Baby first food ideas 6 months

The Best First Foods for Babies 6 to 9 Months – Happiest Baby

By Happiest Baby Staff

You've spent the first six months of your baby's life making sure that they are nourished with breastmilk or formula. As they grow and thrive, you might notice that your little sprout shows you some signs that they are ready to graduate from the bottle or breast to solid foods. If your baby can sit up and hold their head up, that's a great first sign! What's more, if they bring objects to their mouth and show an interest in what you are eating, your curious kiddo might be ready to start eating solid foods.

But what should you feed your baby? Here’s a list of perfect starter foods for your baby from ages 6 to 9 months.

Best Baby Foods at 6 Months

At 6 months, babies may be starting to chew. Though this skill won’t be mastered just yet, they are typically ready to get messy with some mushy, pureed eats—helping them learn about flavor and texture. At this age, the goal is not to satiate your baby with full meals of solid foods but rather to get your child curious and excited about their culinary options.

Because babies are growing so fast, their needs for iron are high to prevent iron-deficiency and support their overall health. Offer your little one iron rich foods like—infant cereal (read up on why you may want to skip rice cereal), well-cooked meat, poultry, mashed beans, and lentils. To keep your baby safe from choking, avoid adding solids like cereal to baby bottles.

Here are some great first foods for Baby to try:

Infant oat, grain, or barley cereals mixed with breastmilk or formula and spoon-fed to your baby
Sweet potato puree
Squash puree
Pea puree
Carrot puree
Mashed banana
Mashed avocado
Mashed or pureed beans
Mashed or pureed lentils
Pureed meats (beef, chicken, or turkey)
Soft, falling apart meats (salmon, beef, chicken, turkey)

Check out more of our favorite first food purees. Or, if purees aren’t your thing, read up on how to start baby-led weaning.

Best Baby Foods at 7 Months

By 7 months old, your baby will probably be eating more solids but not enough to replace breastmilk or formula as their primary source of food. The goal for this month is to keep introducing solid foods to your baby. What's fun is by 7 months, you can get more creative with mixing flavors and adding textures.

Here are a few nutritious and delicious food combos to try with your baby:

Peas pureed with breastmilk (or formula), sweet potatoes, or squash
Kale pureed with blueberry, squash, potatoes, sweet potatoes, peas, pears, or bananas
Apples pureed with cauliflower, carrots, pears, prunes, or beets
Beef pureed with broccoli
Chicken pureed with carrots and potatoes
Chickpeas pureed with bananas, apples, or sweet potato
Sweet potatoes pureed with red bell pepper

Seven months is also the perfect age to start giving your baby a plate, bowl, and plastic utensils so they can begin to practice feeding themselves. If your baby is teething, you can place frozen chunks of fruit in a sieve feeder/mesh bag that allows them to gnaw on the fruit without choking. Learn more about helping your baby use a fork and spoon!

Best Baby Foods at 8 Months

By 8 months, your baby is likely eating more solids and relying a little less on milk as a primary meal (though it’s still where they get the bulk of their nutrition!). And they’re probably having lots of fun learning how to use their hands to feed themselves. Something else to consider: Babies should be exposed to potential allergen foods (like peanuts, tree nuts, eggs, and fish) before their first birthdays to help prevent future food allergies. Starting at 6 months of age, peanut butter is safe to introduce as long as you are comfortable giving it to your baby.

In fact, the Dietary Guidelines for Americans says that babies can begin having these foods when they start eating solids. But many families often feel more comfortable waiting to introduce these foods until around this age. Of course, consult with your little one’s pediatrician if you have concerns about potential allergen foods.

Here are some foods to add to your repertoire:

Whole eggs, scrambled
Nut butter thinned out with water and mixed with cereal (nut butters are sticky and can cause choking)
Fully cooked fish, like salmon or tuna
Full-fat yogurt

Here are some preparation ideas:

Well-cooked (think over-cooked until falling apart) pasta such as elbows or alphabet shapes
Mashed meat with mashed or ground vegetables such as peas and potatoes or kale and squash
Rainbow on a plate: Using tiny pieces of soft, strained, pureed, and mashed food options, look for a variety of colors to offer. Some fun options could include banana, avocado, sweet potato, peas, blueberry, raspberry, cheese, and chicken.

