Starting solids: What should my baby eat?

First foods for babies, just as the timing of first foods, is a very individual issue. Some babies will take to avocado from the word go, while others delight in puréed peach, pear or butternut. Your baby’s age will also play a role, as introducing solids before six months will necessitate your making the decisions and usually involves more preparation too. 

There are three main groups of foods that are usually offered first:
Babies will often show marked preference for one or two of these groups and aversion to the others, which is quite okay. In the beginning it is more about making acquaintance with food than for the nutrient value anyway. Apart from this, veggies and fruit offer much the same nutrients, so these two groups are largely interchangeable.

1. Cereals are often advocated first by professionals and relatives alike. Some babies are just fine with that, although you need to look out for a number of signs that will tell you to rather try another group:

•  If baby becomes mucousy or constipated shortly after starting on cereal, either change the type or stop.
• Maize and rice cereals are generally the least problematic, while wheat cereals and those with milk solids (become a label reader!) often do lead to these symptoms. Maize meal is generally good from 10 months. While some babies might sleep more soundly as a result of cereal introduction, many more seem to become even more restless, almost as if their tummies are painful. All in all, cereals are probably the least favourable starting option, despite advice to the contrary.
• Mix cereals with your baby’s formula milk or with cooled boiled water. Avoid using breastmilk unless you can express up to 100ml easily – you might not need so much now but in a while you’ll be giving baby a few tablespoons!

2. Fruits like pears, papaya, apples, avocado, mango and peaches can simply be grated finely or puréed. From after six months, baby can have fruit cut into finger sizes. Fruits are easily digested on the whole and with their predominantly sweet taste are often firm favourites from day one. Fruit is Mother Nature’s way of making the feeding of your babies an easy task!

• No matter how old your baby, you do not have to stew to prepare the fruit – simply peel the fruit and put it in your food processor until it is smooth enough for a small baby, or cut the fruit into bite-size pieces for older babies who can manage finger foods.
• If you do wish to cook an apple or pear, chop into pieces, just-just cover it with water and boil until soft, blending fruit and water before offering the cooled fruit to baby. Raw fruit will ensure more nutrients and less acidity though.
• Choose seasonal, ripe fruits. Bananas can be both mucus-forming and constipating, especially if not fully ripe.
• Strawberries frequently cause skin rashes. Some babies do not like the creamy texture of fruits like papaya and avo, while others love it.

3. Vegetables are excellent first food options, especially the yellow variety.

• Lightly cook or steam butternut, carrots, hubbard squash or gems and then offer them puréed to small babies and those who simply like their food mashed  and in pieces to those ready to experiment with finger foods.
• If your baby is quite a bit older, say eight to 10 months before solids seem to be of any interest, you can add sweet potato, potato and finely chopped greens like spinach and broccoli quite soon. Babies often don’t like the traditional pumpkin as it is actually very tasteless unless butter and sugar or salt are added, so rather stick to the other varieties.
• As baby grows you can start including potato and sweet potato and some finely chopped green vegetables.

Starting solids: Tips and guidelines


solids, baby, weaning, first foods, fussy eaters