When my daughter started her solids journey, she couldn’t eat any finger foods and was exclusively on purees until she was one year old. This was a cause for concern among the daycare staff and others around us, but I wasn’t worried.
She had a pronounced gag reflex that often led to vomiting, making it challenging for her to eat finger foods. However, after her first birthday, everything changed, and she began to enjoy a variety of textures and foods without any issues. So don’t worry if your baby is not ready after 6 months old.
1. First foods that can cause allergies
| Category | Food |
|---|---|
| Nuts & Seeds | Almond Butter 🥜 |
| Cashew Butter 🌰 | |
| Peanut Butter 🥜 | |
| Tahini 🥄 | |
| Legumes | Chickpea |
| Grains | Wheat 🌾 |
| Dairy | Milks 🥛 |
| Paneer 🧀 | |
| Ricotta Cheese 🧀 | |
| Yogurt 🍦 | |
| Seafood | Salmon, Sardines, Trout, Mackerel 🐟 |
| Shellfish 🦐 | |
| Other Proteins | Eggs 🥚 |
| Tofu, Soybeans 🌱 🍲 |
2. Top foods with higher risk of chocking
| Food Category | Food |
| Fruits | Grapes 🍇 |
| Cherries 🍒 | |
| Vegetables | Carrot sticks 🥕 |
| Cherry tomatoes 🍅 | |
| Proteins | Hot dogs 🌭 |
| Nuts 🥜 | |
| Snacks | Popcorn 🍿 |
| Hard candies 🍬 | |
| Grains | Whole grapes 🍇 |
| Chunks of meat 🍖 | |
| Dairy | Cheese cubes 🧀 |
| Yogurt drops 🍧 | |
| Miscellaneous | Marshmallows |
3. Foods that you should never feed under 1 year
| Food Category | Food Name |
|---|---|
| Fruits | Apple Wedges (Raw) 🍎 |
| Blueberries (Whole) 🫐 | |
| Dried Fruit 🍇 | |
| Grapes (Whole) 🍇 | |
| Vegetables | Baby Carrots (Raw) 🥕 |
| Corn Kernels (Loose) 🌽 | |
| Beverages | Juice & Soda 🥤 |
| Proteins | Breakfast Sausage Links 🌭 |
| Deli Meat 🥩 | |
| Hot Dogs 🌭 | |
| Nuts | Nuts & Large Seeds (Whole) 🌰 |
| Seafood | Raw & Smoked Fish 🐟 |
| Shellfish (Whole) 🦐 | |
| Shrimp 🍤 | |
| Dairy | Raw Milk Cheese 🧀 |
| String Cheese 🧀 | |
| Snacks | Candy & Chocolate 🍬 |
| Honey 🍯 | |
| Popcorn 🍿 | |
| Potato & Tortilla Chips 🥔 |
4. Best first foods without Allergens
| Category | Food |
|---|---|
| Fruits | Apple (cooked) 🍎 |
| Avocado 🥑 | |
| Banana 🍌 | |
| Mango Pit 🥭 | |
| Papaya 🧡 | |
| Persimmon 🧡 | |
| Plantain 🍌 | |
| Sapodilla 🧡 | |
| Zapote 🧡 | |
| Vegetables | Asparagus 🌱 |
| Bell Pepper 🫑 | |
| Broccoli 🥦 | |
| Butternut Squash 🎃 | |
| Cauliflower 🥦 | |
| Chayote 🥒 | |
| Corn Cob 🌽 | |
| Sweet Potato 🍠 | |
| Taro 🍠 | |
| Teff 🌾 | |
| Yam 🍠 | |
| Meat | Bone Marrow 🍖 |
| Chicken Liver 🍗 | |
| Drumstick Bone 🍖 | |
| Lamb 🍖 | |
| Spare Rib Bone 🍖 | |
| Legumes | Beans 🫘 |
| Lentils 🍲 | |
| Other | Oats 🌾 |
| Buckwheat 🌾 | |
| Pumpkin 🎃 | |
| Pumpkin Seed Butter 🎃 | |
| Sunflower Seed Butter 🌻 | |
| Drumstick Bone 🍖 |
5. 50 First Foods when starting solids
| Category | Food |
|---|---|
| Vegetables | Acorn Squash 🎃 |
| Apple (cooked) 🍎 | |
| Asparagus 🌱 | |
| Avocado 🥑 | |
| Banana 🍌 | |
| Bell Pepper 🫑 | |
| Broccoli 🥦 | |
| Butternut Squash 🎃 | |
| Cauliflower 🥦 | |
| Chayote 🥒 | |
| Corn Cob 🌽 | |
| Meat | Drumstick (chicken) 🍖 |
| Spare Rib Bone 🍖 | |
| Bone Marrow 🍖 | |
| Chicken Liver 🍗 | |
| Lamb 🍖 | |
| Other Proteins | Eggs 🥚 |
| North American Mackerel 🐟 | |
| Salmon 🍣 | |
| Sardines 🐟 | |
| Dairy | Labneh 🥄 |
| Paneer 🧀 | |
| Ricotta Cheese 🧀 | |
| Yogurt 🍦 | |
| Nuts & Seeds | Almond Butter 🥜 |
| Cashew Butter 🌰 | |
| Peanut Butter 🥜 | |
