Baby food from 6 months
Introduction of foods (around 6 months)
You can begin by mixing a teaspoon of one of the following foods with your baby's usual breast or formula milk:
- non-wheat cereals, such as baby rice
- mashed or pureed fruit: soft fruits such as banana or avocado, or cooked fruit such as pear or apple
- mashed or pureed cooked vegetables, such as carrot, potato, sweet potato, parsnip or yam
- you may want to start trying a range of vegetables to encourage the development of a liking for different vegetables
- you can also try finger sized pieces of soft/cooked fruit or cooked vegetables. The best finger foods are those that can be cut into pieces that are big enough for your baby to hold in their fist, and stick out of the top of it. Pieces about the size of your own finger work well
Introducing more tastes and textures (from around 7 months):
After 6 months babies can be introduced to dairy foods (cows' milk is not suitable as a main drink until 1 year of age), foods containing wheat and varied sources of protein.
- once your baby has got used to eating simple foods
- can offer them foods such as cooked meat, fish, pasta, noodles, bread, chapatti, lentils, and mashed rice
- can also introduce them to well cooked eggs, and full fat dairy products like cheese, yogurt or fromage frais
- full fat rather than low fat dairy foods should be given as these are a better source of vitamin A and provide extra calories which babies need for growth and development
- make sure these are low in added sugars
- iron in the diet
- good sources of iron include red meat, such as pork, beef or lamb
- pulses, such as beans and lentils, also provide iron but this is less well absorbed
- vitamin C from fruit and vegetables can help your baby to absorb iron from non-meat sources, so it is a good idea for fruit and vegetables to be given at mealtimes
- particularly important for babies eating a vegan or vegetarian diet (see here for more on vegetarian and vegan diets).
Finger foods can also help to engage your baby's interest and some babies actually prefer foods they can hold themselves. Finger foods to try at this stage include:
- cooked vegetables (e.g. sticks of carrot, pieces of broccoli, green beans)
- pieces of peeled soft ripe fruit (e.g. banana, peach, pear, mango, melon)
- fingers of pitta bread or toast
- sticks of cheese
From around 9 months:
- should be moving towards having three meals a day, in addition to healthy snacks as well as breast or formula milk
- water should be offered in an open cup or a free-flow lidded beaker with each meal
At this age, foods could include a mixture of mashed, chopped, minced and soft finger foods, and include foods from each of the main food groups:
- starchy foods, such as bread, rice, pasta or potatoes
- fruit and vegetables – these can now be given raw (if soft) or cooked and served with meals, or given as finger foods
- milk and dairy foods (full fat) e.g. cheese, yogurt, fromage frais
- protein foods, such as soft cooked meat, fish, eggs (well cooked) or pulses such as beans or lentils.
Milk
- Your baby should still be given breast milk or formula as the main drink up to 12 months of age (at least 500-600ml formula per day).
- Whole cows' milk is not suitable as a drink until after 12 months of age, but it can be used in cooking after 6 months.
- Semi-skimmed milk is not suitable for babies and infants under 2 years of age and skimmed and 1% fat milks are not suitable as a main drink until your child is 5 years of age. This is because they do not contain enough calories and vitamin A to support a child’s needs.
- Goats' and sheep’s milks are not suitable for babies under one year of age as they don’t contain the right balance of nutrients for their growth and development
- Babies under one year of age should not be given other types of milk, such as condensed or evaporated milks, nor should they be given rice, oat or almond dairy-free alternatives as drinks.
- Soya-based formula should only be used under the instruction of a GP. Calcium fortified soya-based drinks can be introduced after 12 months of age
For detail guidance then see https://www.nutrition.org.uk/life-stages/baby/introducing-solid-foods-to-your-baby/
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