Which foods should I try first?

There are many foods you can try feeding your baby when you start giving them solids; popular foods include:

• Baby rice (made with the baby’s usual milk, either breast or formula milk)
• Mashed up vegetables, including parsnip, potato, sweet potato and carrot
• Mashed up fruit, including banana, stewed apple and pear

As your baby gets used to different foods and textures you can also start introducing home cooked food; simply liquidise the food you prepare at home. It is a good idea to freeze food that you prepare; this will make it easier and more convenient for you. Take care not to add sugar or salt to any food you give your baby.

You can give your baby food from jars; it is always useful to have jars at home in case you are in a rush but make sure they are in date and sealed properly. It is advisable to try and get your baby used to home cooked food rather than giving them jars all the time; this reduces the risk of them being fussy and ensures you know exactly what your baby is eating.

Once your baby is used to eating fruit and vegetables, you can start to try new foods, including:

• Mashed pasta and noodles
• Liquidised or mashed up meat and fish
• Pulses
• Dairy products, including cheese and yoghurt (try to use sugar free versions)

Lots of babies also enjoy eating foods they can hold themselves so try giving them finger food that they can suck and chew on; examples may include rusks (sugar free rusks), carrot sticks, small lumps of cheese, toast, pitta bread and banana.

Weaning and Moving onto Solid Foods:

• Weaning and Moving onto Solid Foods
• Which foods should I try first?
• How much food should I be giving my baby?
• Which foods should I avoid?
• Tips for mums with fussy eaters
• Baby-led Weaning