Best Baby Foods at 9 Months

Though there’s a greater variety of foods babies eat now, formula or breastmilk continues to be their primary source of nutrition until age 1. At 9 months old, babies get more comfortable with self-feeding and eating the foods their families enjoy. After all, eating solid foods is a sensory wonderland of texture, smells, and tastes. Not to mention all that fun making messes with those adorably curious fingers.

As you begin to focus on meal planning for your baby, there are few things to keep in mind:

Babies need four to five servings of fruits and vegetables a day. A serving size for a 9-month-old is less than a quarter cup.
"Eat the rainbow" is excellent advice because it gives your baby exposure to lots of different fruits, vegetables, grains, and starches.

Here are a few menu ideas to help meal plan for your baby…

Breakfast Ideas for Babies

These morning meals pack a nutritional punch—and don’t forget to check out all of our favorite breakfast ideas for babies:

Soft fresh fruit cut up in small pieces (think: banana, raspberries, or blueberries)
Whole-grain waffles or pancakes
Unsweetened oatmeal made with breastmilk or formula combined with cut-up and cooked apples and pears or banana slices. (It is essential to steam the apples or pears to make them soft enough for your baby to mash with their gums.)
Full-fat yogurt mixed with mashed or pureed berries such as blueberries, blackberries, strawberries, or raspberries
Soft scrambled eggs
Veggie frittata

Lunch Ideas for Babies

Spread hummus on soft crackers or bread
Grilled cheese sandwich with cooled tomato soup
Macaroni and cheese with cooked veggies like peas and carrots mixed in
Pizza bites with chopped bits of spinach in the sauce and melted shredded cheese
Quesadilla made with pureed spinach, squash, or beans

Snack Ideas for Babies

Babies this young won’t likely need to snack too much (remember, breastmilk or formula will provide the majority of your little one’s nutrition). Still, it’s not a bad idea to have snacks on hand for when your mini muncher needs something to eat that’s not quite a meal. A few baby snack ideas:

Apple and carrot slaw
Cheese slices
Full-fat plain yogurt
Hard-boiled egg
Avocado slices
Muffins made with fruits, veggies, and/or whole grains
Fruit and veggie pouches
Sugar-free, whole-grain cereal, like plain Cheerios

Dinner Ideas for Babies

To help your baby get and stay excited about eating solid foods, serve a version of whatever the family is having for dinner. Remember to steam or mash, grind or chop foods into appropriate softness and sizes to prevent choking. Some baby dinner ideas:

Pasta with softened vegetables
Well-cooked rice, soft veggies, and chicken
Baked sweet potato with butter or cheese
Beans or lentils served with rice and veggies
Flaky fish served with steamed zucchini

There are endless variations on what you can serve your baby for dinner. As long as your baby is safe and happy, try to encourage lots of food exploration!

You must not feed any child under the age of 1 year honey, cow’s milk, juice, hard foods like candy, raw vegetables, popcorn, or sticky foods like peanut butter, as these each present choking hazards.

Learn more about feeding your baby:

The Happiest Baby Feeding Guide
The Benefits of Homemade Baby Food
The Best Store-Bought Baby Food

***

REFERENCES

Unlocking Opportunities in Food Design for Infants, Children, and the Elderly: Understanding Milestones in Chewing and Swallowing Across the Lifespan for New Innovations. Journal of Texture Studies, August 2017
Complementary Feeding: A Position Paper by the European Society for Paediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition (ESPGHAN) Committee on Nutrition, Journal of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition, January 2017
Infant Formula Feeding Practices Associated With Rapid Weight Gain: A Systematic Review, Maternal & Child Nutrition, July 2018
Solid Food Introduction and the Development of Food Allergies, Nutrients, November 2018
US Department of Agriculture: Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2020-2025

View more posts tagged, feeding

Have questions about a Happiest Baby product? Our consultants would be happy to help! Connect with us at [email protected].

Disclaimer: The information on our site is NOT medical advice for any specific person or condition. It is only meant as general information. If you have any medical questions and concerns about your child or yourself, please contact your health provider.

15 Stage One Baby Food Purees (4-6 Months)

Home » Feeding Style » Baby Food Purees » Stage One » 15 Stage One Baby Food Purees

These 15 Stage One Baby Food Recipes will tempt your baby’s taste buds! These simple, homemade baby food recipes are made with nutrient-dense fruits and vegetables with an added pinch of spice that makes these purees out-of-this-world delicious! They’re great for babies 4-6+ months of age!

