Guides

First foods list for babies

A practical list of good first foods by food group, with iron-rich foods from the start, common allergens early, safe first textures and what to skip.

7 min read

Is my baby ready for solids?

The signs your baby is ready for solid food, why around 6 months is the target, and why not before 4 months.

5 min read

Starting solids at 4 months: what to know

Can babies start solids at 4 months? What WHO, NHS, CDC and AAP advise, why around 6 months is the aim, readiness signs, and what to ask your doctor first.

7 min read

Starting solids with a premature baby

When babies born early can start solid foods, how to work out corrected age, readiness signs, first foods, seating and iron, and when to ask your care team.

6 min read

The first week of solids

What the first week of solid food looks like: one small meal a day, how much to offer, milk feeds, gagging, and a sample week.

6 min read

Tongue-thrust reflex: what it is and when it fades

What the tongue-thrust (extrusion) reflex is, when it usually fades, how it fits with the signs of readiness for solids, and what to do if it seems to persist.

5 min read

Safety

Baby food recalls: how to check and what to do

How to check FDA and FSA baby food recalls, what to do with a recalled product, why lead often causes no symptoms, and when to call a doctor or get urgent help.

6 min read

Choking first aid for babies and toddlers

What to do if your baby or toddler is choking: back blows and chest thrusts under 1, abdominal thrusts over 1, when to call, and why a first aid course helps.

6 min read

Choking hazards for babies and toddlers: the full list

The foods most likely to cause choking in babies and toddlers, from grapes and hot dogs to nuts and popcorn, and safer ways to serve them.

6 min read

Food dyes and additives: what parents need to know

A calm look at food dyes and additives for young children: the UK six colours warning, US labels and the 2025 dye phase-out, nitrites, and whole foods first.

6 min read

Food safety at home for babies and toddlers

Keeping your baby's food safe at home: clean, separate, cook and chill, safe cooking temperatures, leftovers, the 2-hour rule, and which foods to avoid.

7 min read

Foods to avoid for babies and toddlers

Which foods and drinks to avoid under 12 months and for toddlers: honey, cow's milk as a drink, juice, salt, raw foods, high-mercury fish and choking hazards.

7 min read

Gagging vs. choking

How to tell normal gagging from choking in babies, what to do for each, and first aid for choking babies and toddlers.

6 min read

Grandparents, nannies and sitters: a feeding plan

A feeding plan for anyone who feeds your child: allergens tried, safe shapes by age, no honey before 12 months, choking first aid and an allergy emergency plan.

7 min read

High chair safety and seating

How to seat your baby safely for meals: sitting upright, using every strap, where to put the high chair, hook-on seats, boosters and checking for recalls.

6 min read

Honey and infant botulism

Why babies can't have honey before 12 months, including cooked or baked honey, the signs of infant botulism, and what to do.

5 min read

Nitrates in vegetables and well water

Are nitrates in spinach, beets and carrots a worry for babies? Why the risk is mainly for young babies fed well water, and how to store homemade purées.

6 min read

Safe food sizes and shapes for babies

How to cut food for babies and toddlers: finger-sized pieces at 6 months, small 1 cm pieces later, the squash test, and how to cut round foods and sausages.

6 min read

Signs of anaphylaxis in babies and toddlers

What to do first if you think your baby is having a severe allergic reaction, the signs of anaphylaxis in babies, and how to use epinephrine.

6 min read

Unpasteurized foods and young children

Why raw milk, unpasteurized cheese, juice and cider are riskier for babies and toddlers, which dairy is fine, how to read labels, and US and UK differences.

6 min read

Allergens

Allergen powders, puffs and mix-ins: do babies need them?

What the guidelines say about commercial early-allergen powders, puffs and mix-ins, how they compare with everyday foods, and who should talk to a doctor first.

6 min read

Cow's milk allergy in babies: IgE and non-IgE

The two types of cow's milk allergy in babies, fast and delayed, their signs, how they're diagnosed, which formulas help, and how to start solids without dairy.

