As a dietitian, I know a lot about how to fuel our bodies optimally, but when it came time to start solids with my baby, I was surprisingly overwhelmed. There are so many approaches, so much information, and a million different opinions—should we do purees? Baby-led weaning? A mix of both?

When We Started Solids

I decided to introduce solids at six months, mainly because we were traveling between 4.5–6 months, and it felt easier to wait until we were home and settled. Looking back, we probably could have started a few weeks earlier—Hayes was sitting up on his own and very interested in our food—but honestly? It all worked out. He’s been eating like a tiny king ever since.

Choosing Between Purees and Baby-Led Weaning

I didn’t follow a set weaning plan like Baby-Led Weaning (BLW) or stick strictly to purees. Instead, I took an intuitive approach, mixing both methods and learning along the way.

Like most parents, I found myself deep in the world of Instagram reels (seriously, how do they always know exactly what stage we’re in?!). From “how to soothe a fussy newborn” to “three-month-old wake windows,” I’ve learned so much from social media. My mom always reminds me how lucky we are to have this kind of information at our fingertips—something she and my dad never had when I was a baby.

Now, Hayes is almost nine months old, and as of this week, he’s already tried 40+ different foods! I keep a running list in my Notes app, tracking each new food as he tries it. I saw somewhere that introducing 100 foods before age 1 is a great way to promote variety, so that’s a fun goal we’re working toward.

The First Foods We Introduced

We started with one of my personal favorites—avocado. It’s nutrient-dense, easy to mash, and requires zero prep beyond slicing. From there, I made and froze a few jars of butternut squash blended with unsalted bone broth, which turned out to be a hit. I also introduced foods to help with teething, like:

• Cold cucumber sticks (soothing for gums)
• Celery stalks
• Pineapple core (firm enough to gnaw on without breaking apart)

Tips for a Smooth Start to Solids

If you’re getting ready to introduce solids to your baby, here are a few things that helped us:

• Follow your baby’s cues – If they show interest in food and can sit upright, they might be ready.
• Offer a variety early on – Exposure to different textures and flavors can help prevent picky eating later.
• Don’t stress about portions – In the beginning, solids are about exploration, not nutrition (breast milk or formula is still their main source of nutrients).
• Mix methods if needed – You don’t have to choose between purees or BLW—find what works for you and your baby!

Products We Use

This is the baby food maker I bought and I love it so much. Yes, of course, you can just use a pot on the stove and a blender, but this just makes things even simpler and easier cleanup. I would definitely recommend it if you plan on making your baby some purees or steamed foods along the way! It’s non-toxic as it’s made of glass, which is a plus. Keep in mind if you’re using a plastic baby food maker, or one that has plastic within it, that plastic can leach into the food if it’s being heated.

I also used this super helpful Solid Food Prep Starter Kit with a placemat for ideas and directions, a crinkle cutter that’s great for making food easier to pick up like avocado, and a grater.

These are the flat spoons we started out with, and currently still use around 8 months.

This Catchy has been kind of life-altering since we started with it. It catches all the spoons and extra food during mealtimes so that it’s easier cleanup and so that our dachshund doesn’t get too fat haha. It was annoying to put together, but once we did, we leave it there and it gets the job done! We clean it with our Branch Basics non-toxic cleaning spray and it works great.

I love using these little glass jars for storing food in the fridge and freezer. They’re great! I use dissolvable labels on them.

As for actually feeding Hayes, from the start I wanted to encourage him to feed himself or reach for foods rather than feeling like I was just putting the spoon in his mouth. I’d load the spoon up with food, then hold it a few inches above the tray in front of his face for him to reach out and grab it to put it into his mouth. That’s been really successful for us. We use two spoons at a time, and while he’s eating from one, we load the second spoon and have it ready when he is. I’m sure I’ll start leaving the spoon on the tray for him to start loading himself soon enough!