Medically reviewed and co-written by Jamie Johnson, Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN), and Lauren Braaten, Pediatric Occupational Therapist (OT).

Stage One Baby Food Purees

Are you looking to make your baby homemade purees, but don’t know where to start? Does the process intimidate you?

Then you have come to the right place! Here you will find 15 of my all-time favorite starter baby food purees that have been viewed (and made) millions of times by my readers and combined have over 400 5-star reviews!

I would also like to personally welcome you to the wonderful world of baby food, this is a fun (and yummy) club to be in.

Does your baby’s first bite need to be boring?

Of course not!

Baby’s food can (and should be) delicious from the very start!

While it may seem daunting at first, making your own baby food is super easy once you get the hang of it.

And I’m here to walk you through it every step of the way.

First time making homemade baby food? Then I suggest you start this journey by reading my in-depth Guide on How to Make Homemade Baby Food. The detailed guide goes over all the important information such as the best cooking tools to have on hand, safe storage, how to know when baby is ready for solids, how to introduce purees, the best first foods for baby, and so much more! You can also check out my best-selling cookbook for even more information and recipes!

15 Stage One Baby Puree Video

While the recipes themselves are simple, in this video I will show you how to add in a pinch of cinnamon, rosemary, curry, or mint to quickly roasted or steamed fruits and vegetables that enhance their natural flavors. In other words, these are simple purees that I am pretty sure you will want to eat as well!

What is In Each Puree Recipe

After going through this guide, you will want to check out some (or all!) of the homemade baby food recipes below. Each recipe goes into detail about the:

produce that is in the puree
benefits of that produce for your baby
recipe cooking options
detailed photos and videos with step-by-step instructions

Reminder: The homemade baby food recipes below are made for babies that want to try the most delicious food from the very first bite! 😋

Helpful Tools

Let’s start with a few of my favorite kitchen essentials to make the best homemade baby food purees! These kitchen tools will help make the process of cooking, blending, and freezing baby food hassle-free. You can find a full list of my favorite baby and toddler food making tools in my online Shop.

Kitchen Tools

Blender or Food Processor
Freezer Storage Tray
Fridge Storage Containers
Stasher Bag
Baking Sheet
Steamer Basket
Medium Saucepan
Reusable Pouches

Feeding Essentials

High Chair
Suction Bowl and Spoon Set
Bib with Food Catcher

Learning Resources: looking for the best high chair, cups or spoons for your baby? Then we’ve got you covered! Here you will find How to Find the Best High Chair for Baby, an easy guide on Best First Open Cups for Baby (plus 4 tips when introducing a cup) as well as 3 Tips on How To Spoon Feed Baby (plus – our favorite spoons for purees or BLW).

Frequently Asked Questions

Can babies have spices in their food?

Yes, yes, yes! Babies can absolutely have spices mixed into their purees from the very first bite. Adding a pinch of spice or herbs to a baby’s food makes it taste better and gives the food additional medicinal properties. Read more here. But as I always say — you do you! If you don’t want to add spices to your baby’s food, you can certainly leave them out. Don’t worry, I give instructions on each recipe card for both.

What about allergies? Can spices cause an allergic reaction?

My rule of thumb is that unless there is an immediate family member that has a true allergy to a certain spice or food, then introducing your baby to spices at the same time as new food is completely acceptable. Spice and herb allergies in babies and adults are very rare. But remember, it’s always recommended to keep an eye on your baby when introducing any new food or spices.

At what age should I start my baby on baby food purees?

When a baby can start on solid foods is determined by their own rate of development, which generally comes between 4-6 months of age. Some of the developmental milestones babies need to reach to start solids include: if your baby has solid control of their head and neck, if your baby has doubled in weight, and if your baby is reaching for or opening their mouth when you eat (see my guide here). Before you start your baby on purees, you should consult with your pediatrician to make sure your child is developmentally ready for solids.

How to Make Baby Food Purees

All of our baby food recipes are designed to enhance the natural taste of the fruits and veggies while keeping as many nutrients intact as possible. In other words, the goal is to make a puree that’s both healthy and delectable.

There are several ways you can cook baby food purees, but the main techniques I use are:

Steaming
Roasting
Simmering
Raw

Keep in mind, that as long as the produce is cooked until soft, that there isn’t a right or wrong way to cook it for baby food.

