10 Tips for Starting Solids

Introducing food to your baby is exciting…and nerve wracking. And while there’s no “right” way to start your baby off on solid food, here are 10 tips to get you going:

1. Create a safe eating environment. This means a proper high chair that is totally upright and fitted with a footplate. Aim to also create a quiet, calm room free of sudden noises that may startle your baby.

2. If you are spoon-feeding, try preloading a spoon and handing it to your baby. Many babies will self-feed, even with spoons, from day one. Avocado, ricotta cheese, and Greek yogurt cling to spoons nicely!

3. Go big. If you are doing baby-led weaning (self-feeding), opt for large pieces of food that are easy for your baby to hold. Move down to smaller pieces of food when your baby’s pincer grasp develops (around 9-12 months).

4. Educate yourself on the difference between gagging and choking. Gagging is normal and all babies will gag during their solid journey (and many will gag for weeks as their tongues learn the feel of solid food.) 

5. Introduce allergens early and often. The evidence is strong, particularly for egg and peanut, that the early introduction and sustained exposure of these food allergens has the potential to help prevent those food allergies developing entirely. For more information, use our First Foods® database on how to prepare each allergen safely for your baby's specific age.

6. Know what foods are off-limits: For example, honey (which can cause infant botulism); undercooked eggs, meat, and fish; and raw milk cheese are not appropriate for babies. 

7. Aim for balance with salt: Some sodium is essential for health, but baby's sodium needs are generally low. Reduce salt in baby's food when you can, enjoy the food together when you can’t, and aim to share a variety of food over time. Learn more about sodium for babies.

8. Pump the iron: Focus on iron-rich foods, as your baby’s iron stores from birth begin to deplete around 6 months old.

9. Get messy! Let baby play and explore, and yes, get messy. They will be happier eaters for it and getting messy affords fantastic development opportunities.

10. Explore a wide variety of food. Studies show that babies who are introduced to a wide variety of flavors and textures are less likely to become picky eaters. Check out our First Foods® Database, which features hundreds of foods your baby can eat, all with step-by-step instructions for how to serve that food.

Happy eating everyone!