First Foods Lookup

A classic first food — thin with breast milk or formula, thicken gradually.

Cook soft into porridge; more iron than rice.

Easy to accept but low in iron — not the only staple.

Soft, sugar-free bread in small pieces; wheat is an allergen — introduce small amounts.

Cook very soft and cut short; contains gluten.

Steam and mash; mix with milk or meat purée.

Naturally sweet; mash or serve as soft strips for self-feeding.

Steam and mash — a well-accepted starter veg.

Raw carrot is a choking hazard — always steam soft first.

Steamed florets make an excellent BLW handle shape.

Blanch to reduce oxalates, chop fine; pair with vitamin C for iron.

Peel, deseed, chop; acidity can redden the chin — not an allergy.

Peel and cut thin strips; rounds are a choking risk.

Whole kernels are a hazard — flatten or purée (corn mash fine from 6m).

Mash, or leave half the peel on as a grip handle.

Raw chunks are a classic hazard — steam soft or grate.

Ripe pear scrapes to purée; steam if firm.

Great healthy fat — mash or serve in strips.

⚠️ Whole grapes are a top choking hazard — always quarter lengthwise.

Mash or dice; chin rash is usually acid irritation, not allergy.

Ripe, small pieces; some babies get contact rash — start small.

Remove membrane and seeds; a great vitamin-C iron booster.

Common allergen: start with well-cooked yolk, introduce early and keep offering.

An iron workhorse — purée, or slow-cook until shreddable.

Iron champion but high vitamin A — small amounts 1–2×/week.

Thigh is more tender; purée or shred fine.

An allergen; choose low-mercury fish like cod, check bones carefully.

Shellfish allergen; cook well, chop fine, introduce small amounts.

Soy is an allergen; soft tofu mashes easily and is easy to grip.

Introduce early for allergy prevention; always thin it — whole peanuts not before 4y.

Plant iron + protein; cook soft and mash.

Dairy allergen; choose plain full-fat — fine as a food from 6m.

Low-sodium natural cheese, grated or thin slices.

Not a main drink before 12m (iron interference); fine in cooking from 6m.

🚫 Never before 12 months — infant botulism risk.

🚫 No whole nuts before ~4y; nut butters/ground nuts fine from 6m.

None before 12m; minimal after — kidneys and taste habits.

Not recommended before 12m; whole fruit always beats juice.

Small sips with meals from 6m; no extra water needed before that.

Mild and soft — steam into strips or grate into egg dishes.

Steamed florets for self-feeding; can be gassy — start small.

Must be fully cooked (raw beans contain toxins); serve whole and very soft.

Whole peas are slippery — flatten or purée to be safe.

Steam or roast until silky, remove skin — an easy soft texture.

Slippery and chewy — chop fine and cook well; store-bought varieties only.

Choose unsalted — seasoned sheets are high in sodium; small amounts after 12m.

Complete protein plus iron — cook until bursting and stir into mashes.

Cooks soft and digests easily; pair with meat, egg and veg for density.

Whole berries are airway-sized — squash or quarter before serving.

Deseed and dice; very filling water content — not right before meals.

Ripe, peeled slices; fuzz can irritate skin, so wash and peel well.

Very high vitamin C; acidity can redden the chin — start with very ripe, small amounts.

⚠️ Always pit and quarter — both stones and whole cherries are high-risk.

Only fully ripe, in small amounts; unripe fruit is high in tannins — never on an empty stomach.

Acid and enzymes can irritate the mouth — small pieces; redness is usually irritation, not allergy.

Excellent iron and zinc; slow-cook then purée or shred fine.

A top DHA source; cook through and flake — introduce as a fish allergen, small amounts.

Choose tender cuts like loin; stew soft and mince into porridge or noodles.

Sesame is a common allergen; thin it into porridge — introduce early like peanut butter.