The Ultimate Guide to Your Baby's First Bites

When you're searching for recipes, focus on those that are age-appropriate and introduce a variety of tastes and textures. Start simple with purees and mashed foods, and gradually get more adventurous as your baby becomes more comfortable with eating. Every baby is different, so don't stress if your baby doesn't love every new food right away. Keep experimenting with different combinations and preparations.

Your baby’s food journey is all about gradual progression. You’ll start with smooth purees or soft finger foods, and as your baby grows, their tastes and abilities will evolve. Here’s a simple guide to what foods to offer as they develop:

• 6–7 months: Start with simple purees like carrots, sweet potatoes, or peas. Mashed fruits like bananas and avocados are also great first foods.
• 7–9 months: As your baby gets more confident with eating, you can introduce more texture. Try soft finger foods like cooked vegetables, pasta, or toast fingers.
• 9–12 months: By this stage, your baby is getting more adventurous. You can begin offering them more family-style meals, such as small pieces of chicken, scrambled eggs, and mashed potatoes.

If you’re taking the baby-led weaning approach, you’ll want to offer foods that your baby can easily hold and chew. Here are some fun, easy baby-led weaning recipes:

• Steamed broccoli florets: Soft and easy to grab, broccoli is a great starter food for baby-led weaning.
• Sliced avocado: Full of healthy fats and soft to chew, avocado slices are a firm favourite with little ones.<
• Scrambled eggs: Lightly scrambled eggs are soft and easy for your baby to pick up and eat. They’re packed with protein, too!

The best weaning recipes are simple, nutritious, and quick to prepare. Here are a few easy ideas to help you get started:

• Carrot and sweet potato puree: Steam some carrots and sweet potato, blend with a little water or breast milk until smooth, and serve warm.
• Mashed banana: Mash a ripe banana with a fork and offer it straight from the bowl – no cooking required!
• Avocado mash: Mash a ripe avocado and mix with a little breast milk or formula for a smooth, creamy meal.

These simple recipes are perfect for those first few weeks of weaning and will give your baby a taste of natural, wholesome foods.

Read More: How to Prepare Bananas for Baby-Led Weaning

For your baby’s very first foods, it’s best to keep things simple! Gentle foods will be best on their little tummies as they adapt to eating solids. Here are a few great ideas for those first tastes:

• Vegetables: Pureed carrots, parsnips, or sweet potatoes are excellent choices. They’re naturally sweet, yummy, and easy to digest.
• Fruits: Mashed bananas, pears, or apples are a hit with most babies.
• Iron-rich foods: Foods like pureed lentils or soft-cooked meat provide essential nutrients like iron, which babies start needing more of around six months.

Starting with single-ingredient foods allows your baby to get used to new flavours one at a time, while also making it easier to spot any allergies or reactions.

These foods are easy on your baby's tummy and packed with essential vitamins and minerals. Introduce new foods one at a time and wait a few days before trying another. This way, you can keep an eye out for any reactions or food sensitivities.

When it comes to choosing the right first foods for your baby, it’s important to think about nutrition, texture, and variety. Here’s what to consider:

• Variety: Offering different vegetables, fruits, and grains early on helps develop your baby’s taste preferences and sets them up for healthy eating habits in the future.
• Texture: Start with smooth purees or soft finger foods, and as your baby grows, you can gradually introduce lumpier textures to help them practice chewing.
• Safety: Make sure all foods are soft enough and the right size for them to eat. Foods cut to be too big or small can be a risk, as well as foods that are too hard or toughh to eat. As you start out, it's best to play it as safe as possibe. You'll already likely feel a bit nervous and apprehensive watching your little one eat, so keep to very soft and simple foods.

Weaning is all about exploration and enjoyment. Let your baby touch, smell, and taste their food - it's a full sensory experience! Be patient and celebrate the little victories when it comes to these first foods.

Read More: A Quick Guide to Introducing Apples to Your Baby

One of the biggest concerns most parents have when starting weaning is the risk of choking. It’s perfectly normal to worry, especially when introducing finger foods or adopting baby-led weaning, but with some simple precautions, you can greatly reduce the risk. The NHS provides several helpful guidelines to keep in mind during weaning.

To minimise the risk of choking, always ensure that the food you offer is appropriate for your baby’s age and chewing abilities. Here are some essential tips:

