles, which are difficult to keep clean.

You can give babies mashed banana as soon as they start eating solid foods, usually around 6 months. Bananas are a popular first food for a reason – their natural sweetness makes them a favorite for babies while their versatility offers a perfect grab-and-go snack option.

Children younger than 24 months old should avoid added sugars. Foods high in salt (sodium), such as some canned foods, processed meats (e.g., lunch meats, sausages, hot dogs, ham), and frozen dinners should be avoided. Some snack foods and store-bought packaged toddler foods are high in salt.

If the idea of feeding your baby 100 foods before one sounds overwhelming…it doesn't have to be. This approach simply involves introducing 1 new food per day, 5 days per week. That's 20 foods per month and in just about 5 months your baby will have tried 100 new foods before turning one.

Doctors recommend waiting until a baby is about 6 months old to start solid foods. Starting before 4 months is not recommended. At about 6 months, babies need the added nutrition — such as iron and zinc — that solid foods provide. It's also the right time to introduce your infant to new tastes and textures.

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends giving your baby “one new food at a time, and wait at least 2 to 3 days before starting another. After each new food, watch for any allergic reactions such as diarrhea, rash, or vomiting” (3).

Babies under 6 months don't need the extra calories from solids. At this age, solids tend to replace breastmilk in your baby's diet. This mean your baby will take in less breastmilk, which would lower your milk production. Babies who take in a lot of solids at this age will tend to wean prematurely.

From 6–8 months old, feed your baby half a cup of soft food two to three times a day. Your baby can eat anything except honey, which they shouldn't eat until they reach 12 months old. You can start to add a healthy snack, like mashed fruit, between meals.