When to start solids: signs your baby is ready, first foods, allergens and what to avoid

Babies can start solid foods at about 6 months, and the CDC says introducing foods before 4 months is not recommended ¹. Every child is different, so look for the signs of readiness below ¹. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2025-2030, from the US Departments of Health and Human Services and of Agriculture, say the same: at about 6 months, babies may begin to have solid foods, while breast milk or formula stays their main source of nutrition until 12 months ². This page follows those two sources, the federal guidelines on peanut allergy, the USDA's WIC materials and the CPSC and FDA safety pages. The buying list at the end is a Cotokim proposal.

When to start solids

For about the first 6 months, the Dietary Guidelines say to feed your baby only breast milk, or iron-fortified infant formula when breast milk is not available ². The CDC adds that babies are not ready for other foods, water or other drinks for about the first 6 months of life ³.

At about 6 months, solid foods can begin ². Introducing foods before 4 months is not recommended ¹. Because every child is different, the CDC asks you to watch for signs that your baby is developmentally ready ¹, and at 6 months it suggests talking with your baby's doctor about when to start solid foods and which foods are choking risks ⁴.

Signs your baby is ready

The CDC and the Dietary Guidelines list the same signs ^{1 2}. Your baby:

• Sits up alone or with support.
• Can control their head and neck.
• Opens their mouth when you offer food.
• Swallows food instead of pushing it back out onto the chin.
• Brings objects to their mouth.
• Tries to grab small objects, such as toys or food.
• Moves food from the front to the back of the tongue to swallow.

Pushing food out is a reflex in young babies: the USDA's WIC guide says this tongue thrust reflex is seen from birth to about 4 to 6 months, and that as it fades, it is a sign that a baby is ready to take food from a spoon ⁵.

First foods: start with iron

From about 6 months, iron matters: for a baby fed breast milk, the CDC says it is important to give foods with enough iron once solid foods start, around 6 months; a baby fed a standard iron-fortified formula gets enough iron from it for the first 12 months, and is also introduced to foods that contain iron once eating starts ⁶. If your baby gets a mix of breast milk and formula, ask the doctor or nurse about iron at the next checkup ⁶. Zinc matters too: the CDC says foods with zinc are especially important for babies fed only breast milk, because the zinc in breast milk goes down over the first 6 months ⁷.

There is no required first food: the USDA's WIC guide says research does not support introducing foods in a particular order, and it recommends starting with foods rich in iron and zinc, or fortified, such as fortified baby cereals or meats ⁵. By 7 or 8 months, your baby can eat a variety of foods from different food groups, the CDC says ¹, and the WIC guide says to build an eating pattern with a variety of grains, vegetables, fruits and protein-rich foods, so that by then babies eat foods from all the food groups ⁵.

Iron from plants and fortified foods is harder for the body to absorb ⁶. Pairing it with foods rich in vitamin C can help, such as oranges, broccoli, berries, papaya, tomatoes or sweet potatoes ⁶, mashed or cut small. If you use infant cereal, offer a variety of fortified cereals, such as oat, barley and multigrain, instead of only rice cereal: feeding only infant rice cereal can raise your baby's risk of arsenic exposure ¹.

The Dietary Guidelines' examples of foods to introduce are meat, poultry and seafood; vegetables and fruits; full-fat yogurt and cheese; whole grains; and legumes and foods with nuts or seeds, prepared in a safe form for a baby ². They also say to avoid nutrient-poor and highly processed foods ².

Some babies need an iron supplement: the Dietary Guidelines say to talk with your health care professional about it ², and the CDC says preterm babies may need extra iron and that the doctor or nurse will likely test for anemia at around 12 months ⁶.