7 min read

Eczema and starting solids

Why babies with eczema are more likely to have food allergy, why that's a reason not to delay allergens, when to see a doctor first, and how to spot a reaction.

6 min read

Egg allergy in babies

How to introduce egg safely, the signs of egg allergy in babies, what to know about baked egg and the flu vaccine, and when to see a doctor or call for help.

7 min read

Fish allergy in babies

How to introduce fish safely, the signs of fish allergy in babies, why it's separate from shellfish allergy, how it's diagnosed, and when to call for help.

6 min read

Food allergy testing for babies and toddlers: what tests can tell you

Skin prick and blood tests for food allergy in babies: what they show, why a positive test isn't a diagnosis, when to test, and which tests to skip.

6 min read

Food allergy vs food intolerance in babies

How a food allergy differs from a food intolerance, why lactose intolerance is rare in babies, which tests work, and why not to cut foods out on your own.

6 min read

FPIES in babies: signs, triggers and what to do

What FPIES is, how its delayed, repeated vomiting differs from a typical food allergy, the most common trigger foods, and when a baby needs urgent help.

6 min read

How to introduce allergens

When and how to introduce peanut, egg, dairy and other common allergens to your baby, which babies need a doctor first, and how to keep them in the diet.

7 min read

How to introduce peanut to your baby

When and how to give your baby peanut for the first time, which babies need a doctor first, safe forms like thinned peanut butter, and how often to offer it.

7 min read

Keeping allergens in your baby's diet

Why peanut, egg and other allergens need to stay in your baby's diet after the first taste, how often to offer them, and what to do if one gets dropped.

6 min read

Oral allergy syndrome (pollen food syndrome) in children

Why some children with hay fever get an itchy mouth from raw fruit or vegetables, why it's uncommon in babies and toddlers, and which signs are an emergency.

5 min read

Rash around the mouth after eating: irritation or allergy?

How to tell a harmless contact rash from acidic foods like tomato, citrus and berries from hives and allergy signs, what to do for each, and when to get help.

6 min read

Sesame allergy and introducing sesame

Sesame is now the 9th major US allergen.

6 min read

Shellfish allergy in babies

How to introduce shellfish safely, the signs of shellfish allergy, crustaceans vs mollusks, why it's separate from fish allergy, and when to call for help.

6 min read

Soy allergy in babies

How to introduce soy safely, the signs of soy allergy in babies, where soy hides on labels, how it links to peanut and FPIES, and when to call a doctor.

6 min read

The 14 allergens (UK) and the top 9 (US): a quick reference

The UK's 14 allergens and the US top 9 side by side, how food labels show them in each country, what sulphites are, and where to read about each allergen.

5 min read

The milk ladder: bringing milk back after cow's milk allergy

What the milk ladder is, which children it's for (delayed, non-IgE cow's milk allergy), why it starts with baked milk, and why you start only when advised.

6 min read

Tree nut allergy in babies

How to introduce tree nuts like almond and cashew safely, signs of tree nut allergy, links with peanut, coconut's status, and why never to give whole nuts.

7 min read

Wheat allergy in babies (and how it differs from celiac disease)

Wheat allergy, celiac disease and gluten intolerance are three different things.

6 min read

Schedules

Baby feeding schedule by month

Sample feeding days for babies 6 to 12 months: how many meals, how milk feeds fit in, and when to add snacks.

8 min read

Schedules

How much should my baby eat?

How much food and milk babies and toddlers need from 6 months to 3 years, typical portion sizes, and the hunger and fullness cues that matter more than amounts.

6 min read

Nutrition

Baby food pouches: are they OK?

Are baby food pouches OK? What they're good for, the downsides for texture, self-feeding, sugar and teeth, and how to use them well: squeeze onto a spoon.

6 min read

Dairy-free babies and toddlers

Going dairy-free with a baby or toddler (allergy or choice): which milks and plant drinks to use when, and how to cover calcium, vitamin D, iodine and protein.

