Baby Food by Age: What to Feed Your Baby from 4 to 12 Months
When to Start Solids: The European Guideline
The European Society for Paediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition (ESPGHAN) recommends introducing complementary foods around 6 months. not before 4 months completed, and not later than 7 months. Both early and late introduction carry risks.
The signs of readiness matter more than the exact date: baby can sit with support and hold their head steady, shows interest in food, and has lost the tongue-thrust reflex (the automatic pushing-out of objects placed in the mouth). Most babies show these signs between 5.5 and 6.5 months.
A note on the 4-month guideline
Some older EU guidelines (and some healthcare professionals) still mention starting at 4 months. ESPGHAN's current position (updated 2017, reaffirmed 2022) is that starting before 4 months carries risks (immature gut, allergy risk) and starting at 4 months is the absolute minimum, not the recommendation. "Around 6 months" is the current consensus.
4–6 Months: Milk-Only Stage
Before solids start, this period is entirely about milk, breast milk or formula. The key preparation task in this stage is:
- Introducing a cup alongside bottle/breast from around 4–5 months (water sips at mealtimes when you eat)
- Including baby at family mealtimes so they observe eating before participating
- Avoiding any actual solid food, including baby rice cereal, there is no nutritional benefit before 6 months and some risk
6–7 Months: First Foods (Stage 1)
The first foods stage is about exploration and learning, not nutrition. Milk (breast or formula) remains the primary nutrition source until 12 months. The goals at this stage are: expose baby to different flavours, textures and temperatures; introduce all major allergens early; and build the motor skills for eating.
| Food group | Examples at 6 months | Texture | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vegetables | Carrot, sweet potato, butternut squash, courgette, pea, broccoli | Smooth puree | Start with single vegetables. No salt. |
| Fruit | Apple, pear, banana, mango, peach | Smooth puree or mashed | Not for first meal, sweet fruits may reduce vegetable acceptance |
| Grains | Baby rice (iron-fortified), oat porridge, mashed potato | Smooth puree | Good vehicle for other flavours. Wheat = allergen to introduce. |
| Protein | Cooked and pureed chicken, lentils, well-cooked egg yolk | Smooth when pureed | Iron-rich foods are priority, breast milk iron is depleted by 6 months |
| Top 14 allergens | Peanut butter (thinned), egg, fish, wheat, dairy in food | Mixed into purees | Introduce one at a time, 3–5 days apart. Early introduction reduces allergy risk. |
Portion sizes at 6 months: Start with 1–2 teaspoons. Work up gradually. A 6-month-old typically manages 2–4 tablespoons per meal after a few weeks of practice. Never force, appetite varies enormously. The offer matters more than the amount consumed.
7–9 Months: Texture Progression (Stage 2)
This is where many parents get stuck, staying on smooth purees too long. ESPGHAN's guidance is clear: texture should progress quickly from smooth to mashed to minced to soft lumps. Babies who receive only smooth purees past 7–8 months have more difficulty accepting lumpy textures at 9–12 months.
| Age | Target texture | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| 6–7 months | Smooth puree | Pureed carrot, smooth hummus, pureed chicken |
| 7–8 months | Mashed / thick puree | Mashed potato with lumps, mashed banana, rough-blended lentils |
| 8–9 months | Minced / soft lumps | Minced chicken in sauce, soft pasta, well-cooked vegetable chunks |
| 9–12 months | Chopped family food | Small pieces of what the family is eating, minus salt and honey |
Finger foods can start from around 7 months, alongside purees. Good first finger foods: steamed broccoli florets (baby can hold the stalk), soft banana pieces, cooked pasta, well-cooked carrot sticks, cubes of soft tofu, pieces of ripe avocado.
9–12 Months: Family Foods (Stage 3)
By 9 months, most babies should be eating versions of family meals, chopped to appropriate size, with salt and honey excluded, but otherwise eating what you eat. This is the most practical and developmentally appropriate approach. Separate baby food cooking is not needed or recommended at this stage.
3 meals per day from 9 months, plus 2 snacks. Milk feeds (breast or formula) continue alongside, typically 3–4 per day, reducing toward 12 months as solid intake increases.
Iron remains critical. By 9 months, breast milk iron is significantly depleted and solid foods must provide adequate iron. Prioritise: red meat, dark poultry, lentils, chickpeas, iron-fortified cereals, cooked spinach (paired with vitamin C food to aid absorption).
Foods to Avoid Under 12 Months
Always avoid for babies under 12 months
Honey, risk of Clostridium botulinum spores. This is an absolute prohibition. Never, in any form, cooked or raw.
Salt, immature kidneys cannot process it. No added salt in any food. Check labels on stock cubes, bread, and processed foods.
Added sugar. no nutritional value, damages developing teeth. No sugary drinks or desserts.
Whole nuts, choking hazard. Nut butters thinned to smooth consistency are fine and should be introduced as allergen.
Whole grapes, cherry tomatoes, whole blueberries, choking hazard. Always cut into quarters lengthwise.
Raw shellfish and raw/undercooked egg, food safety risk.
Rice drinks, arsenic content too high for babies under 5. No rice milk as a primary drink.