We’ve all had those days when store-bought baby food saves the morning, and there’s no shame in that!

But every now and then, you probably look at the label and think, “Wait, what is actually inside this, and how does it help my baby?”

Whether you’re checking what’s in that pouch or experimenting with your own purées at home, this guide’s for you. Think of it as a quick, no-stress rundown of what’s safe, what to skip, and how to pick the right first foods for every stage of your baby’s weaning journey.

 

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What first foods should I start my baby on?

Every baby’s journey with solids looks a little different, but if you’re making homemade baby food, planning for a week of purées doesn’t have to be tricky. 

Once your baby is ready for solids at around 6 months, here’s a stage-by-stage guide to help you think about what to make and what to buy for the week.

Stage 1: First tastes (around 6 months)

 

Texture for this stage: Smooth, thin, and silky single-ingredient purées. Start with a runny consistency to help baby learn to swallow. Use a little liquid (steaming liquid, breast milk, formula) to thin purées as needed.

Shopping tip: You’ll only need 3-4 produce types for the week at this stage. Introduce them one at a time as very smooth purées, or as frozen treats introduced safely through a feeder, such as the Chill’n’Chew Feeder.

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Stage 2: Exploring textures (7–8 months)

 

Texture for this stage: Still puréed, but gradually made thicker or slightly lumpy. Soft mashed textures help baby practice tongue movement and chewing. Try including a few small, soft lumps or very soft grains for practice.

Shopping tip: Planning around 5-6 core ingredients covers the week with plenty of variety. Reuse leftover ingredients by combining flavours in new ways.

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Stage 3: Mini meals (9–11 months)

 

Texture for this stage: Move toward mashed, minced, or finely chopped foods. Soft finger foods like steamed veggies, fruit pieces, or tiny pasta shapes are great for self-feeding. No hard, crunchy textures yet though. Keep foods soft and squishy.

Shopping tip: This stage is about texture and independence. Shop small amounts but a wider range of items; one protein, one carb, two veggies, and two fruits are enough for the week.

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Stage 4: Family Foods (12+ months)

 

Texture for this stage: Baby can now handle most family foods as long as they’re soft, bite-sized, and easy to chew. Think tender meats, rice, pasta, chopped veggies, and fruits. (But still keep them away from hard, small, or sticky foods to reduce choking risks.)

Tip: Once your baby joins family meals, meal prep becomes simpler. Think: “same meal, smaller, softer bite.”

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Foods to avoid before 12 months

It’s so tempting to let your little one “try everything,” but a few foods are best saved for later. Here’s what to hold off on for now, and why.

Salty, sugary, or processed foods: Babies’ kidneys can’t handle added salt yet, and they don’t need extra sugar either. Processed snacks often sneak in salt, sugar, and additives that babies don’t need.

Honey: No honey until after their first birthday! It can contain bacteria that cause infant botulism, which tiny tummies can’t fight off.

Cow’s milk as a main drink: It’s fine to use a splash of milk in cooking, but hold off on full cups until after 12 months. It doesn’t have the right nutrients to replace breastmilk or formula just yet.

Whole nuts (and other potential choking hazards): Avoid whole nuts, popcorn, or other small hard foods until your baby’s chewing is strong. Smooth nut butters or finely ground nuts are fine in tiny amounts.

Raw, hard-to-chew, or sticky foods: Raw carrots, apples, whole grapes, and other firm foods can be tricky to chew safely. Steam or mash them instead. Sticky foods like thick peanut butter or dried fruit can also get caught in little airways.

Overly seasoned or spicy foods: Keep flavours simple and mild while they’re still learning what real food tastes like.

After 12 months, things start to open up. You can slowly introduce honey, whole milk as a drink, and mild family meals, so long as you keep textures soft and cut food into small, safe pieces.

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Some tips from us: 

🍼Milk and water: a quick reminder

• Breast milk or formula should remain as baby’s main drink until 12 months.

• You can offer small sips of cooled, boiled water with meals from 6 months.

• Avoid cow’s milk (as a main drink), juice, or tea until after 12 months.

🍽️ For fuss-free feeding:

• Start slow. A few spoonfuls once a day is plenty at first.
  
  

• Offer variety early. Repeated exposure helps babies accept new flavours and textures.
  
  

• Picky eating is normal. It can take many tries for babies to like a food. Keep offering without pressure, mix familiar foods with new ones, and eat together so baby can copy you.
  
  

• Baby-led weaning: Pros of letting baby self-feed: better motor skills and builds independence. Cons: it can get messy. 😅For more on baby-led weaning, check out our article here.
  
  

• 💡Tip: Tools like MashMunch Cutlery make self-feeding safer and easier for little hands.

🧀 On certain kinds of food

• Acidic foods (like citrus, tomato, and vinegar):
  Introduce mild acidic foods gradually after about 7–8 months, once your baby is comfortable with basic fruits and veggies. Avoid anything sharply sour until after baby’s first birthday.
  
  

• Dairy (like cheese, yoghurt, and milk in recipes):
  Pasteurised, full-fat yoghurt and cheese can be introduced from around 6–7 months in small amounts, mixed into purées or served plain.
  
  

• Tummy-sensitive fruits (like papaya, prunes, or melon):
  Certain fruits can help with digestion but may also cause looser stools for some babies. Introduce them in small portions once your baby is used to basic first fruits, and watch how they respond. 

⚠️ A note on allergens

Introduce allergens like egg, peanut, dairy, wheat, and fish before 12 months in tiny amounts. Early, supervised introduction has been researched to help prevent allergies later on. If you’re unsure or have a family history of allergies, chat with your paediatrician before starting.

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We hope this guide makes you feel more confident and prepared, whether you find yourself at the baby aisle or at the produce market. Use this as a gentle roadmap, not a rulebook; every baby’s appetite and pace are different, and that’s perfectly okay! 

Starting solids can feel like a big step, but if you’ve already gotten this far in your research, you’re doing great! 

Whether you’re blending up veggies, checking labels, or exploring something new, you’re giving your baby a healthy start. And that’s what matters most. 🫶