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Introducing the Top Baby Allergens

One of my biggest priorities was introducing allergens early and safely. Research suggests (Turner et al., 2022) that exposing babies to common allergens before their first birthday may help reduce the risk of allergies developing later. So far, we’ve successfully incorporated peanuts, eggs, dairy, fish, and sesame! A few left to try. A great tip I got from a friend in healthcare is to offer allergens in the morning or on weekdays to avoid potential ER trips in the evening or on weekends when hospitals can get busier. Also, making sure to offer the potential allergens well before nap time allows you to monitor for any reactions.

The top baby allergens are:

• Peanuts – I mixed a small amount of peanut butter with butternut squash puree and eventually just offered small amounts by itself on a spoon. You can also mix with warm water or breast milk to thin it out or spoon with yogurt. No surprise he loves peanut butter just like I do!! I think I had apples and peanut butter every single day during my pregnancy.
• Eggs – There are a few different ways to introduce eggs. I started with a hard-boiled egg so I could rule out reactions to the yolk and whites separately. Some studies suggest that the egg whites are more likely to trigger allergic reactions than yolks due to their higher protein allergen content (ASCIA, 2021). I mashed up the yolk and mixed it with butternut squash puree or avocado for several days. Once I confirmed he was okay with the yolk, I introduced the whites, dicing or mashing them up and spooning them along with another food. I also tried frying an egg all the way through and cutting it into strips so he could hold and feed himself, as well as offering scrambled eggs.
• Dairy – I always recommend buying organic, grass-fed dairy. Research suggests that organic dairy products contain higher levels of beneficial omega-3 fatty acids and antioxidants compared to conventional dairy (Palupi et al., 2012). Additionally, full-fat dairy is recommended for babies to support brain development and growth due to the essential healthy fats it provides. I highly recommend always buying unsweetened and plain versions of any food (especially yogurt), and adding your own additions like fresh fruit. We use organic grass-fed Greek or whole milk yogurt, which Hayes loves. He’s also obsessed with sharp cheddar thick-cut shredded cheese (we use the Organic Valley brand).
• Tree Nuts – Almond, cashew, or walnut butter mixed into mashed banana, avocado, or any other mashed/pureed food.
• Wheat – Soft whole wheat toast with mashed avocado or hummus. You can also try a small pieces of soft whole wheat pasta.
• Soy – I’m planning to try mashed edamame or purees with other veggies.
• Fish – Hayes first tried wild salmon from my plate at a restaurant. Since it was tender and flaky, it was easy to hand-feed him. He loved it! We’ve also tried canned wild sardines, which are low in mercury and high in iron and protein, making them a safe option for babies. I recommend Wild Planet sardines in water, sifting through the pieces to remove any bones. You could also consider Safe Catch wild sardines, but note that they contain a touch of added sodium.
• Shellfish – Planning to try shrimp finely chopped and mixed into avocado or mashed sweet potato.
• Sesame – I added a small amount of tahini to a piece of banana. I’m going to try hummus next. 

How to Introduce Allergens

Offer a small amount of a new food and wait 10-15 minutes before giving more, watching for any reactions like rashes, swelling, vomiting, or difficulty breathing. If no reaction occurs, continue feeding. Allergic reactions can sometimes be delayed, so introduce the same allergen multiple times over different days before confirming tolerance. Research suggests that incorporating allergens multiple times a week can further reduce the risk of developing an allergy (ASCIA, 2021).

My Tips as a Dietitian

• Babies’ brains need healthy fats and quality protein to absorb nutrients, improve memory, and support overall development. Every meal, just like ours as adults, should include healthy fats and adequate protein. Fruit is great and offers tons of micronutrients and minerals, but when you pair it with protein and fat, you get an incredibly powerful and balanced meal for your little (that benefits them the most).
• Offering puffed rice or rice cereal as a first food is outdated research (Smith et al., 2020). Previously, rice cereal was recommended as an easy-to-digest, iron-fortified first food. However, recent research has shown that rice cereal may contain high levels of arsenic and offers minimal nutritional value compared to other whole food options. Instead, opt for nutrient-dense options like avocado, sweet potato, or iron-rich meats and legumes.
• Research shows (Jones et al., 2023) that introducing a variety of foods early on can help reduce picky eating tendencies later. Babies also benefit from eating what their parents eat, as it encourages familiarity with different flavors.
• Rotate textures and flavors to promote oral motor skills and expand their palate. Make a goal for yourself to include 1-2 new foods each week!
• Don’t stress about how much they eat—exposure is more important than intake in the early months! Hayes started out only eating a few bites at meal time and now he eats an aggressive amount lol. Everything takes time!
• Convenient baby food pouches are key, especially on the go. Not all are created equal, but I trust Serenity Kids pouches the most. They understood the importance of healthy fats and high-quality organic, grass-fed, and pasture-raised proteins. You can use my code ‘rachaelsgoodeats’ for 20% off your first order on their website. We use these weekly at home and take them wherever we travel.

