• Alyssa Fontaine, RD
• Dec 04, 2025

Introducing Solids to Baby: A Step-by-Step Guide for Parents

As a parent, one of the first milestones you will reach with your baby is introducing them to solids. 

As pediatric dietitians and nutritionists, we often get the questions: When should you start? What should you start with? How should you go about it? 

Here’s what you need to know about transitioning from breastmilk or formula to solid foods!

When to Start Solids

Your baby is ready for solid food when they:

• are around 6 months old.
• can sit up in a high chair on their own.
• have good head control and support when sitting.
• show interest in food by opening their mouth.

Starting solids too early can:

• prevent babies from getting enough nutrition from formula or breastmilk.
• increase the risk of choking from not being ready to chew or swallow safely.

However, starting solids too late can: 

• prevent babies from getting vitamins and minerals not present in breastmilk or formula.
• increase the risk of developing food allergies.
• increase the risk of picky eating and aversion to new textures and flavours.

Therefore, it’s important to stay alert and diligent when looking for signs that your baby is ready for solid food!

First Foods to Offer

Several key nutrients and ingredients are key to your baby’s growth and development and must be in their first solids. Don’t forget to puree, mince, or soften the following foods!

Iron-Rich Foods

Iron carries enough oxygen for your baby’s muscles and organs (like their brain!) to develop properly. Good sources of iron include:

• Fortified baby cereals
• Lentils
• Tofu
• Beans
• Eggs
• Poultry
• Fish
• Meat

Fruits and Vegetables

Fruits and vegetables can be offered after iron-rich foods. They provide vitamins, minerals, and fibre as well as new sensory experiences for your baby! Introduce soft or mashable vegetables/fruits like: 

• Sweet potato
• Avocado
• Banana
• Peas

Protein Sources

Protein plays a critical role in the repair of tissues in muscle, skin, organs, blood, hair, and nails. Some complete sources of protein include:

• Meats
• Tofu
• Yogurt (if dairy is tolerated)

Talk to a dietitian about your child’s individual protein needs based on age, physical activity level, and other factors today!

Allergenic Foods

Once your baby has tried the foods mentioned above, it may be time to introduce them to foods that might cause an allergic reaction, like:

• Peanuts
• Eggs
• Dairy (no cow’s milk as main beverage until after 12 months)
• Fish

Waiting to introduce these foods to your baby will not prevent food allergies. In fact, eating peanuts at 6 months or before may prevent peanut allergies in high-risk infants.

Remember to have an oral antihistamine medication ready, just in case!

How to Introduce Solids Safely

Now that you know when and what to start with, let’s get into the how. Remember to: 

• start with small amounts once a day.
• offer single-ingredient foods to monitor for allergies.
• gradually increase food variety, texture, and frequency of solids.
• avoid hard foods and choking hazards (whole nuts, raw carrots, whole grapes, etc.).
  

Purees vs Baby Led Weaning (BLW)

There are two major methods to start introducing your baby to solids:

Spoon-feeding

It’s the traditional approach! It puts the parent in control by allowing you to use a spoon to bring food to your baby’s mouth. You can choose to slowly transition from initial smooth purees to more textured solids as your baby grows.

Baby-led weaning (BLW)

It’s exactly as it sounds. Your baby leads! Skip the purees and mashed foods and let your baby decide when to start, how much to eat, and when to stop. All you have to do is put soft finger foods in front of your baby and watch as they feed themselves. Don’t be afraid to consult with a baby-led weaning dietitian to learn about safe BLW food cuts today!

There is no “right” approach to feeding your baby. In fact, a lot of families utilize a mixture of both methods! The most important thing is to always do what works best for you and your family.

Feeding Tips for Success

For some additional tips on feeding your baby, do:

• create a calm and distraction-free environment.
• let your baby explore textures (mess is a part of learning!).
• offer foods repeatedly, even if they’re initially refused.
• expose your baby to a variety of colours and flavours
• space out feeds (30 – 60 mins) between milk and solids to promote appetite for solid foods.
  

Foods and Drinks to Avoid in the First Year

As important as it is to know what to feed your baby, it’s just as important to know what not to feed.

Honey

Honey can contain spores that can cause a serious illness called botulism.

Added sugar and salt.

It’s best to prevent introducing your baby to added sugars. Over time, it can cause weight gain and tooth decay. However, that is not the case for natural sugars, like from fruits, which are of no issue. 

Added salt is to be avoided due to your baby’s immature kidney function, which can’t filter out too much sodium. Nonetheless, no added salt does not mean your baby should be eating bland food. Spice it up with herbs and spices to introduce them to new flavours! Just make sure there is no added salt in your spices by checking the ingredients.

Unpasteurized dairy or juices.

Unpasteurized dairy or juices can contain harmful bacteria or parasites that can harm your baby and make them sick.

Cow’s milk as a main drink before age 1.

Cow’s milk has insufficient amounts of iron for your baby and can cause intestinal irritation.

FAQs About Introducing Solids

The Bottom Line

So remember, when you start feeding your baby solids, they should be around 6 months old. Look out for the signs that your baby is ready, and start with iron-rich, nutrient-dense foods. Focus on safety and variety, and never be afraid to reach out to a pediatric dietitian to help guide your baby’s first feeding journey!