Introducing Your Baby to New Foods
March 04, 2025
Author: Regalo Baby
When to Start Introducing Different Foods to Your Baby (And How to Do It Right!)
Introducing your baby to solid foods is such an exciting milestone, but it also comes with a lot of questions. When should you start introducing your baby to foods, and what foods are best? How do you prepare foods for a baby, and is it really okay to introduce allergens early?
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This guide will walk you through everything you need to know about giving a baby their first food in an effortless and stress-free way. Parenting is already a wild enough ride, and first foods should be pure excitement and fun!
Recommended Age for Babies to Try Their First Foods
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) both recommend waiting until around 6 months before introducing solids. Giving your baby any foods other than breastmilk or infant formula before 4 months is not recommended, as a baby's digestive system isn't ready yet. Introducing food too early can increase the risk of choking, allergies, and even obesity later on.
Some well-meaning grandparents might tell you to feed your baby earlier, but science says waiting until around 6 months is best. Have a little patience, and we promise it will be worth the wait!
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Knowing When Your Baby Is Ready
Age isn't the only factor to consider when deciding if it is time for your baby's first food. You'll also want to look for signs that your little foodie-in-training is developmentally ready for solids. Here's what to watch for:
- Sitting up with little to no support – If your baby is still flopping over like a cooked noodle, it's too soon! The CDC says a baby should be able to sit up alone or with a bit of support before they are ready to eat.
- Good head and neck control – No wobbly bobbleheads allowed at the dinner table!
- Interest in food – Is your baby staring at your dinner like they just discovered pizza? It's a big clue that they may be ready to take their first bite (not of pizza, of course!)
- Losing the tongue-thrust reflex – Babies have a natural reflex that pushes food out of their mouths. If they still spit everything back out, give it a little more time.
- Brings objects to their mouth – If everything seems to go into their mouth (including their own toes), they may be ready to explore real food!
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First Foods for Your Baby to Try
Now comes the fun part - what do you serve to your little one first? The American Academy of Pediatrics says that for most children, you do not need to give first food in a certain order, but you should always start with simple, single-ingredient foods that are easy to digest. Some great first choices include:
- Iron-fortified single-grain baby cereal – This is a classic! Mix a little dry cereal with breast milk or formula to make it more familiar to your baby.
- Mashed avocado – Creamy, nutritious, and delicious!
- Pureed sweet potatoes – Naturally sweet and packed with vitamins.
- Mashed bananas – Bananas are nature's original baby food. They are soft, sweet, and irresistible!
- Steamed and pureed carrots or squash – Soft, slightly sweet, and full of nutrients.
- Plain whole-milk yogurt – Whole milk plain yogurt is a good source of calcium and probiotics. Make sure your yogurt is plain and not flavored, as those fruity cups tend to have lots of added sugars, which a baby does not need!
Start with just a tiny spoonful and see how your baby reacts. The face your baby makes will say a lot about whether or not they enjoy the food! Encourage them to take a few more bites if they seem to enjoy what they are eating, but don't force it! Remember that at this young age, food should be for fun! Your little one is still getting all the nutrients they need from breastmilk and formula.
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Potential Allergens Are Okay!
Once upon a time, parents were told to avoid common allergens like peanuts, eggs, and dairy until their child was older. But research now shows that introducing allergens early, around 6 months, can actually help prevent allergies!
Here's how to do it safely:
- Introduce one allergenic food at a time and wait a day or two before trying another. This makes it easier to pinpoint any reactions.
- Start with a small amount of the allergen. A little peanut butter mixed into yogurt or scrambled eggs mashed with breast milk are great examples.
- Watch for reactions like hives, vomiting, diarrhea, or difficulty breathing (in which case, seek medical help immediately).
- If there's a family history of allergies, check with your pediatrician first. Peanut butter, eggs, dairy, wheat, soy, shellfish, and tree nuts are the big ones to introduce early and safely!
How to Prepare Foods for Your Baby
Babies have zero teeth (or just a couple), so texture is everything! Here's how to safely prepare your baby's first foods:
- Pureed or mashed for early eaters – Think thin oatmeal consistency. Breast milk or formula can help smooth things out.
- Soft and easy-to-smash – Cooked and mashed veggies, ripe fruit, or scrambled eggs are great choices.
- Cut into baby-friendly pieces – As your baby progresses, cut food into finger-length strips for easy grabbing, a method called baby-led weaning.
- Avoid added salt, sugar, or honey – Honey can cause botulism in babies under 1 year old and is never recommended for a new eater. Extra sugar and salt? Not necessary. Your baby will enjoy the new flavors of the tasty foods without these unhealthy additions.
- No choking hazards – Hard, round, or sticky foods, like whole grapes, popcorn, or raw carrots, should wait until your child is older.
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Where to Serve Your Baby Their First Foods
Now that you have the food ready to go, where do you serve it? Here's how to set up mealtime success for your little one.
- A high chair with proper support – Babies should be sitting upright and secure, not reclining.
- A mess-friendly area – Food WILL end up everywhere, from your baby's face to the floor below. A splat mat under the high chair is your new best friend.
- A baby-sized spoon – Your little one has a little mouth! A small, soft spoon designed for a baby is best for feeding soft purees.
- A chill, low-pressure vibe – Eating first foods is about exploration and fun. Let your baby play with their food, and don't feel the need to force them to eat a certain quantity. It's all a learning process!
Babies learn by watching YOU, so try eating together as a family. Let them see you enjoying food, and they'll be more likely to get excited about it, too.
Introducing solid foods is a fun, messy, and sometimes chaotic adventure. Start between 4-6 months if your baby is showing signs of readiness. Remember to keep things simple, and don't stress about the mess!
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Your baby won't eat much at first, and that's okay! Remember this rhyme: Food before one is just for fun. The real goal is to help them explore flavors, textures, and the joy of eating. Enjoy the ride!