I’m surprised how much I’ve loved feeding him—I could sit there and watch him eat and drink water forever and ever!

Add In Nutrient-Dense Foods Early On

I’ve gone as far as roasting grass-fed bone marrow and adding it into his foods. Bone marrow is rich in healthy fats, collagen, and fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E, and K2), which support brain and bone health. You can roast it and mash it into purees, mix it with mashed veggies, or spread it on toast if you’re doing baby-led weaning. Hayes also loves sardines as mentioned above. Wild-caught ones packed in water or olive oil without added salt, are loaded with omega-3s (DHA & EPA) for brain development and calcium for strong bones. Mash them with a fork (make sure there are no bones) and mix them into avocado, yogurt, or a veggie puree.

Fish & Meat

Shellfish like oysters, clams, and mussels are among the highest natural sources of zinc, crucial for immune function and growth. Cooked oysters can be blended into a puree or mixed with bone broth. Chicken skin and crispy salmon skin are rich in collagen and healthy fats, which support skin, joints, and gut health. Finely shred crispy pieces and sprinkle them on soft foods.

Eggs

Egg yolks from pasture-raised eggs are a powerhouse of choline for brain development and vitamin D for immunity. You can serve them soft-boiled and mashed, mixed with avocado, or stirred into oatmeal. Grass-fed butter or ghee is another great addition, offering vitamin K2 and CLA (a healthy fatty acid). Melt it into purees, spread it on toast, or add it to cooked veggies.

Liver

Liver from beef, chicken, or duck is nature’s multivitamin, packed with iron, B12, vitamin A, and choline. Blend it into a smooth puree, mix it with ground meat, or add it to soups. Tahini (sesame seed butter) is high in calcium, iron, and healthy fats. You can mix it into yogurt, spread it thinly on toast, or add it to purees. I order beef liver from TruBeef Organic. It’s regenerative, grass-fed, and grass-finished.

Seeds

Pumpkin and squash seeds, when ground, provide zinc, magnesium, and protein, supporting immune function. Once ground, sprinkle them into yogurt or mashed banana. Fermented foods like sauerkraut juice or kimchi juice offer natural probiotics for gut health. A tiny bit is great for mixing into soft foods or bone broth.

For extra nutrients, hemp seeds provide protein, omega-3s, and magnesium. I like to add it to spears of avocado to make it easier for him to grab. Seaweed flakes are an excellent source of iodine for thyroid health to mix into eggs, avocado, or soups. Prunes or dates are great for digestion because they’re high in fiber, I like mashing them into oatmeal or yogurt. Chia pudding, soaked overnight in coconut milk, is another great option rich in healthy fats, protein, and fiber.

What’s Next?

Hayes has the hang of solids, so now we’re focusing on expanding his variety even more. I’m introducing more complex flavors and textures, like mild spices and more foods offered in their whole state vs pureed or mashed. We’re also starting to incorporate more family meals, where he gets a modified version of what we’re eating. My goal is to keep mealtimes fun and stress-free so he grows up loving a variety of healthy foods and feels confident exploring new flavors.

References

• ASCIA. (2021). Guidelines on infant feeding and allergy prevention.
• Jones, L. et al. (2023). Early exposure to diverse foods and picky eating behaviors.
• Smith, R. et al. (2020). Nutritional approaches to first foods.
• Palupi et al., 2012 – A study on the nutritional differences in organic vs. conventional dairy products
• Turner, P. et al. (2022). Allergy prevention through early food introduction.