Starting Solids in the New Year: A Flexible step-by-step Checklist for Your Baby’s First Foods
The start of a new year often comes with a lot of questions — and if your baby is approaching the solids stage, feeding is probably near the top of your list.
This checklist is here to help you take a breath. It brings together the most common questions parents ask when starting solids, along with reassurance and guidance from our Bébé Foodie team of pediatricians, dietitians, speech-language pathologists, and chefs. There’s no one “right” way to do this — just information, flexibility, and support as you move at your own pace.
As one of our pediatricians, Dr. Irini Kolaitis, puts it:
“This is one of the most exciting milestones of your baby’s first year of life. Try to release the self- or internet-imposed pressure to do this perfectly and enjoy the moment.”
Think of this as a resource you can return to — not a to-do list you need to finish all at once.
Step 1: Start solids when your baby shows readiness
Before thinking about foods, tools, or schedules, the most important question is whether your baby is developmentally ready.
Signs your baby may be ready for solids
While most, including the AAP recommend starting solids around 6 months, readiness isn’t about a specific age or hitting a deadline. It’s about skills — things like sitting with support, bringing objects to their mouth, and showing interest in food.
Many parents worry about starting “too late” or “too early,” but watching your baby’s cues matters far more than the calendar.
👉 Signs your baby is ready for solids
Step 2: Keep it simple! What you need to get started with solids
When your baby is ready, the best advice is often to simply start. Practice over perfection.
Basic items that can make starting solids easier
While you don’t need a long list of gear, a few basics can help feeding feel easier:
-
A safe, supportive place for your baby to sit
-
A spoon (or soft, graspable foods if exploring finger foods)
-
Something to catch the mess (because there will be mess)
Learning as you go
Many parents assume they need to buy everything upfront, but most experts agree that keeping things simple early on is often best. You’ll learn what works for your baby as you go.
👉 Simple tools that make starting solids easier
Starting solids safety: choking vs. gagging
Safety also matters, make sure your baby is upright, supervised, and comfortable at mealtimes. Concerned about choking. Dr. Shiffman deep dives in the following article.
👉 Starting solids safely: choking vs gagging explained
Step 3: Choose first foods that work for your baby and your family
There’s no single “right” first food
This is one of the most common questions we hear. Our answer is usually: start with what you already have on hand and what feels manageable for you.
That might mean simple purées, soft finger foods, or a mix of both. If you’re unsure which approach feels right for your family, you’re not alone.
As Catharine, our Pediatric Dietitian, shares:
“With my first baby, I felt like every little decision carried so much weight — including what his first food would be or the method of feeding I chose (even though my professional experience told me otherwise!). Try your best to let go of this pressure. Nutrition is a lot more flexible than we’re sometimes led to believe.”
Baby-led weaning vs purées
Learn more:
And remember, first foods can be joyful and surprising. As Lauren, our pediatric speech-language pathologist, recalls:
“I still remember the first time I gave my son a full strawberry when we started BLW. His eyes got so big — like he couldn’t believe he was just handed something so exciting!”
Iron-rich foods when starting solids
From a nutrition standpoint, one helpful thing to keep in mind early on is iron. Babies’ iron needs increase around the time solids are introduced.
👉 Iron-rich first foods when starting solids
👉 Feeling stuck on “what should I serve first?”
The Bébé Foodie app suggests age-appropriate first foods day by day, whether you’re doing purées, BLW, or both.
👉 Try the app free for 14 days
Step 4: Introduce allergens slowly, safely, and with confidence
Allergens are a common source of worry, and it’s completely normal to feel nervous.
General guidance on allergens for babies
In general, experts recommend offering the top allergens early and often, in safe forms, once your baby is ready for solids.
👉 How to safely introduce allergens when starting solids
Recognizing signs of food allergies
Knowing what an allergic reaction can look like may also help you feel more confident.
👉 Signs of food allergies when starting solids
Dr. Taylor Lin, our Pediatric Allergist, reassures parents:
“Although it may not feel like it, the vast majority of infants do not have food allergies. It’s important to know the signs, but don’t let fear take away the joy of exploring new tastes and textures.”
