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  5. Introducing Baby Food? Here are 20 Things to Feed Your Infant

Introducing Baby Food? Here are 20 Things to Feed Your Infant

By Jenna Helwig Updated March 18, 2020
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Baby in high chair eating
Credit: Shutterstock
There are very few hard-and-fast rules about introducing baby food. Experts simply recommend giving your infant one new food every three days, watching closely for signs of allergic reaction, and avoiding choking hazards. If you're confused about what, exactly, to feed your little one, check out these 20 healthy and safe options.
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When to Start Baby Food

Baby Girl Eating in High Chair
Credit: Monkey Business Images/Shutterstock

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) says you should introduce solids between 4 and 6 months, but the answer depends on your baby. He might be ready if he exhibits the following signs:

  • Sitting upright and holding up his head
  • Looking around himself curiously
  • Ability to swallow and loss of “tongue thrust” reflex (this prevents you from putting solid objects into your baby’s mouth)
  • Seeming dissatisfied from milk alone 

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7 Foods to Feed Baby Before Age 1

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Berries

handful of strawberries
Credit: Rock and Wasp/Shutterstock

Babies eat with their eyes, just as grown-ups do, and what's more beautiful than bright red strawberries or dusky blueberries? Serve small or chopped berries as finger foods, or blend them for a scrumptious puree that's as good spread on toast as it is off a spoon.

  • RELATED: Baby's First Foods: The Complete Guide to Starting Solids

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Salmon

Salmon steaks
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Babies' growing brains crave DHA, an omega-3 fatty acid that’s essential to cognitive development—and salmon is packed with the stuff.  Mash some cooked, flaked fish into a puree, or bread it and bake it for salmon nuggets. 

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Peanuts

Glass jar of peanut butter
Credit: Christian Jung/Shutterstock

Recent guidance from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), says that introducing babies to peanuts around 4 to 6 months could actually prevent peanut allergies, especially if they’re at a high risk of developing them. Instead of giving your baby whole peanuts or a spoonful of peanut butter (both of which are choking hazards), spread a little peanut butter on toast sticks or stir a bit into a puree.

  • RELATED: The New Rules of Peanut Allergies: What Concerned Parents Need to Know

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Onions and Garlic

cutting onions
Credit: Greg Scheidemann

Who says you need to stick with traditional baby food? Try including small amounts of onion, leeks, scallions, and garlic into your baby's diet. When cooked, these flavor-boosters add a mellow, savory quality to purees and chunkier baby meals. 

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Spinach and Other Leafy Greens

spinach
Credit: Ivee Stephens

Most babies are open to trying new foods. Sometimes they'll make a funny face or turn away, but don't give up offering—especially when it comes to nutrient-packed leafy greens. Soon enough your little one will become accustomed to the earthy taste of spinach, kale, and chard, and you'll go a long way toward building a more adventurous eater in the future.

  • RELATED: What is Baby-Led Weaning? How to Help Your Infant Feed Himself

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Beef

Tray of Raw Beef Steak
Credit: Andy Lyons

If your family eats meat, don't shy away from beef. Full of protein and zinc, it's an ideal early baby food. Serve it pureed on its own or mixed with potato, sweet potato, or a green vegetable puree.

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Whole Grains

quinoa
Credit: Andy Lyons

There's no reason to limit your baby's starches to old-fashioned rice cereal. Try cereals made from oats, quinoa, brown rice, or other whole grains—which generally have more fiber and often more flavor.

  • RELATED: When Do Babies Start Eating Baby Food? 

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Squash

Butternut Squash Puree
Credit: Lauren Volo

Mashed butternut squash is a classic baby food for good reason: The flavor is sweet, so it's usually an instant hit with little ones, and it's packed with Vitamin A. 

  • RELATED: Family Recipes Made for Baby

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How to Make Baby Food: Butternut Squash Puree

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Eggs

How to Hard Boil an Egg
Credit: Shutterstock

With six grams of protein, healthy fats, and choline for eye health, eggs are a great baby food. And they're also perfectly easy to prepare; simply blend a scrambled egg with a vegetable puree, cut up an omelet as a finger food, or chop a hard-boiled egg for easy eating.

  • RELATED: Baby's First Finger Foods

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Lentils

Lemony Lentil Soup
Credit: Peden and Munk

Did you know lentils are an amazing source of iron? Unlike dried beans, they require no soaking, and they combine well with a variety of savory add-ins like veggies, mild curry powder, and fresh herbs.

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More Baby Food Options

peach slices
Credit: Blaine Moats

Continue to expand your infant's horizons with these baby food options:

  • Peaches
  • Zucchini
  • Lamb
  • Kale
  • Strawberries
  • Oats
  • Beets
  • Basil and other herbs
  • Pumpkin
  • Cheese

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    1 of 14 When to Start Baby Food
    2 of 14 7 Foods to Feed Baby Before Age 1
    3 of 14 Berries
    4 of 14 Salmon
    5 of 14 Peanuts
    6 of 14 Onions and Garlic
    7 of 14 Spinach and Other Leafy Greens
    8 of 14 Beef
    9 of 14 Whole Grains
    10 of 14 Squash
    11 of 14 How to Make Baby Food: Butternut Squash Puree
    12 of 14 Eggs
    13 of 14 Lentils
    14 of 14 More Baby Food Options

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