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Introducing Your 6-8 Month Old Baby to Solid Foods - Solid Food Charts & Homemade Baby Food & Baby Food Recipes
Introducing your 6-8 month old baby to solid foods - Get ready for the Fun!
If your 6 month - 8 month old baby is just starting solids at this stage, start out slowly, preparing a tablespoon sized portion of whatever food you have chosen to begin with.
Some parents begin offering their babies solid foods by using their (clean and washed) finger as a spoon! They say that this helps their babies take to solid foods because the "new" spoon and the "new" food all at once seem to confuse baby!
More and more parents are opting to skip traditional baby food purees and choose Baby Led Weaning as a method for introducing solid foods. Baby Led Weaning means offering your baby (age appropriate) foods that soft-cooked and cut into small easily manageable pieces. These foods are then given to your baby to eat. You do the cooking, the dicing and the offering of the foods and your baby does the rest.
Read our Solid Food Chart for the 6 month old - 8 month old baby below:
As with breastfeeding on demand, Baby Led Weaning is a method of introducing solid foods that leaves it up to your baby to decide when and how much to eat. While not necessarily a "hands off" approach, Baby Led Weaning does advocate allowing your baby to make all food choices for him or herself. The foods listed on our 4-6 month old chart and those listed on the chart below make great foods for baby led weaning! Read more About Baby Led Weaning.
We have also compiled a Sample Schedule for Introducing Baby's First Foods! that you may find useful. This table gives you an idea of how and when to begin introducing baby to solid foods. Please keep in mind that this table was created from our own experience and should be used as a guide only. Always consult your baby's pediatrician about solid foods!
How much will my 6 month to 8 month old baby eat at his first meal?
If your 6-8 month old baby is just starting solid foods, you will probably only manage to have baby eat 1/2 of the tablespoon sized portion the very first times you begin solids. If you are using a Baby Led Weaning approach, your baby may only manage to get a few pieces of food into his or her mouth. Don't fret if your baby does not "finish" a meal. Remember this is a new experience for your baby! As your baby becomes accustomed to eating solids, you will gradually increase the portion sizes. Remember, breast milk and/or infant formula are providing for the total nutrition of your baby at this stage! Read our How Much Food Should My Baby Eat page for more information.
Many parents find their babies will push the food out of their mouths on the first few tries. This is normal however it may also indicate that your baby is not yet ready for solid foods. Only you know your baby and will be able to decide if baby is truly ready for solids.
AGE The AAP recommends that an infant not be started on solid foods until after 6 months of age. Many pediatricians still start babies on solids around 4 months of age. This chart accommodates all ages and stages up to 12 months. |
CEREALS Try mixing together the grains that your baby has had without any reaction(s). |
FRUITS Begin making your own fruit combinations once baby has had several fruits without any reaction(s) After 8 months old – you may wish to try offering raw ripe fruits Soft cooked fruits make for great beginner FInger Foods; Learn about Introducing Baby Finger Foods!
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VEGGIES Veggie combinations are great to offer now. Ensure that all veggies have been previously offered without any reaction(s) prior to mixing & matching. After 8 months old – you may wish to try offering soft cooked veggies in dices or tiny chunks and bits. Soft cooked veggies make for great beginner Baby Finger Foods!
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PROTEIN Once your baby has reached 8 months old, try offering tofu finger cubes dusted with Cheerio “dust” or other cereal “dust” Many pediatricians are now recommending Meats as first foods due to the Iron content - ask your pediatrician! |
DAIRY Around 8 months old, you should be able to offer plain whole milk yogurt and mild cheeses. Mix some yogurt with a favorite fruit puree for a breakfast offering Visit our Offering Your BAby Yogurt page for more information on introducing Yogurt and Cheese
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Six to Eight (6-8) Months old Continue mixing together the foods that you have already introduced without allergies or reactions Try a Banana-Cado mix of Bananas and Avocado for example
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CEREALS
Continue with Rice Barley Oat
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FRUITS
Apricots Avocados Nectarines Peaches Plums Prunes Pumpkin Mangos
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VEGGIES
Peas Yellow Squash Zucchini Parsnips (8 months)
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PROTEIN
Chicken Turkey Tofu *8 Months for Meats/Protein or when your pediatrician says it's ok*
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DAIRY
Plain -Whole Milk Yogurt (NOT whole milk for a drink!) |
The above chart is a general guideline with solid baby foods that are age appropriate. Our charts/guidelines are somewhat conservative in nature compared to guidelines from other sources. We show age-ranges for different foods and we have researched and compiled these charts from various medical authorities such as private pediatricians, the AAP, the AAFP and the WHO. Feel free to print the chart and ask your Pediatrician about the listings and recommendations. Our visitors say their pediatricians are impressed with our Chart's suitability and accuracy of listings.