Step 5: What to expect when starting solids: Mess, learning and connection
Mealtimes are about so much more than nutrition.
Starting solids supports:
-
Oral-motor development
-
Sensory exploration
-
Connection and shared routines
-
A positive relationship with food over time
What early mealtimes are really about
At this stage, mealtimes are mostly about:
-
Mess
-
Exploration
-
Learning, not intake
As Dr. Michelle Shiffman, one of our pediatricians, shares:
“The first food I offered my baby was oatmeal. None of it made it into his mouth. Instead, it ended up in his hair, up his nose, and generously shared with our dog. It was messy, hilarious, and such a good reminder that exploring food counts just as much as eating it.”
👉 Making mealtimes enjoyable when starting solids
👉Engaging your baby’s senses when starting solids
Step 6: Build flavor and texture variety over time when starting solids
Early exposure to different flavors and textures helps lay the foundation for how children approach food later, but that doesn’t mean forcing variety.
As Whitney, our chef, puts it:
“Our job isn’t to make kids like certain foods. It’s to empower them to explore flavors and decide what they enjoy. Giving them that space builds confidence that lasts far beyond the high chair.”
Starting with purées
If you’re starting with purées and want ideas:
👉 Simple baby purées for starting solids
Progressing textures as your baby grows
As your baby grows, gradually changing texture is part of the learning process.
👉 How to progress textures when starting solids
Cultural food traditions and starting solids
And if you’re ever unsure what to offer, leaning into your own food preferences and culture is a wonderful place to start.
👉 Starting Solids: How Different Cultures Introduce Foods
7. Let go of pressure around pace, portions, and progress
Every baby’s feeding journey looks different
Every baby moves at their own pace. Some days will feel smooth, others less so — and that’s normal.
Portion sizes vary widely, interest can come and go, and food refusal happens to many babies starting solids.
Lauren, our pediatric speech-language pathologist, reminds families:
“Anything can be a meal. Don’t feel pressure to make something elaborate. A banana or an avocado sliced up in 10 seconds can be just as effective and beneficial. It’s all about balance and what works best for your life.”
When starting solids feels emotionally heavy
If starting solids feels emotionally heavy, you’re not alone. Dr. Irini Kolaitis shares her own fears and how to move forward with confidence here:
👉 Feeling anxious about starting solids? What’s normal
If your baby refuses food
If you start to hit a wall with your baby refusing food:
👉 What to do when your baby refuses food during starting solids
A final note
Starting solids is a big transition, for your baby and for you. There’s no prize for doing it fast, perfectly, or a certain way. What matters most is responsiveness, curiosity, and creating a calm space for learning.
From our founder, Lucie:
“When I started solids with my son, I honestly thought it would be simple. I’m French, I love food, and I assumed I’d just follow my gut. But once I started looking for guidance online in the US, I felt overwhelmed by rules, warnings, and fear-based advice. It made this milestone feel much heavier than it needed to be. No wonder parents are feeling anxious! I created Bébé Foodie to offer something different: expert-backed guidance parents can trust, without asking them to change who they are or follow rigid systems. Feeding should be balanced, flexible, and enjoyable, and it can look different from one day to the next.”
We’re here to support you through every stage — questions, mess, uncertainty, and all. 💛
If you want all of this guidance, simplified and personalized, here’s where to go next.
Written by Jenny Janov, MPH, RD
Pediatric Dietitian & Advisor at Bébé Foodie
Jenny is a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist with over 15 years of experience, specializing in pediatrics. She studied nutrition at UNC Chapel Hill and worked in hospitals and clinics across California, including UCSF and Stanford. Passionate about helping families, she guides them in making positive nutrition choices and setting achievable goals. As Bébé Foodie’s pediatric dietitian, she helps create expert-backed guidance for parents navigating their child's food journey. Now based in Bend, OR, she enjoys the outdoors, running, snowboarding, paddleboarding, cooking, and time with her husband and two boys.
This blog post is for information purposes only and shouldn’t be used as personal, health, nutritional, or medical advice. Always consult with your pediatrician before making any decisions about your child's health or readiness for various foods.
Popular Posts
Leave a comment