7 min read

Feeding your baby on a budget

How to feed a baby well for less: cheaper iron and protein foods, frozen and no-salt canned vegetables, batch cooking, family meals, WIC and Healthy Start.

7 min read

Fish for babies: best choices, mercury and bones

Which fish are best for babies and toddlers, which to avoid for mercury, how much to serve, and how to cook fish safely and check for bones.

7 min read

Fruit for babies: when, which kinds and how to serve

How to serve fruit to babies and toddlers by age: soft raw fruit vs cooked, cutting grapes and berries, dried fruit, juice, and where US and UK advice differs.

6 min read

Healthy fats for babies and toddlers

Why babies and toddlers need fat, why to skip low-fat dairy under 2, the best sources like avocado, oily fish and olive oil, and where to cut saturated fat.

6 min read

Heavy metals in baby food: what parents can do

Why arsenic, lead and cadmium turn up in baby food, what the FDA's Closer to Zero plan is doing about it, and the simple steps that lower your baby's exposure.

7 min read

Herbs and spices for babies

When babies can have herbs and spices, how to add them safely, why salty seasoning mixes are out, going slowly with chili, and lead in spices.

6 min read

Iodine for babies and toddlers

Why babies need iodine, how breast milk and formula provide it, the best foods from 6 months, help for vegan families, and why to skip kelp and added salt.

6 min read

Iron deficiency in babies and toddlers

Why iron runs low from about 6 months, signs of iron deficiency, which babies are at higher risk, when screening happens, and why not to guess at iron drops.

7 min read

Iron-rich first foods

Why babies need more iron from about 6 months, the best iron-rich first foods, how to help your baby absorb it, and when to ask about iron drops.

5 min read

Mercury in fish: a guide for parents

Why some fish have more mercury, the FDA and EPA fish categories and serving sizes by age, canned light vs albacore tuna, and NHS limits for children.

7 min read

Omega-3 for babies and toddlers: DHA, fish and plant sources

What omega-3 fats (DHA, EPA, ALA) are, how much babies need, the best low-mercury oily fish, plant sources in safe forms, and when to ask about a supplement.

6 min read

Organic baby food: is it worth it?

What the organic label means, what it changes (fewer pesticide residues) and what it doesn't (nutrition, heavy metals), washing produce, and keeping costs down.

6 min read

Protein for babies and toddlers

How much protein babies and toddlers need, why most get enough from milk and food, the best protein foods and safe forms by age, and why powders aren't needed.

6 min read

Rice and arsenic: what parents need to know

Why rice has more arsenic than other grains, what the FDA limit for infant rice cereal means, and simple ways to lower your baby's exposure.

5 min read

Salt and sugar for babies

How much salt babies and toddlers can have by age, why there's no added sugar before 4, and easy ways to cut both.

6 min read

Sweeteners for babies and toddlers

Sugar, honey, syrups, stevia and sugar-free sweeteners for young children: what to avoid up to age 4, why honey waits until 12 months, and sugar alcohols.

6 min read

Vegetables for babies: first veg, bitter greens and refusals

How to serve vegetables to babies and toddlers by age, why to start bitter greens early, how many tries it takes, and how to cook hard vegetables safely soft.

6 min read

Vegetarian and vegan babies

How to feed a vegetarian or vegan baby or toddler safely: the key nutrients (B12, iron, zinc, iodine, omega-3, vitamin D), milk choices and supplements.

7 min read

Vitamin D for babies and toddlers

Why babies need vitamin D, US and UK drop doses by feeding type, why sunlight isn't the answer for babies, food sources, and how to avoid giving too much.

6 min read

Vitamins for babies and toddlers

Which vitamins babies need: vitamin D drops for breastfed babies, UK vitamins A, C and D from 6 months, formula amounts, and why iron only on medical advice.

7 min read

Zinc for babies and toddlers

Why zinc matters from 6 months, how much babies need, the best foods (meat, fish, beans, dairy), tips for plant-based families, and why to skip supplements.