You should always consult your baby’s pediatrician before introducing new foods to your baby. Avoid any suggested foods that may pose an allergy risk for your baby!
Click here for a printable "no ad" version of the complete solid food introduction chart
View the One Page Condensed Complete Solid Food Chart
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Baby Let's Eat!
(4)6-8 Months - Baby Let's Begin to Eat
"Baby" cereal and soft cooked thinly pureed fruits and veggies should be baby's first solid food experiences.
Single ingredients only and at a space of 4 days apart with introducing each new food.
You may skip the cereal and begin with a fruit like avocado or begin with a veggie like butternut squash or sweet potato.
7-10 Months - We're Moving On!
Bring on some spices (8 months old) and the softly mashed, or chopped into fine pieces of fruits, vegetables, meats, pasta and dairy such as yogurt and cheeses.Pasta, veggies, and fruit should all be soft cooked and possibly mashed with a fork or masher. (Bananas need only be mashed.) Meats and proteins such as egg yolk, should be cooked and pureed or chopped into small soft bits. If offering Tofu, you need not cook it first.
Remember, baby will not have molars until sometime around the 12-18 month age range. Foods should be easily mashed between the gums!
Solid Food Charts For Babies:
4-6 Months6-8 Months
• • • •Suggested Daily "Milk" Intakes
0-3 Months of age:
Breastfeed every 1-3 hours or Formula 18-40 ounces4-5 Months of age:
Breastfeed every 2-4 hours or Formula 24-45 ounces6-8 Months of age:
Breastfeed every 3-4 hours or Formula 24-37 ounces9-12 Months of age:
Breastfeed every 4-5 hours or Formula 24-31 ouncesWhole Cow Milk, as a drink, should not be introduced until 12 months of age! Learn about Introducing Yogurt and Feeding Cheese to your baby.
compiled from Merck Source
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Baby Cubes from OneStepAhead - Always BPA Free!
Introducing Solids and Solid Foods to Your 6 month to 8 month old Baby
Solid Food Charts For Babies 6 to 8 months old
STARTING BABY ON SOLID FOODS
Useful articles and charts to help you with the fun and folly of introducing baby to solid foods!
Please be sure to visit our Baby Food Articles Library for more great information about solid foods!
Visit our Baby Food Blog & Check out our Mini Contests!
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Baby Food Cubes May Be Safely Kept in the Freezer for 3 Months.
It is preferable, not an absolute must, to use the cubes within 1 month however.
New Breast-Fed Baby Growth Charts from the World Health Organisation - Reflecting Breast-Fed Babies Growth Patterns
SAMPLE BABY FOOD MENUS
Visit our Sample Schedule for Introducing Baby's First Foods and our Sample Menu pages below:
MORE HOMEMADE BABY FOOD RECIPES & RECIPE TOPICS
View these pages for more tips & topics on baby feeding & cooking baby foods.
- Freezing Homemade Baby Foods
- Vitamins & Minerals in Baby's Foods
- Baby Food Myths - Archived
- Baby Food Recipes Downloads
- Freebies for Baby
More Baby Solid Food and Baby Food Recipe Topics
Baby's First Foods Homemade Baby Food Recipes Yummy Homemade Baby Food Recipes for Baby's very first weaning foods!
Baby Menu Sample - We have compiled a sample menu schedule of what a baby might be eating from 4-8 months old and 8-12 months old. Learn how much milk your baby should be drinking through all stages and how many food cubes might be offered for a baby meal.
Introducing Finger Foods to Baby
Transitioning to Sippy Cups between ages 6 months to 12 months.
Solid Food Stages & Feeding First Solids Month Range of Feeding Stages & Tips for Feeding First Solid Foods
Introducing Solid Foods by Age Chart for information about what food to avoid and what foods are appropriate for certain ages.
How Much Food Should Your Baby Eat? Not as much as you may be thinking! Read our article and ease your mind!