• Cut food into small, manageable pieces: Foods such as grapes, cherry tomatoes, and sausages can be choking hazards if offered whole. Always cut these foods into small, manageable pieces, ideally quarters. For younger babies, you may want to cut pieces even smaller to ensure they can chew and swallow safely.
• Cook harder foods until soft: Some foods, like apples and carrots, are too hard for babies to chew when raw. Steaming or boiling these foods until they are soft will help ensure they’re easy to chew and less likely to cause choking. Similarly, foods like pears or peas can be cooked until soft enough for your baby to handle.
• Avoid whole nuts and popcorn: Whole nuts, seeds, and popcorn should be avoided altogether for babies and young children, as they can easily become lodged in their throats. Nut butters are a safer way to introduce nuts to your baby’s diet but ensure they are spread thinly to avoid them sticking to the roof of your baby’s mouth.
• Remove skins and bones: Skins from foods like sausages, and bones from fish or meat, can be easy to overlook but pose a serious choking risk. Always check for these hazards before offering food to your baby. With fish, be extra careful to ensure all bones are removed.
• Offer the right texture for their stage: While purees are the easiest for beginners, as your baby progresses, ensure that finger foods are soft enough for their gums to mash. If you're unsure about the texture, test it by pressing the food between your fingers – it should squish easily.
• Don’t rush mealtime: Always ensure your baby is sitting down in a high chair or securely in your lap while eating, and encourage them to eat slowly. Rushing can increase the risk of choking, so try to create a calm, relaxed environment during mealtimes.
• Supervise at all times: Never leave your baby unattended during meals. It’s crucial to supervise every bite to ensure they’re eating safely. Make sure they are sitting upright in a high chair with good back and head support. This posture helps them swallow properly and reduces the likelihood of choking.
• Learn baby first aid: While no parent wants to imagine their baby choking, it’s good to be prepared for emergencies. Many organisations, such as the Red Cross, offer baby first-aid courses that cover how to deal with choking incidents. Learning how to clear an airway or perform infant CPR can be incredibly reassuring, giving you confidence during mealtimes.
• Stay aware of distractions: Make sure your baby is focused on eating, not playing, talking, or watching screens, as distractions can increase the risk of choking. It’s important that they learn to chew and swallow without any interruptions.

By following these guidelines, you can minimise the risks and feel more confident as you introduce your baby to a variety of textures and solid foods. Always remember that accidents can happen, so being prepared and informed is key to keeping your little one safe.

Introducing allergens can be a worry for many parents, but research now suggests that introducing common allergens earlier, rather than later, can actually help reduce the risk of developing allergies.

The NHS advises that there is no need to avoid foods that are known to trigger allergies (such as nuts, eggs, and dairy) unless your baby already has a known allergy or a family history of severe allergies. However, when introducing these foods, it's important to do so with caution and care.

Here’s how to introduce allergens safely:

• Start slowly, one allergen at a time: Begin by introducing one potential allergen at a time. For example, if you’re introducing eggs, start by offering a very small amount of well-cooked scrambled egg. Watch your baby for any signs of a reaction over the next 48 hours before introducing any other new foods. This slow approach will help you pinpoint any specific foods that may cause a problem.
• Common allergens to be aware of: Some of the most common allergens include cow’s milk, eggs, wheat, peanuts, tree nuts, soy, fish, shellfish, and sesame seeds. You don’t need to avoid these foods, but it's crucial to introduce them in a controlled manner.
• Signs of an allergic reaction: It’s important to know the signs of a food allergy, which can include a rash or hives, swelling of the lips or face, vomiting, diarrhoea, and in severe cases, difficulty breathing. Severe allergic reactions, known as anaphylaxis, require immediate medical attention. If your baby shows any signs of an allergic reaction, stop feeding them the food immediately and seek medical advice. In the case of anaphylaxis, call 999.
• Introduce allergens at home: When offering an allergenic food for the first time, it’s best to do so at home, rather than when you’re out and about. This ensures you’re in a safe and familiar environment where you can monitor your baby closely for any signs of a reaction. It’s also recommended to introduce new allergens earlier in the day, so you have plenty of time to observe them before bedtime.
• Allergy testing: If you have a family history of food allergies or if your baby has eczema or another diagnosed allergy, talk to your GP or health visitor before introducing high-risk foods. In some cases, they may recommend allergy testing to ensure that it’s safe to introduce specific allergens.
• Peanut introduction: Recent research has shown that introducing peanuts to babies at around six months can help reduce the likelihood of developing a peanut allergy. The NHS suggests starting with smooth peanut butter, but avoid whole peanuts or peanut pieces, as they can be a choking hazard. If you’re nervous about introducing peanuts, consider speaking to your GP for personalised advice.
• Continue offering allergens regularly: Once your baby has safely eaten an allergenic food, it’s important to continue offering it regularly as part of their diet. This can help to maintain tolerance. For example, if your baby has no reaction to eggs, make them a regular part of their meals.
• Be cautious with packaged foods: When offering packaged foods to your baby, always check the labels for allergen information. Even foods that seem safe may have been produced in environments where common allergens are present.
• Delayed reactions: While most allergic reactions happen within minutes, some can be delayed by a few hours. Keep an eye on your baby after introducing a new food and watch for any changes in their skin, breathing, or digestion. If you notice anything unusual, it’s best to err on the side of caution and seek advice from your GP.

By carefully and gradually introducing common allergens, you can help your baby develop a tolerance while keeping them safe. Always trust your instincts and don’t hesitate to reach out to your healthcare provider if you have concerns about allergies or reactions.