| Pumpkin Seed Butter 🎃 | |
| Sunflower Seed Butter 🌻 | |
| Tahini 🥄 | |
| Grains | Chickpea (purée) 🥣 |
| Cracked Wheat 🌾 | |
| Buckwheat 🌾 | |
| Oats 🌾 | |
| Sweet Potato 🍠 | |
| Taro 🍠 | |
| Teff 🌾 | |
| Yam 🍠 | |
| Tofu 🍲 | |
| Fruits | Mango Pit 🥭 |
| Papaya 🧡 | |
| Persimmon 🧡 | |
| Plantain 🍌 | |
| Sapodilla 🧡 | |
| Zapote 🧡 | |
| Other | Lentils 🍲 |
What is Baby-Led Weaning?
Baby-led weaning (BLW) is a method of introducing solids that allows babies to self-feed from the start of weaning. Instead of spoon-feeding purees, parents offer their baby a selection of nutritious whole foods to pick up and eat at their own pace. This method encourages babies to explore different textures and flavors, promoting a healthy relationship with food.
When to Start Baby-Led Weaning?
According to experts like Gill Rapley, the pioneer of the BLW approach, babies are typically ready for BLW around 6 months of age. Signs that your baby is ready for BLW include being able to sit up with minimal support, showing interest in food, and having the motor skills to pick up food and bring it to their mouth.
Benefits of Baby-Led Weaning
- Promotes Self-Regulation: Babies learn to listen to their hunger and fullness cues, which can help prevent overeating and obesity later in life.
- Develops Fine Motor Skills: Picking up food and bringing it to their mouth helps babies develop hand-eye coordination and fine motor skills.
- Encourages Independence: BLW fosters independence and confidence as babies are in control of their eating experience.
- Exposure to Varied Textures: Babies get used to a variety of textures from an early age, which can reduce picky eating habits in the future.
- Family Mealtime Integration: BLW allows babies to join family meals, promoting social interaction and family bonding during mealtimes.
Comparing with Purees
While traditional weaning often starts with spoon-fed purees, BLW emphasizes self-feeding. Research from institutions like the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) suggests that both methods can be effective, but BLW may offer additional benefits in developing motor skills and encouraging a more varied diet. It’s essential to ensure that whichever method you choose, your baby gets a balanced diet and safe food textures to prevent choking.
6. Best finger foods for baby led winning
| Category | Food |
|---|---|
| Vegetables | Acorn Squash 🎃 |
| Apple (cooked) 🍎 | |
| Asparagus 🌱 | |
| Avocado 🥑 | |
| Banana 🍌 | |
| Bell Pepper 🫑 | |
| Broccoli 🥦 | |
| Butternut Squash 🎃 | |
| Cauliflower 🥦 | |
| Chayote 🥒 | |
| Corn Cob 🌽 | |
| Meat | Drumstick (chicken) 🍖 |
| Spare Rib Bone 🍖 | |
| Other Proteins | Eggs 🥚 |
| North American Mackerel 🐟 | |
| Papaya 🧡 | |
| Plantain 🍌 | |
| Salmon 🍣 | |
| Sardines 🐟 | |
| Grains | Sweet Potato 🍠 |
| Other | Tofu 🍲 |
| Trout (rainbow or steelhead) 🐟 | |
| Yam 🍠 |
Starting solids is an exciting milestone for both parents and babies. Whether you are focusing on maintaining allergen exposure or choosing non-allergenic first foods, baby-led weaning offers a wonderful way to introduce a variety of foods and textures to your baby’s diet. Remember to consult with your pediatrician before introducing new foods, especially allergens, to ensure your baby’s safety and well-being.