If a recipe for broccoli calls for steaming but you want to roast it because you will already be roasting some broccoli for yourself for dinner, then go ahead and roast the broccoli for your baby’s puree. Play around and have some fun with it!

Adding Spices to Baby Purees

It’s encouraged that you can serve your baby a homemade puree with a pinch of spices or herbs from the very first bite.

Benefits of Spices

boost and compliment any fruit or vegetable puree
broaden baby’s emerging palate
add more flavor and depth into their foods
decrease picky eating in the years to come
have medicinal properties in them — they can help with digestive issues, boost brain functions, repair muscle tissues, and so on.

While each puree recipe on this site has a selection of spices or herbs that complement the flavors of the fruit or vegetable in the puree, it’s up to you if you want to add them. You do you! Either way, the puree recipes on this site will be delicious.

Top Spices to Add to Baby’s Puree

Cinnamon
Cloves
Nutmeg
Basil
Mint
Parsley
Mild Curry Powder
Fresh Lemon Juice
Garlic
Rosemary

How to Store Baby Purees

Every recipe below has specific instructions on how to store that particular puree, but these are the general guidelines.

How to Freeze Baby Food

Your freezer is about to become your new best friend, allowing you to keep several weeks’ worth of baby purees at the ready. Whenever you make a puree, put several ounces in the fridge for your little one to enjoy that week, then freeze the rest of the batch for your baby to eat at a later date. Please make sure you get it in the puree into the fridge or freezer within 1 hour of cooking to prevent bacteria growth.

Make a puree.
Let it cool slightly.
Transfer the puree to freezer trays or freezer jars.
Cover the freezer trays with a lid or plastic wrap.
Label with date and name of puree.
Place the tray in the freezer.
Let it freeze for at least 5 hours.
Take the tray out of the freezer.
Crack the purees out of the trays.
Place the frozen purees into zip-lock baggies or stasher bags.

How to Store Baby Food

Purees can be stored for up to four days in an airtight container in the fridge or 4 months in the freezer.

How to Thaw Baby Food

Thawing may seem like a no-brainer, but it never hurts to know your options. There are three different ways to thaw purees.

Microwave

Take the frozen puree cubes that you want to serve out of your freezer.
Place them in a glass microwave-safe container.
Microwave in 20-second increments, stirring every time.
The puree is ready when it is just warm to your touch.
Grab two clean spoons, one for you and one for your baby, and test your puree before serving.

Heating Tip: To prevent the microwave from unevenly heating the puree, which can leave it with cold and really hot spots and can burn your baby’s mouth, make sure you stir between each interval and taste test it before serving to your baby.

Refrigerator

This one takes the longest time, but it is an excellent alternative to using a microwave.

Take the frozen puree cubes you want to serve out of your freezer.
Place the cubes in an air-tight glass container.
Place the container in the fridge and let the cubes thaw for 8 to 12 hours, usually overnight.
Do not leave the puree in the container to thaw on the counter or anywhere out of the fridge, as bacteria will start to grow at a rapid rate — which is definitely not recommended.
Note that the puree will be cold but thawed. So if your baby likes their puree warmed, you’ll have to finish the job using the microwave or stovetop method.

Stovetop

In a small saucepan, add the frozen puree cubes you want to serve to your baby.
Over medium-low heat, gently cook the puree until warm, stirring occasionally.

Thawing Tip: Some infants like their puree cold, warm, or really warm, and some will eat it no matter the temperature. You will get to know your baby’s personal preferences as the two of you bond over food.

Feeding Tips

Make sure baby is showing readiness signs for eating – good control of their head and trunk, sitting with minimal assistance, bringing hands or toys to their mouth, and appearing interested in your food when you’re eating.
Follow your baby’s lead – when feeding purees from a spoon, sometimes there’s a tendency to keep offering bites past the point of your baby being full. Always follow your baby’s cues for when they are done eating. Turning away from the spoon, closing her mouth, or pushing food away are all signs that your baby is finished with the meal.
Throwing spoons – is a common phase that all babies go through at one point or another. One of the best ways to handle spoon throwing is to ignore it and keep feeding your baby as usual (with an extra spoon you already have at the table). If your baby ends up also throwing back up spoons #2 AND #3, simply encourage your baby to eat with their hands until they appear to be finished with the meal.

