When to Start Solid Foods for Your Baby – 4 Key Stages Explained

Signs Your Baby Is Ready for Solid Foods

Before you ask when to start solid foods for your baby, it’s important to look for signs of readiness. Most babies are ready around 6 months old, but every baby is different. Key indicators include the ability to sit up with support, showing interest in food, and losing the tongue-thrust reflex. These developmental cues suggest your baby is prepared to explore new textures and tastes.

When to Start Solid Foods for Your Baby: A Month-by-Month Breakdown

6 Months: Getting Started

Begin with simple, single-ingredient foods like iron-fortified cereals, pureed vegetables (such as carrots or sweet potatoes), and fruits like bananas. These help your baby adjust to eating from a spoon and swallowing solids.

7–8 Months: Expanding Variety

At this stage, you can offer mashed fruits, soft pureed meats, lentils, and yogurt. Continue introducing new foods gradually, watching for allergic reactions. Keep breast milk or formula as the primary source of nutrition.

9–10 Months: More Texture

Introduce soft finger foods like small pieces of steamed vegetables, soft pasta, or scrambled eggs. Let your baby practice self-feeding to build coordination and independence.

11–12 Months: Family Meals

Now your baby can eat most of the same foods as the family, chopped into manageable pieces. Encourage three meals a day plus healthy snacks, alongside milk or formula.

Important Foods to Avoid

Even though you’re excited about offering variety, avoid foods like honey (due to botulism risk), whole nuts (choking hazard), added sugar, and unpasteurized dairy during your baby’s first year.

How to Support a Smooth Transition

Introducing solids is a gradual process. Keep mealtimes relaxed and positive. Babies may refuse new foods several times before accepting them. Trust your baby’s cues and be patient.

Learn More and Stay Confident

Still unsure when to start solid foods for your baby? Read our Baby’s First Bath Tips for more developmental milestones. You can also consult trusted external guidance like the CDC’s recommendations for infant feeding.