5 min read

Drinks

Caffeine and young children

Why young children shouldn't have caffeine: tea, coffee, cola, energy drinks and chocolate, how much each contains, and what to do if a child swallows some.

6 min read

Cow's milk at 12 months

How to switch your baby to cow's milk at 12 months: how much to give, whole vs.

6 min read

Juice for babies and toddlers

When babies can have fruit juice, how much is OK for toddlers, and how to serve it to protect teeth.

5 min read

Plant milks for toddlers

Soy, oat, almond, pea and rice drinks for toddlers: which is closest to cow's milk, why not before 12 months, why no rice drinks under 5, and how to choose.

7 min read

Toddler formula and growing-up milks: does my child need them?

What toddler formulas, transition formulas and growing-up milks are, why the AAP and NHS say most children don't need them, and what to offer from 12 months.

6 min read

When can babies drink water?

When babies can start drinking water, how much they need from 6 to 12 months and after, which cup to use, and why young babies shouldn't have extra water.

4 min read

Methods

Baby-led weaning: a practical guide

What baby-led weaning is, when to start, safe first finger foods, iron at every meal and how to lower choking risk.

7 min read

Batch cooking and freezing baby food

How to batch cook and freeze baby food safely: cooling within 2 hours, ice cube trays, labels, how long it keeps, thawing in the fridge and reheating.

7 min read

Combining purées and finger foods

How to mix spoon-fed purées and mashes with soft finger foods, what a combined meal looks like, and how to move through textures in the first year.

6 min read

Family meals with your baby

How to share family meals with your baby from 6 months: cook without salt, take their portion out before seasoning, adapt the texture, and eat together.

6 min read

Homemade vs store-bought baby food

Homemade or store-bought baby food? Both are fine.

6 min read

How to make baby purées at home

How to make baby purées at home: the equipment you need, cooking food until soft, textures by age, no salt or sugar, and how to cool and store them safely.

7 min read

Purées vs. baby-led weaning

Spoon-feeding purées or baby-led weaning? What each involves, what the BLISS randomized trial found on choking, iron and growth, and how to mix both.

7 min read

Spoon-feeding responsively

How to spoon-feed your baby while letting them lead: waiting for the open mouth, pre-loaded spoons, reading fullness cues and never forcing a bite.

6 min read

Skills

Daycare and solid foods

How to share your baby's feeding stage with daycare, set up a written allergy plan, ask about choking-safe food and supervision, and label food and milk.

7 min read

Feeding milestones by age

The feeding skills most babies and toddlers build from 6 months to 3 years: chewing, finger foods, cups, spoons and forks, plus when to ask your doctor.

7 min read

Feeding your baby while traveling

How to pack purées, finger foods and milk for a trip, keep them cold, get formula and breast milk through airport security, and feed safely abroad.

8 min read

How babies learn to chew

How chewing develops from first tastes to toddlerhood: gums, munching, moving food side to side, textures by age, and when to ask for feeding help.

7 min read

Hunger and fullness cues

How to read your baby's hunger and fullness cues from birth to toddlerhood, and how responsive feeding works with milk and solids.

5 min read

Introducing textures: from smooth to lumpy to finger foods

How to move your baby from smooth food to mashed, lumpy, chopped and finger foods, how to change the texture of one food at each stage, and why not to wait.

6 min read

Messy play with food: why mess helps babies learn

Why touching and squashing food helps babies learn to eat, simple food play ideas with soft, choking-safe foods, keeping it pressure-free, and easier cleanup.

6 min read

Self-feeding with a spoon and fork

When babies and toddlers usually learn to use a spoon, fork and open cup, how pre-loaded spoons help, why mess is normal, and how to keep self-feeding safe.

6 min read

Teaching your baby to drink from a cup and straw

When to offer your baby a cup, which cups work best (open, straw or free-flow), what to put in them, and when to stop the bottle.

5 min read

The pincer grasp: when babies start picking up small foods

What the pincer grasp is, when babies usually develop it, safe foods to practice with at 8–12 months, and when to see your doctor.

