Introducing solid foods to your baby can feel more nerve wracking than it needs to be. You’re likely to have many questions such as when should you start weaning your baby? Should you give them purées or dive straight into finger foods? And the list goes on… But don’t worry, we’ve got the answers. Plus, we’re dishing out five top tips to make weaning go more smoothly, though we can’t promise your kitchen floor will stay clean, sorry…

But first, when should you start weaning your baby?

According to the NHS, you should start when your baby is around six months old. By this age, their digestive system is more mature and ready to handle solid foods. They’ll also have developed better fine motor skills, meaning they can grab food and (hopefully) aim for their mouth. Their chewing and swallowing abilities also improve.

How to start weaning your baby and what foods to feed them

The NHS recommends starting with cooked, soft fruits and vegetables, which can be offered as finger foods, mashed or blended. If the fruit is already soft (like banana) no cooking is required, just mash and serve.

Next up, starchy foods. These can be mashed, cooked to a suitable texture or served as finger foods. For cereals and porridge, mix with breast milk, formula or if your baby is over six months pasteurised whole cow’s, goat’s or sheep’s milk.

From six months, babies also need protein packed foods, which provide essential nutrients like iron and zinc.

NHS recommended first foods

Vegetables 🥦 Asparagus, Avocado, Broccoli, Butternut Squash, Cabbage, Carrots, Cauliflower, Courgette, Green Beans, Kale, Parsnips, Peas, Peppers, Spinach, Swede

Fruit 🍓 Apples, Bananas, Blueberries, Kiwi, Mango, Melon, Nectarines, Oranges, Papaya, Peaches, Pears, Pineapple, Plums, Raspberries, Strawberries

Starchy foods 🍞 Baby Rice, Bread, Chapatti, Cornmeal, Maize, Millet, Oatmeal, Oats, Pasta, Pitta Bread, Porridge, Potato, Quinoa, Rice, Sweet Potato, Toast

Protein foods 🍳 Beans, Beef, Chicken, Eggs (stamped with the British Lion mark), Fish (deboned), Lamb, Lentils, Pork, Pulses (e.g., chickpeas), Tofu, Turkey

How much solid food should you feed your baby to start with?

There’s no rhyme or reason to how much your baby will eat each day. Some days they’ll finish their full plate but other days they’ll turn their nose up at it all. That’s why it’s important to keep offering breast milk or formula alongside solid foods.

Five tips to make baby weaning easier

1. Make more than you need and freeze it ❄️

Batch cooking isn’t just for adult meal prep, you can also do it for baby weaning food prep too. If you’re blending fruit or veggies, make extra and freeze it. Future you will thank yourself on those hectic days when you feel pushed for time. Plus, it saves money in the long run.

2. Use silicone moulds or ice cube trays to save freezer space 🧊

Forget Tupperware, freeze purées in silicone moulds or ice cube trays instead. Not only does it save space, but you can easily defrost portion sized cubes as and when you need them.

3. Get a bib that covers everything 👕

Let’s be honest, weaning is messy and that’s not going to change. Rest assured, food will end up everywhere except their mouth. Our Coverall Bibs will catch splashes and spills, meaning fewer outfit changes. Your washing machine will thank you later.

4. Don’t give up after a few tries – it takes at least 10 🍽️

If your baby refuses to eat a new food don’t give up easily. The NHS says it can take 10 (or more…) tries for babies to get used to new flavours and textures. So, keep offering it and they might just surprise you.

5. Try a baby suction bowl 🥣

Unless you fancy a game of food frisbee, invest in a baby suction bowl, like our Silicone Baby Suction Bowl. Stick it to their highchair tray and let them dig in without the risk of an impromptu bowl throw.

Ready to get started with weaning? Head over to our 25 must-have baby weaning essentials blog post which has a free downloadable chart of everything you need. You’ll be able to find lots of the essentials from the list among our baby weaning products such as baby cutlery, baby tableware and storage pots.