How to start: one food, a small amount, smooth first

• One new food at a time. At first, let your baby try one single-ingredient food at a time and wait 3 to 5 days between new foods ¹. This helps you see any problem, such as a food allergy ¹.
• Start small. Give 1 or 2 tablespoons of food, and watch for signs that your baby is still hungry or full ¹¹.
• Smooth first, then thicker. At about 6 months, mashed, pureed or strained foods that are very smooth are easiest ¹². Thicker and lumpier foods come as your baby's eating skills develop, and finely chopped or ground foods later ¹². While your baby adjusts to new textures, coughing, gagging or spitting up can happen ¹².
• Cook it soft. Cook food until you can easily mash it with a fork, and cook hard vegetables and fruits, such as carrots and apples, before you mash or puree them ¹.
• Follow your baby's lead. From 6 months, signs of hunger include reaching for or pointing to food, opening the mouth for the spoon and getting excited at the sight of food ¹³. Signs of fullness include pushing food away, closing the mouth and turning the head away ¹³. Your baby does not need to finish the jar or the plate, and food is not a good reward or punishment ¹³. If you are worried about how much or how little your baby eats, talk with the doctor or nurse ¹³.
• Offer it again. A young child may need to be offered a new food 8 to 10 times before being willing to try it ^{2 14}. If your baby does not like a new food at first, the CDC's page on picky eaters suggests waiting a week before you offer it again ¹⁴, while its tip sheet for child care providers says a few days ¹⁵; Cotokim follows the picky eaters page, which speaks to parents. That page also suggests mixing the new food with a food your baby likes, such as breast milk ¹⁴.
• Build a routine. The CDC suggests something to eat or drink every 2 to 3 hours, or 5 or 6 times a day, which gives about 3 meals and 2 to 3 snacks ¹¹, and regular meal and snack times instead of eating and drinking all day long ¹¹.

Purees or baby-led weaning?

In baby-led weaning, babies feed themselves all their foods, as pieces they can grab, instead of being spoon-fed purees ⁵. The USDA's WIC guide, written for WIC staff in 2019, says there is concern that it may raise the risk of choking ⁵. It also says studies suggest that, when it is followed carefully, it is no more of a choking hazard than spoon-feeding, though gagging is more likely ⁵. We did not find a newer US government source that compares the two.

The CDC pages we read do not use the term. They say that when babies first start eating, you may use a spoon or they may use their fingers ²⁸. They describe smooth foods first, then thicker and lumpier ones ¹², and finger foods small enough to pick up and soft enough to chew, such as small cooked noodles, small pieces of bread or small pieces of soft, ripe, peeled fruit ¹⁶. By 12 months, the CDC says, children should be able to feed themselves easily with their fingers ¹⁶.

Cotokim's reading: you do not have to pick a side. A spoon and your baby's fingers can share the same meal, and the choking rules below apply either way.

Allergens: egg, peanut and the rest

Common allergens can come early, with the other first foods. The CDC says to introduce potentially allergenic foods when you introduce other foods, such as eggs, shellfish, nut butters and wheat ¹, and the Dietary Guidelines say to introduce them along with other first foods at about 6 months, and to ask your baby's health care professional about the risk of food allergy ². US law names 9 major food allergens, which food labels have to identify: milk, eggs, fish, crustacean shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts, wheat, soybeans and sesame ¹⁷.

Peanut

In a trial with more than 600 babies at high risk of peanut allergy, eating peanut foods regularly from early in life cut the risk of peanut allergy by 81 percent ¹⁸. After that trial, the NIH's allergy institute (NIAID) published guidelines in January 2017, which its site still lists ¹⁹. They sort babies into three groups ¹⁸:

The Dietary Guidelines give the same ages for the first two groups ², and the CDC says to talk with the doctor or nurse about when and how to give foods with peanut if your baby has severe eczema or an egg allergy ¹.

Peanut goes in only in a safe form: never give whole peanuts to a baby, because of the risk of choking, and give other solid foods first, before peanut ¹⁸. One way, from the Dietary Guidelines: mix a small amount of peanut butter with breast milk or formula, thin it to a safe consistency and feed it by spoon ². Chunks or spoonfuls of peanut butter are a choking hazard ¹⁰.