5 min read

Feeding problems

Baby poop after starting solids: what's normal

How poop changes when babies start solid food, which colors are normal, and the red flags: blood, white or pale poop, and black poop.

6 min read

Baby vomiting after eating: common causes and when to worry

Why babies sometimes vomit during or after a meal, from gagging and full tummies to bugs, allergy and FPIES, what to do next, and when to get emergency help.

7 min read

Foods that help with baby constipation

Signs of constipation in babies, foods that can help after starting solids, drinks, and when to see a doctor.

6 min read

Gas after starting solids: what's normal and what helps

Why babies often get more gas once they start solids, which foods are usually behind it, what helps, which remedies lack evidence, and when to call the doctor.

6 min read

Is my baby eating enough?

Why small amounts of solid food are normal under 12 months, how growth checks show your baby is getting enough, and the red flags that mean calling a doctor.

7 min read

Overstuffing: when your baby crams food in their mouth

Why babies and toddlers stuff too much food in their mouth, how offering fewer pieces and modelling small bites helps, and what to do if they gag or choke.

5 min read

Pocketing food: when babies hold food in their cheeks

Why babies and toddlers hold food in their cheeks instead of swallowing, how to keep them safe from choking, calm ways to help, and when to ask for advice.

5 min read

Reflux and starting solids: spit-up, GER and GERD

Why babies spit up, how normal reflux (GER) differs from GERD, whether solid food helps, why thickening is for medical advice only, and when to see a doctor.

7 min read

Tongue tie and feeding

What tongue tie is, why most babies with it feed well, signs worth checking as your baby starts solids, who assesses it, and when a small procedure is offered.

6 min read

When to see a feeding therapist

Signs a baby or toddler may need a feeding therapist, what speech and occupational therapists do, signs to tell the doctor about, and how to get a referral.

6 min read

Why babies throw food, and what helps

Why babies and toddlers throw and drop food, how to tell play from fullness, and calm ways to handle it at the high chair.

5 min read

Why is my baby refusing food?

Why babies and toddlers refuse food, what helps and what backfires, refusal at 6 months, with lumps and after age 1, and when to call your doctor.

6 min read

Why is my baby spitting out food?

Why babies push food out with their tongue or spit it out, how they learn new textures, what helps, and the signs that need a doctor.

6 min read

Health

Baby teeth and sugar: protecting first teeth

How to protect your baby's first teeth: brushing with fluoride toothpaste, drinks and bottles, sticky foods, snacking and the first dental visit.

6 min read

Baby weight gain and starting solids

How weight gain changes after 6 months, how growth charts work, why your baby follows their own curve, and when slow gain or weight loss needs a doctor.

7 min read

Celiac disease and starting gluten

When to give your baby gluten, what the research says about timing, celiac symptoms, family history, and why testing only works with gluten in the diet.

6 min read

Diarrhea in babies and toddlers: what to feed

What to feed a baby or toddler with diarrhea: keep up milk feeds, carry on with solids, which drinks to skip, and when to call a doctor or get emergency help.

6 min read

Feeding a sick baby: fluids, food and when to get help

How to feed a sick baby with a fever, vomiting or diarrhea, the signs of dehydration, and when to call a doctor or get emergency help.

7 min read

Food poisoning in babies and toddlers

Which foods carry a higher risk of food poisoning for babies, the symptoms, how to spot dehydration, and when to call a doctor or get emergency help.

7 min read

Gripe water: what's in it and does it work?

What gripe water is, what's in it, what the research says about colic, and why to ask your doctor first.

6 min read

Teething and eating: sore gums at mealtimes

How teething affects your baby's appetite, cold foods that soothe sore gums, and what to avoid: numbing gels, amber necklaces and sugary teething biscuits.

6 min read

Milk feeding

Breastfeeding and starting solids

How to keep breastfeeding as your baby starts solids: nursing before or after meals, how feeds change, iron, vitamin D, your diet and breastfeeding past 1.

