Introducing Foods to Your Baby

Offering your baby solid food for the first time can be such an exciting experience! So what are the do’s and don’ts to offering new tastes and foods to babies? Here is some helpful information to assist you in making the best choices for you and your little one.

Making sure they are developmentally ready.

It is important to wait until your baby is ready before introducing foods. It takes a few months for their little bodies to be ready to digest the more complex nutrients in foods. Consult with your pediatrician to be sure your child is ready to take on solid foods – typically this will be at five to six months of age. Before introducing solids, babies should be able to hold their neck and head up well on their own. They should also be able to sit up with some support. When you offer foods to your little one, they should be able to move the foods into their months without pushing it back out or letting it dribble out of their mouth. If this doesn’t happen, just wait another week or so and try again.

What foods should you start with?

This is a great question that pediatricians have gone back and forth on for years. Doctors usually suggest offering infant cereal mixed with breastmilk, formula or even water as a beginner food since it is a good source of iron. Some great starter foods include pureed pears, apples, avocado, sweet potatoes and other mild fruits and vegetables. Try introducing one new food every 2-3 days so you can watch for allergic reactions. Try a variety to see what foods your child prefers. Once your baby has mastered simple pureed foods and is ready for the next stage, you can start advancing their meals and mixing different fruits, vegetables and meats. This is also a good time to advance the consistency of the foods to be less pureed and more chunky.

Thinking of making your own baby foods?

Making your own baby food is much easier than you might think. In addition to giving your child a nutritious start, it also provides you with peace of mind, as you know exactly what’s gone into each mouthful–food that is free of additives, extra sugars and other fillers. As an added bonus, you get to pick many different foods that aren’t available in traditional jarred baby foods. Finally, just think of all the money you will save!

Check out some great baby food recipes and our article on homemade baby food storage for tips on making your own baby foods.

Important tips:

Offer foods to your baby when they are sitting in the upright position, not in a bouncer or swing.  This can help prevent choking.

Easy timeline:

5-6 months – First introduction to baby foods. Great stage one recipes.

6-8 months – Advance textures and start mixing different foods together. Stage two recipes .

9-12 months – Babies start using their fingers to pick up foods. Babies usually try to start feeding themselves before this point but usually they are using the whole hand to pick up foods and push them into their mouths. Try these stage three and  stage four recipes.

Check out our feeding stages chart for additional food and serving size information.

Have you tried making your own baby food yet? What is your number one reason wanting to do so? *** GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED*** Leave a comment below and you will be entered for a chance to WIN a Designed to Nourish™ Puree and Simple™ Blender! TEN winners will be randomly selected from all comments (U.S. residents only). Check back on Thursday, August 9^th when we will post the winners!

Here are the WINNERS: Natalia, Clarissa, Kelsey, Stephanie, Donna, Genie, Ellen, Megan, Katrina and Ashlea. If you are one of the winners you will be contacted by e-mail. Thanks to everyone for commenting!

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Natalia says:
July 31, 2012 at 10:12 pm
I love to make my own food for a baby it’s easy and you know for sure it’s healthy.

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Clarissa says:
July 31, 2012 at 10:08 pm
I would love to make my own baby food – mainly so I know what goes into her food. I would feel much better knowing I prepared it myself :)

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Kelsey says:
August 1, 2012 at 12:05 am
I want to make my baby’s food so I know exactly what he is eating. No chemicals, no preservatives.

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Stephanie moody says:
July 31, 2012 at 10:12 pm
I like to know what is in the food my daughter is eating :)

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Donna says:
August 1, 2012 at 4:04 am

I have never tried making my own baby food. I but I would like to start with my last baby here she is only a month old, but money is tight and I would like to feed my baby what we eat instead of processed food where I have no idea what is in it. Or how long ago it was made. For this being my last baby I want to do things right.

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Genie says:
July 31, 2012 at 10:42 pm
I would love this because i would be able to make my food for my little one as well. He would eat what i am eating so when he fusses i can eat a spoon full as well to show him its good stuff.

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Ellen says:
July 31, 2012 at 10:23 pm
It saves SO much money and the best part is…it helps my little one be a healthy eater.

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Megan says:
August 1, 2012 at 1:15 am
I like creating my own flavor combinations!

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katrina watson says:
August 1, 2012 at 12:21 pm
As parents you want the absolute best for your children. My son is a breastfed baby and I am continuing to be healthy by serving organic foods. Plus you know what you’re serving your baby, and it’s fun to experiment with your own recipes/combinations.

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