Egg

Eggs are on the federal lists of foods to bring in with the first foods ^{1 2}. Serve them fully cooked: for children under 5, the CDC's safer choice is eggs cooked until the yolk and the white are firm, not runny ⁸. An egg allergy also counts for peanut: it is one of the conditions that raise the risk of peanut allergy ¹⁸.

Signs of an allergic reaction

If your baby is allergic to a food, symptoms may appear within a few minutes to a few hours after eating it ¹⁷. The FDA's list of symptoms of an allergic reaction includes hives, flushed skin or a rash, swelling of the face, tongue or lips, vomiting or diarrhea, coughing or wheezing, difficulty breathing and loss of consciousness ¹⁷.

The NIAID guideline's instructions for a first peanut feeding at home are written for babies with severe eczema or an egg allergy whose allergy test results the doctor considers safe for starting peanut at home ²⁰. For those babies, they sort what to look for in two groups ²⁰:

• Mild: a new rash, or a few hives around the mouth or face.
• More severe: lip swelling, vomiting, hives all over the body, face or tongue swelling, any difficulty breathing, wheezing, repeated coughing, a change in skin color (pale or blue), or sudden tiredness or limpness.

If you see a reaction during or after a feeding, the USDA's WIC guide says to stop that food and call your baby's health care provider ⁵. If your baby seems to be having a severe reaction, such as difficulty breathing, it says to call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room ⁵. The same NIAID instructions say to seek medical care right away or call 911 if you have any concerns about how your baby responds to peanut ²⁰.

What to avoid in the first year

• Honey, until 12 months. Honey given to babies younger than 12 months may cause botulism, a severe food poisoning ⁹. Do not add honey to your baby's food, water or formula ⁹, and do not give products made with honey, such as honey pacifiers: the CDC reports babies in Texas who got infant botulism after using them ²¹. In a baby, botulism can show as constipation, poor feeding, drooping eyelids, a face with less expression than usual or a weak cry that sounds different; the CDC says to see the doctor or go to the emergency room right away ²².
• Cow's milk as a drink, until 12 months. Before 12 months, cow's milk may put a baby at risk of intestinal bleeding, has too many proteins and minerals for a baby's kidneys and does not have the right amount of the nutrients a baby needs ²³. Yogurt without added sugars can start before 12 months ¹. Plant-based drinks, such as soy, oat, rice or almond, also wait until 12 months; after that, choose one that is fortified, unflavored and unsweetened, since fortified ones are the only milk alternatives that help meet a child's dairy needs ²³.
• Juice, until 12 months. Babies younger than 12 months should not drink any fruit or vegetable juice, and juice after 12 months is unnecessary; whole fruit is the healthier choice ⁹. If you do give juice after age 1, the CDC says 4 ounces or less a day of 100% fruit juice ²⁴.
• Added sugars and sweeteners. Foods with added sugars, low-calorie sweeteners or no-calorie sweeteners are not recommended for babies and young children ¹⁰, and the Dietary Guidelines say to avoid added sugars in infancy and early childhood ². That rules out soda, flavored milk, sports drinks and juice drinks ⁹.
• Salty foods and caffeine. Avoid foods high in salt, such as processed meats, some canned foods and some frozen dinners ⁹. Children younger than 2 should avoid caffeinated drinks, such as soft drinks, tea and coffee ⁹.
• High-mercury fish. King mackerel, marlin, orange roughy, shark, swordfish, tilefish from the Gulf of Mexico and bigeye tuna ⁹. Many other fish are lower in mercury and have nutrients that support brain development ⁹.
• Unpasteurized and undercooked foods. No unpasteurized (raw) milk, juice, yogurt or cheese ⁹, and choose meat, poultry, eggs, fish and shellfish that are fully cooked, the CDC's safer choices for children under 5 ⁸.
• Choking hazards. See the section on choking below.