Top Rated Baby Food Purees

Pea Baby Puree (Stage One)

4.90 stars (78 ratings)

A delicious way to introduce peas to baby. Mild peas paired with a fresh hint of mint – a mouth-watering combo!

Get the recipe

Apples Baby Food Puree

4.75 stars (54 ratings)

This Apple Baby Puree recipe is a wonderful first food for baby! A delicious nutrient-dense puree that baby will go gaga over!

Get the recipe

The Best Sweet Potato Baby Food

5 stars (50 ratings)

This Homemade Sweet Potato with Curry Baby Food Puree is a fun and exotic first puree for baby! Great for 4+ months and is completely freezer-friendly!

Get the recipe

Broccoli Baby Food

4. 79 stars (64 ratings)

This Broccoli Baby Food with olive oil recipe is a great way to introduce healthy green vegetables into your baby's diet. A delicious puree full of essential vitamins and healthy fats for growing baby

Get the recipe

Oatmeal for Babies (Stage One)

5 stars (39 ratings)

This Oatmeal Recipe for Baby is made with simple nutrient-dense ingredients in less than 10 minutes, and it's perfect for baby's first bite or added into their favorite fruit or veggie puree. Great for 4+ months and up.

Get the recipe

Avocado for Baby – Puree & BLW

5 stars (14 ratings)

Avocados are a superfood and great first food for babies 6 months and up. Serve them pureed, smashed, or as a finger food for baby-led weaning.

Get the recipe

WeeSprout Baby Food Freezer Tray

My all-time favorite freezer tray! Individual servings pop out easily. The hard plastic lid snaps on with ease and allows for convenient stacking of freezer trays. Dishwasher safe!

View Product

Butternut Squash Baby Food

5 stars (30 ratings)

This homemade Roasted Butternut Squash Baby Food Puree not only contains calcium, folate, vitamins A and C and fiber but it is also a deliciously smooth way to introduce butternut squash to your baby!

Get the recipe

Green Bean Baby Food

5 stars (33 ratings)

Green beans are steamed until just tender, this puree has a mild taste for baby's palette.

Get the recipe

Creamy Mango-licious Baby Food Puree

4.85 stars (26 ratings)

This 5-minute Mango Baby Food Puree is a great way to introduce baby to the magical taste of one of the world's healthiest fruits – MANGOS!

Get the recipe

Pear Baby Puree (Stage One)

5 stars (19 ratings)

This smooth and creamy homemade Pear Baby Puree is a wonderful first puree for baby – easy on the taste buds and great for their growing bodies!

Get the recipe

Peach Baby Puree (Stage One)

5 stars (13 ratings)

Smooth and creamy, this homemade Peach Baby Puree delivers big on taste with naturally sweetened peaches and flecks of vanilla bean.

Get the recipe

Basic Chicken Baby Food

4.40 stars (192 ratings)

This homemade Basic Chicken Baby Food is a great puree to add to any of your baby’s favorite fruit or veggie purees. Great for extra protein and flavor!

Get the recipe

Homemade Baby Rice Cereal

4.88 stars (48 ratings)

Using only 1-ingredient, this Homemade Baby Rice Cereal is a simple and easy recipe to make baby!

Get the recipe

Red Pepper Baby Puree

4.88 stars (33 ratings)

This Red Pepper Baby Puree recipe is a smooth, creamy and naturally sweet puree that is loaded with vitamin A, B6 and C. Great for 4+ months and older (or stage 1 puree).

Get the recipe

More Baby Fooe Purees

Strawberry Baby Puree
Blueberry Baby Puree
Pumpkin Baby Puree
Rasberry Baby Food
Banana Puree
Homemade Quinoa Baby Cereal

Pea Baby Food Puree

2 cups peas, fresh or frozen
1 medium zucchini, roughly chopped (optional)
4 mint leaves, roughly chopped (optional)

Sweet Potato Baby Food Puree

2 large sweet potatoes
1/4 tsp mild curry powder (optional)
1/4-1 cup liquid, (water, fresh breast milk, formula or sodium-free chicken stock) for pureeing

Roasted Banana Puree

4 bananas, cut lengthwise
1/8 tsp fresh rosemary, finely chopped (optional)

Carrot Baby Food Puree

2 pounds carrots, trimmed, peeled and roughly chopped
1/4 tsp nutmeg (optional)
1/2-1 cup liquid, (water, reserved water, fresh breast milk, formula or low-sodium stock) for pureeing