Starting Solid Foods: A Complete Guide for Parents

Starting solid foods is one of the most exciting milestones in your baby’s first year — and one of the most overwhelming. When do you start? What do you give first? How much? Don’t worry: this guide covers everything you need to know.

When to Start Solid Foods

Current guidelines from the World Health Organization (WHO) and most European health bodies recommend introducing solid foods at around 6 months, while continuing to breastfeed or formula feed. Starting before 4 months is not recommended as the digestive system isn’t ready. Starting too late (after 7 months) may increase the risk of food allergies and iron deficiency.

Signs of Readiness (all three should be present):

• Baby can sit up with minimal support and hold their head steady
• Baby has lost the tongue-thrust reflex (no longer automatically pushes food out of mouth)
• Baby shows interest in food — watching you eat, reaching for your plate

Two Approaches: Purées vs Baby-Led Weaning

Traditional Weaning (Purées)

Start with smooth, runny purées of single vegetables or fruits and gradually progress to lumpier textures. This approach gives you more control over what your baby eats and how much.

Baby-Led Weaning (BLW)

Offer soft finger foods from the start, allowing your baby to feed themselves. This promotes independence, fine motor development, and positive food relationships. You skip the purée stage entirely. Most popular in the UK and increasingly across Europe.

Combined approach

Many families do both — purées for certain meals and soft finger foods for others. There’s no wrong answer.

First Foods to Try

Start with single-ingredient foods so you can spot any reactions:

• Vegetables: sweet potato, butternut squash, broccoli, courgette, carrot, peas
• Fruits: banana, avocado, apple (cooked), pear, mango
• Grains: baby rice (iron-fortified), porridge oats
• Protein: well-cooked lentils, egg (well-cooked), flaked fish

Introducing Allergens

Current guidance recommends introducing the top allergens (peanuts, tree nuts, eggs, dairy, wheat, soy, sesame, fish, shellfish) early and regularly — this actually reduces allergy risk. Introduce them one at a time, in small amounts, on a day when your baby is well.

How Much and How Often

In the beginning, solids are about exploration, not nutrition. Milk (breast or formula) is still the main source of nutrition until 12 months. Start with one meal a day of just a few teaspoons, and gradually increase over several weeks to three meals a day.

Foods to Avoid Before 12 Months

• Honey (risk of botulism)
• Whole nuts (choking hazard)
• Added salt and sugar
• Unpasteurised cheeses
• Undercooked eggs
• Cow’s milk as a main drink (though used in cooking is fine)

Weaning is a journey, not a race. Some babies take to solids immediately; others take weeks to show interest. Keep mealtimes relaxed, follow your baby’s lead, and remember — any food they try is a win.