Drinks: breast milk or formula first

The new foods are sometimes called complementary foods, the CDC says, because they add to the breast milk or formula you keep feeding ²⁵. The Dietary Guidelines say it is crucial to keep breastfeeding or formula feeding while solids start ².

Choking: how to prepare and serve food

As babies learn to chew and swallow, they may choke, and the risk does not end once they feed themselves ¹⁰. Children under 4 are at high risk of choking while eating ²⁷. Prepare foods that dissolve easily with saliva and do not need chewing, feed small portions, encourage your baby to eat slowly and always watch your baby while eating ¹.

How to cut and cook

• Cook or steam hard foods, such as carrots, until soft enough to pierce with a fork ²⁷.
• Cut round foods, such as grapes, cherries, cherry tomatoes and melon balls, in half lengthwise, then into pieces no larger than ½ inch ²⁷.
• Cut tube-shaped foods, such as hot dogs, sausages and string cheese, into short, thin strips instead of rounds ¹.
• Remove seeds and hard pits from fruit, and all fat, skin and bones from poultry, meat and fish ¹.
• Spread nut butters thinly on other foods, and use creamy, not chunky ones ²⁷.
• Grate or thinly slice cheese instead of serving cubes ²⁷.

Foods to skip. The CDC publishes a list made by the USDA's WIC program, and says it may not include every food that could cause choking ¹⁰:

• Whole or chopped nuts and seeds, and chunks or spoonfuls of nut and seed butters.
• Uncut grapes, berries, cherries, melon balls and cherry or grape tomatoes; whole corn kernels; whole pieces of canned fruit; uncooked dried fruit or vegetables, such as raisins; pieces of hard raw vegetables or fruit, such as raw carrots or apples.
• Hot dogs, sausages and meat sticks; tough or large chunks of meat; large chunks of cheese, especially string cheese; bones in meat or fish; whole beans.
• Popcorn, chips, pretzels, cookies and granola bars; crackers or breads with seeds, nut pieces or whole grain kernels; whole grain kernels of cooked barley, wheat or other grains; plain wheat germ.
• Hard or round candy, jelly beans, caramels, gum drops and gummy candies; chewy fruit snacks; marshmallows; chewing gum.

At the table. Your baby sits up to eat, in a high chair or another safe place, never lying down, crawling or walking, and not in the car or the stroller. Keep meals calm, without distractions or rushing ¹⁰.

Gagging, choking and what to do

Gagging can happen at the start ¹². The WIC guide explains that the gag reflex pushes food forward on the tongue and helps protect a baby from choking ⁵. Choking is different: the same guide calls it a major cause of accidental infant death, and says every parent and caregiver should learn the skills to save a baby's life, such as infant CPR and choking relief, taught in classes by groups such as the American Heart Association and the American Red Cross ⁵. The CDC suggests asking your baby's doctor or nurse what to do if your baby chokes ¹⁰. If your baby is choking, it is an emergency: call 911 right away ³².

What to buy for starting solids

Cotokim's list keeps this stage short. Each item, with what the federal sources say:

• A high chair. On Cotokim's list, marked "Later". The CPSC says to choose one made on or after June 19, 2019, when the federal high chair standard took effect (the date is on a label on the chair); to always use the safety straps, adjusted to fit snugly; never to use the tray to hold your baby in; to stay near and watch; and not to let children climb into or stand on it ²⁹. The CDC names a high chair or a booster seat as safe places, with your baby strapped in ²⁸.
• Feeding bibs. On Cotokim's list, marked "Later": waterproof or with a pocket. How many depends on how often you do laundry (Cotokim's proposal).
• A small spoon. Babies first learn to swallow purees from a spoon, and most can swallow a spoonful of puree without choking at around 6 months ¹⁶. They can start using a spoon on their own at around 10 to 12 months ¹⁶. Any spoon that fits your baby's mouth works (Cotokim's proposal).
• A cup. Around 6 months, you can offer a sippy (training) cup with a spouted lid, or a cup and straw ¹⁶. From 9 months, children can start learning to use a cup without a lid ¹⁶.
• Plates and bowls. Choose ones that are not breakable and have no sharp edges ²⁸. Your own dishes work if they meet that, which is why the plate, spoon and cup set is optional on Cotokim's list (Cotokim's proposal).
• Something for the floor. The CDC suggests newspaper or a plastic mat under the high chair to help with cleanup ²⁸. It is not on Cotokim's list.

