First 10 foods to try (and the order that makes sense)
Iron, allergens, healthy fats, and variety in 10 starter foods. Prep notes for BLW or purees.
Feeding · First Foods
TL;DR
Forget rice cereal as Day 1. The smarter starter list covers four bases: iron, allergens, healthy fats, and texture variety. Best 10 first foods: avocado, banana, sweet potato, oatmeal, eggs (whole), peanut butter (thinned), iron-rich red meat, blueberries, yogurt, broccoli. Order matters a little — get iron-rich foods + the top two allergens (peanut, egg) in by week 2.
"What was your baby's first food?" used to have one answer: rice cereal. That advice is dated. Today's pediatric guidance prioritizes iron-rich foods and early allergen exposure over a specific starter food. Rice cereal isn't wrong — it's just no longer specially recommended.
The four bases your starter foods need to cover
1. Iron
This is the actual reason solids start at 6 months. Pregnancy iron stores deplete around month 6. Breastmilk has very little iron; formula has some. Solids have to fill the gap. Iron-rich starter foods: red meat, iron-fortified baby cereal, beans, lentils, dark leafy greens (when prepared safely).
2. Allergens (peanut, egg priority)
Early introduction lowers allergy risk. Peanut and egg should be in by week 2 of solids ideally. Other allergens (dairy, wheat, soy, sesame, fish, shellfish, tree nut) can spread out across the next 4–6 weeks.
3. Healthy fats
Babies need a lot of fat for brain development. Avocado, full-fat yogurt, olive oil drizzled on veg, salmon. Don't avoid fat — babies aren't on a heart-healthy adult diet.
4. Texture variety
If everything baby eats is smooth puree for 3 months, the texture-acceptance window starts to close around 12 months. Mix textures from week 1 — even within purees you can have smooth (banana) and fork-mashed (avocado) on the same plate.
The 10-food starter list
1. Avocado
- Why: Healthy fats, mild flavor, easy texture for both methods. The classic AAP-friendly first food.
- BLW: Wedge or strip. Leave skin on for grip if just-ripe.
- Puree: Mashed plain or with breastmilk to thin.
2. Banana
- Why: Naturally sweet, easy to manage, no allergen risk. Common Day 2 food.
- BLW: Strip with peel partially on (less slippery).
- Puree: Mash with a fork.
- Note: Constipating in some babies — alternate with prunes or pears.
3. Sweet potato
- Why: Naturally sweet, vitamin A, fiber. Very forgiving texture.
- BLW: Roasted wedge. Knife should pass through easily.
- Puree: Steamed and blended; thin with breastmilk if needed.
4. Oatmeal (iron-fortified or rolled)
- Why: Iron source. Versatile vehicle for fruit, nut butter, or yogurt later. Less choking risk than rice for self-feeding.
- BLW: Cook thick enough to hold on a spoon — baby can grasp the spoon and self-feed.
- Puree: Cook to desired consistency; mix in fruit puree.
5. Egg (whole — yolk + white together)
- Why: Top-priority allergen. High-quality protein. Versatile.
- BLW: Scrambled and cut into strips, or omelet-style cut into fingers.
- Puree: Hard-boiled and mashed with a fork plus a little olive oil to thin.
- Note: Cook fully — no runny yolks until ~12 months.
6. Peanut butter (thinned)
- Why: The other top-priority allergen. Strong evidence for early intro reducing allergy risk.
- BLW: Spread thin on toast strip (the toast holds it; pure peanut butter alone is sticky and a choking hazard).
- Puree: Smooth peanut butter thinned with breastmilk, formula, or warm water — pourable consistency, offered on spoon.
- Note: NEVER whole peanuts (choking hazard until age 4).
7. Red meat (beef or lamb)
- Why: Highest-bioavailability iron source. Often skipped in baby food but pediatric dietitians love it.
- BLW: Slow-cooked shreds or finely ground in meatball form.
- Puree: Slow-cook to tender, blend with broth and a vegetable.
8. Blueberries
- Why: Antioxidants, easy variety, baby-favorite color.
- BLW: Smashed or halved (not whole — choking hazard until 12+ months).
- Puree: Mash. Stains everything.
9. Plain whole yogurt
- Why: Cow's milk allergen. High fat. Easy texture.
- BLW: Pre-load on spoon, hand to baby. Or mix with mashed fruit and use as dip for soft food.
- Puree: Direct from cup. Plain only — no added sugar.
10. Broccoli
- Why: Iron + calcium + fiber. The "tree" shape is a perfect BLW handle.
- BLW: Steamed florets, very soft (knife passes through easily).
- Puree: Steamed, blended with olive oil and a little broth.
Track these and 40 more
Our free First Foods Tracker has 50 starter foods across 6 categories with prep notes for both BLW and purees. Allergen logic and texture stage update as your baby grows.
Open the tracker →
The order that makes sense (week-by-week)
Week 1
Avocado, banana, sweet potato. Easy textures. No allergens. Build the routine.
Week 2
Add oatmeal (iron) and the top two allergens: peanut butter (thinned) and egg. Get these in early.
Week 3
Yogurt (allergen — dairy). Red meat or beef purée (iron — most important nutrient now). Blueberries.
Week 4
Broccoli. Add 1–2 more vegetables. Try wheat (toast), soy (tofu), and sesame (tahini or hummus) — three allergens left.
Weeks 5–6
Fish (salmon is gentle), shellfish (shrimp), tree nut (almond butter thinned). All 9 allergens introduced. Texture starts moving from smooth to lumpy. Self-feeding emerging.
Foods to skip in the first month (and why)
- Honey. Botulism risk under 12 months. Hard rule.
- Cow's milk as a drink. Yogurt and cheese fine; whole milk waits until 12 months.
- Added salt. Babies can't process it well; under-1 year skip table salt entirely.
- Added sugar. Skip it — they'll meet sugar plenty soon enough. Fruit's natural sugar is fine.
- Choking-shape foods. Whole grapes, whole nuts, whole cherry tomatoes, hot dog coins, hard chunks of carrot or apple. All are choking hazards until age 4 in some cases.
- High-mercury fish. Shark, swordfish, king mackerel, tilefish. Stick with salmon, cod, tilapia, and other low-mercury fish.
Common questions
Should we start with rice cereal like our parents did?
You can, but you don't have to. The historical reason rice cereal was the standard first food was iron fortification and texture training. Modern alternatives (oatmeal, multigrain baby cereal, pureed iron-rich foods) cover the same bases with more flavor. Rice also has higher arsenic levels than other grains; the AAP recommends rotating grains rather than relying on rice cereal exclusively.
What if my baby refuses a food?
Keep offering. It takes 10–15 exposures for some babies to accept a new flavor. Refusal in week 1 is normal, not a verdict. Bring the same food back in 2–3 days.
Do I have to make my own?
No. Jarred and pouch baby food is fine when ingredient lists are clean. Combos that are mostly fruit (less iron, more sugar) are weaker; protein-and-vegetable combos are stronger. The bigger issue is monotony: don't feed the same 3 pouches for 4 months. Variety matters more than homemade vs store-bought.
Based on AAP feeding guidance, NIAID 2019 allergen guidelines, and pediatric dietitian consensus. For specific feeding concerns, talk to your pediatrician.