Starting solids is one of the biggest milestones of your baby's first year — and one of the most confusing. Purees or finger foods? Which food first? How much is too much? The good news: you don't need to get it perfect. You need a calm plan and a way to keep track. Here's everything you need to begin with confidence.
When is my baby ready to start solids?
Most health authorities recommend introducing solid foods around 6 months of age. Milk (breast or formula) is still the main source of nutrition through the first year, but by six months many babies are ready to explore food alongside it.
Rather than watching the calendar alone, look for these signs of readiness:
- Good head and neck control — your baby can hold their head steady and sit up with little or no support.
- Interest in food — they watch you eat, reach for your plate, or open their mouth when food comes near.
- Loss of the tongue-thrust reflex — they no longer automatically push food back out with their tongue.
If your baby shows these signs but isn't quite six months, or is past six months and not yet showing them, your pediatrician is the best person to guide your timing.
What foods should I offer first?
There's no single "correct" first food. What matters more is variety over time and offering nutrient-rich options early. Iron becomes especially important around six months, since babies' natural iron stores begin to run low.
Great first foods to explore include:
Offer one new single-ingredient food at a time and wait a couple of days before introducing another. It makes it far easier to spot if a particular food doesn't agree with your baby — and it turns "what do I feed them today?" into a simple, repeatable habit.
Purees, baby-led weaning, or both?
You'll hear two main approaches, and you don't have to pick a side:
Purees (spoon-feeding)
You offer smooth, mashed, or blended foods on a spoon, gradually moving to thicker textures and soft lumps. Many parents find it a reassuring, low-mess way to start.
Baby-led weaning
You offer soft, appropriately-sized finger foods and let your baby feed themselves from the start. It supports self-regulation and motor skills, though it can feel messier and more nerve-wracking at first.
In practice, most families do a mix — some purees, some finger foods — and that's completely fine. The best approach is the one you can do consistently and calmly.
The "first 100 foods" idea
A helpful way to frame the whole first year of solids is to aim for variety rather than volume. Instead of stressing about how much your baby eats at any single meal, you focus on gently widening the range of flavors and textures they've tried over time.
That's the thinking behind the "first 100 foods" milestone: a running list of everything your baby has tasted, from their very first spoon of sweet potato to their fiftieth new flavor. Early, varied exposure — including to common allergens — is associated with more adventurous eating later and helps build a broad, healthy palate.
It also takes the pressure off. One new food is a little win. A hundred little wins add up to a confident eater — and a lovely record of your baby's year of firsts.
How to keep those early weeks calm
- Follow your baby's cues. They'll show you when they're hungry and when they're done. Never force a bite.
- Expect mess and rejection. A refused food today may be a favorite in two weeks. It can take many exposures before a baby accepts a new flavor.
- Eat together when you can. Babies learn by watching you enjoy food.
- Keep a simple record. Tracking what your baby has tried removes the mental load — you always know what's next, and you can spot any reactions at a glance.
Keep reading: Introducing allergens safely · Iron-rich foods for babies
This article is for general information and isn't medical advice. Every baby is different — always talk to your pediatrician or health visitor about starting solids, allergen introduction, and any specific concerns about your child's feeding or development.