You do not need special gadgets: food cooked until soft mashes with a fork ¹, so the kitchen you have is enough (Cotokim's reading). On Cotokim's list, the feeding part for a baby in New York City born on March 15, 2027 comes to 7 burp cloths, 2 drool bibs, 1 high chair, and 2 feeding bibs. The amounts are for the balanced approach, between essential and complete, doing laundry every two days. On your list, they change with your approach and how often you do laundry. The burp cloths and drool bibs are for the first months; the high chair and the feeding bibs are for when solids start. The newborn essentials checklist builds the same list for your city and due date.

Frequently asked questions

When can babies eat baby food?

At about 6 months, when your baby shows the signs of readiness; the CDC says introducing foods before 4 months is not recommended ¹. Homemade or store-bought both work: the USDA's WIC guide says babies can be fed either home-prepared or commercially made infant foods ⁵.

What are the best first foods for baby?

Foods with iron, such as meat, poultry, fish, eggs, beans and iron-fortified infant cereal ⁶, and with zinc, such as meat, fish, beans and zinc-fortified infant cereal ⁷, smooth at first ¹². The USDA's WIC guide says research does not support a particular order ⁵. If you use infant cereal, offer a variety, such as oat, barley and multigrain, instead of only rice ¹.

Should I start with purees or baby-led weaning?

None of the US government sources we read requires one method. The CDC describes smooth foods first, then thicker textures and soft finger foods ^{12 16}. The USDA's WIC guide, from 2019, says baby-led weaning raises a concern about choking, while studies suggest that, done carefully, it is no more of a hazard than spoon-feeding ⁵.

When can my baby have egg and peanut butter?

With the other first foods, at about 6 months ²: egg cooked until firm ⁸, and peanut butter thinned with breast milk or formula and fed by spoon ², never whole peanuts ¹⁸ or spoonfuls of peanut butter ¹⁰. With severe eczema or an egg allergy, check with your baby's health care provider first: peanut may then start as early as 4 to 6 months ¹⁸.

Can my baby drink water?

From about 6 months, yes: 4 to 8 ounces a day until 12 months ²⁶, offered in a cup ¹⁶. Before then, babies are not ready for water ³.

Is gagging normal when starting solids?

Yes. While a baby gets used to new textures, coughing, gagging or spitting up can happen ¹². Choking is different: if your baby is choking, call 911 right away ³². The USDA's WIC guide says every parent and caregiver should learn infant CPR and how to relieve a choking baby ⁵.

Can I put infant cereal in a bottle?

No. The CDC says cereal or other solid foods in a bottle will not make a baby sleep longer and could raise the risk of choking ³⁰. Feed cereal and purees with a spoon ¹⁶.

Should I worry about heavy metals in baby food?

The FDA says not to throw out packaged baby foods or stop feeding certain foods ³¹. It recommends feeding many different foods from the five food groups and alternating how often you give the same food ³¹. For infant cereal, the CDC suggests offering a variety, such as oat, barley and multigrain, instead of only rice ¹.

Fruits or vegetables first?

Either. The USDA's WIC guide says there is no evidence that a baby will dislike vegetables if fruit comes first ⁵.

Data sources

Our use of publications from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, including its WIC program, from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, including the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, and from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases of the National Institutes of Health, including links to their websites, does not mean that they endorse Cotokim.