Solid foods: How to get your baby started

Articles

What if my baby refuses his or her first feeding?
Know what's off-limits
Preparing baby food at home
Make meals manageable
Content
Is your baby ready for solid foods?
What to serve when
Start simple
Needed nutrients
Baby cereal basics
Add vegetables and fruits
Offer finely chopped finger foods
Add water
What if my baby refuses solid food?
What about food allergies?
Is juice OK?
Know what not to feed
Making baby food at home
Make mealtime fun
Let your baby explore
Use a spoon and cup
Dish out servings
Know when to stop

Certain foods aren't appropriate for babies. Consider these guidelines:

Don't offer cow's milk or honey before age 1. Cow's milk doesn't meet an infant's nutritional needs — it isn't a good source of iron — and can increase the risk of iron deficiency. Honey might contain spores that can cause a serious illness known as infant botulism.
Don't offer foods that can cause your baby to choke. As your baby progresses in eating solid foods, don't offer hot dogs, chunks of meat or cheese, grapes, raw vegetables, or fruit chunks, unless they're cut up into small pieces. Also, don't offer hard foods, such as seeds, nuts, popcorn and hard candy that can't be changed to make them safe options. Other high-risk foods include peanut butter and marshmallows. To introduce nuts and prevent choking, spread peanut butter in a thin layer or puree peanut butter or peanuts with fruits or vegetables.