Your Baby: 6–9 Months – Best First Foods and Purées

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Tips for Feeding Solids

It’s important to
remember that for the first few weeks of weaning, your baby will rely on
his milk for nutrition and hydration. First foods are designed to
accustom your baby to different tastes and textures, and encourage him
to develop the skills necessary to chew (or gum) foods and swallow them.


  • First foods should be semi-liquid and almost milk-like in consistency, to make them easy to swallow

  • Add breastmilk, formula, or a little cooled, boiled tap water to thin the purée if it’s too thick

  • Serve food at room temperature, or just lukewarm—test a little on the inside of your wrist: you shouldn’t feel it if it’s the right temperature

  • Thoroughly defrost frozen foods,
    and then warm them with a little boiled water, or in the
    microwave—carefully stir anything you have microwaved, as it can contain
    hot spots

  • Begin with some vegetables,
    which aren’t quite as sweet as fruit—little ones who begin with fruit
    tend to resist anything more savory, and can develop a sweet tooth

  • Root vegetables are a good starter food—try potatoes, carrots, sweet potatoes, and parsnips

  • Strain fruit and vegetables with firmer skins, such as berries or dried fruit, to ensure that they are smooth

  • Once you’ve established some vegetables, blend together fruit and vegetable purées before going on to the hard stuff: pure fruit purées

  • Rice cereal is also good, and can be used to thicken purées that are too watery—make sure your baby rice is smooth and creamy


  • Encourage your baby to try some finger foods

  • Offer a new food every two or three days, and watch carefully for any signs of a reaction , particularly if your family has food allergies; note them in your foods diary


Best First Foods and Purées

Fruit and vegetable
purées, along with rice cereal and other very finely ground grains, are
ideal first foods. They will not only introduce your baby to different
tastes and textures, but also give her a good boost of nutrients at the
same time.


Start with one-fruit or one-vegetable purées, such as:



  • Rice cereal


  • Avocado


  • Sweet potato


  • Potato


  • Carrot


  • Parsnip


  • Pumpkin


  • Apple


  • Pear


  • Banana


  • Apricot


  • Peach


  • Papaya

Then try some blends:


  • Root vegetables (any blend you like)


  • Carrot and squash


  • Broccoli and cauliflower


  • Lima beans and apple


  • Pea and pear


  • Lentil, celery, and carrot


  • Lentil and red pepper


  • Spinach and potato


  • Parsnip and potato


  • Blueberry and melon


  • Plum and pear


  • Melon and mango


  • Papaya and mango


  • Peach and pear


  • Banana and apricot


  • Rice cereal and pear


  • Strawberry and banana

And when she’s got the hang of it…



  • Chicken, spinach, and potato


  • Codfish, potato, and carrots


  • Chicken and sweet potato


  • Turkey and broccoli


  • Mango and strawberry