Starting solid foods: when and how

Starting solid foods: when, signs of readiness, how to start, foods to avoid under 1 year

Reviewed October 19, 2026against 3 sources, listed below

At a glance

The AAP recommends breast milk only for about the first 6 months, then foods alongside continued breastfeeding (or formula).
Signs of readiness: sits in a supported seat with good head control, opens the mouth or reaches for food, and moves food to the back of the mouth. If food dribbles back out, wait a week or two and try again.
Start soft or pureed, half a spoonful or less, building up gradually. The CDC says not before 4 months; by 7 to 8 months babies can eat from every food group, in any order. Thicker and lumpier textures follow as skills grow; some coughing or gagging while adjusting is normal.
Vary the fortified baby cereals (oat, barley, multigrain) rather than rice cereal alone: rice cereal raises arsenic exposure (CDC).
One new single-ingredient food every 3 to 5 days, watching for reactions.
A little milk first, then food, then finish with milk. Never force it: if the baby turns away, try another day.
Include iron and zinc: baby food made with meat, or iron-fortified baby cereal.
Finger foods once the baby sits up and brings things to their mouth: soft, easy to swallow, cut into small pieces; nothing that needs chewing under 1.
No honey under 1 year (infant botulism).
No juice under 12 months; breast milk or formula gives all the fluid a baby needs.
Choking hazards under 1: hot dogs, nuts and seeds, chunks of meat or cheese, whole grapes, popcorn, chunks of peanut butter, raw vegetables, fruit chunks, hard or sticky candy.

Log meals with the foods offered: each meal keeps what was on the plate, so spacing new foods 3 to 5 days apart is easy to check.

Education from the sources listed, not medical advice. If you're worried about your child, call your pediatrician; in an emergency, call 911.