7 min read

Choosing and preparing formula

How to choose a baby formula, make up bottles safely, store them, and why never to dilute or make homemade formula.

8 min read

Cluster feeding: what's normal and when it ends

What cluster feeding is, when it happens and usually ends, how to tell it apart from a baby not getting enough milk, and when to call the doctor or midwife.

6 min read

How much breast milk or formula does my baby need?

How much breast milk or formula babies usually drink from birth to 12 months, how often they feed, and how to follow your baby's hunger and fullness cues.

6 min read

Milk and solids together

How breast milk or formula fits with solid food from 6 to 12 months: why milk stays the main food at first, how feeds change, and milk before or after food.

6 min read

Paced bottle feeding: how to do it, step by step

How to pace a bottle feed step by step, who it helps (including breastfed babies), the hunger and fullness cues to watch for, and when to call the doctor.

6 min read

Pumping schedule and breast milk storage

How often to pump breast milk, sample pumping schedules for exclusive pumping and work days, and how long expressed milk keeps, using CDC and NHS storage times.

7 min read

Weaning from breastfeeding

When and how to stop breastfeeding gently: child-led and parent-led weaning, dropping one feed at a time, what to give instead by age, and caring for yourself.

7 min read

Weaning from the bottle

When and how to move your baby from bottle to cup: offer a cup at 6 months, finish by 12 to 18 months (AAP), and drop the bedtime bottle last.

6 min read

Toddlers

Calcium for toddlers: how much and the best sources

How much calcium toddlers aged 1 to 3 need, how much milk is enough without crowding out iron, and the best dairy and non-dairy calcium foods.

6 min read

Cooking with toddlers: safe ways to get them involved

How to cook with a toddler safely: simple jobs by age, handwashing, keeping them away from heat and knives, staying within arm's reach, and no raw dough.

6 min read

Eating out with a baby or toddler

How to order for a baby or toddler at a restaurant: unsalted sides, kids' menus, choking-safe cutting, allergen questions for staff, and packing food safely.

7 min read

Fiber for toddlers: how much and how to add it

How much fiber toddlers need, the best high-fiber foods in safe forms, why to add it slowly with drinks, and why under-2s shouldn't have only wholegrain foods.

6 min read

First birthday cake: sugar, honey and safe decorations

Can a 1-year-old have birthday cake? Added sugar and honey advice, lower-sugar smash cake ideas, choking-safe decorations, and egg, milk and wheat in cake.

6 min read

Food jags: when your toddler only wants one food

Why toddlers get stuck on one food, why food jags are usually normal and short, how to keep offering variety without pressure, and when to ask for help.

6 min read

Healthy toddler snacks

How many snacks toddlers need, how to build a balanced snack, safe ways to cut common snack foods, and which snacks to skip until age 4.

7 min read

Packing lunches for toddlers

How to pack a safe, balanced lunch for daycare or a day out: ice packs and insulated bags, the 2-hour rule, choking-safe shapes, allergy rules and easy ideas.

6 min read

Picky eating in toddlers

Why picky eating is normal for toddlers, how to share the feeding jobs without pressure or bribes, and the signs that mean it's time to ask for help.

7 min read

Screens at mealtimes

Why babies and toddlers eat better without screens at the table, what AAP, CDC and WHO guidance says by age, and simple ways to make family meals screen-free.

6 min read

Toddler meal schedule

A simple toddler meal schedule for 12 to 36 months: 3 meals and 2 snacks, where milk and water fit, a sample day, and how to stop all-day grazing.

6 min read

Toddler mealtime behavior: calm limits that work

Why toddlers won't sit, fuss and play at the table, how short meals and calm limits help, and why bribes with sweets and punishing with food tend to backfire.

6 min read

Toddler portion sizes

How much toddlers aged 1 to 3 eat, using AAP serving sizes, US Dietary Guidelines amounts and UK guidance, plus why your child's appetite matters more.

7 min read