Enter your baby’s birth date to get a dated, month-by-month plan for starting solids: when to begin, which textures to offer, how many meals a day and a step-by-step timeline for introducing the 9 common food allergens.
Last updated:
weeks
3+ weeks early: plan uses adjusted age.
days
3–5 days lets you spot a reaction.
Enter your values to see the result.
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How to use the Baby Food Introduction Schedule
Enter your baby’s birth date and how many weeks early they were born, if any.
Choose when to start solids: 6 months is recommended for most babies.
Set the days between new allergens (3 to 5 days is typical).
Read the month-by-month plan for textures, meals and foods to offer.
Follow the allergen timeline, then print or download the plan.
Solid food stages by age
Age
Texture
Meals a day
Example foods
0–6 months
Breast milk or formula only
—
No water, juice or solids needed
6 months
Smooth or thick purées, soft mashed food
1–2
Iron-fortified cereal, puréed meat or lentils, sweet potato
7 months
Lumpy mash, soft pieces
2
Avocado, banana, yogurt, oatmeal, mashed beans
8 months
Minced food, soft finger foods
2–3
Scrambled egg, soft pasta, tofu, flaked fish
9–11 months
Chopped and finger foods
3 + 1–2 snacks
Soft family foods cut small
12 months
Family foods in safe pieces
3 + 2 snacks
Whole cow’s milk, honey now allowed
How the plan is calculated
The start date is your baby’s birth date plus the number of months you choose (6 by default). For babies born 3 or more weeks early, the calculator counts from the due date instead, because feeding readiness follows development (adjusted age). Allergens begin after two first foods have been tried, at start + 2 × spacing days, and each following allergen is added after the spacing you set. With 3-day spacing all 9 allergens are introduced within about a month of starting solids.
Tips for introducing allergens safely
Offer allergens at home, earlier in the day, so you can watch your baby for a couple of hours afterwards.
Start small (a fingertip or quarter teaspoon) and offer more at the next meal if there is no reaction.
Keep them in the diet. Once tolerated, offering an allergen regularly (for peanut, a few times a week) helps maintain tolerance.
Know the signs: hives, swelling of lips or face, vomiting or unusual fussiness. Breathing difficulty or widespread swelling needs emergency help (call 911).
Use safe forms only: thinned nut butters, never whole nuts; well-cooked egg and fish; minced shellfish.
Frequently asked questions
When should babies start solid food?
The American Academy of Pediatrics and the World Health Organization recommend starting solids at about 6 months. Babies should not start before 4 months. Look for readiness signs: sitting with support, steady head control, interest in food and no tongue-thrust reflex.
What should a baby’s first foods be?
Iron-rich foods are a good first choice because a baby’s iron stores drop around 6 months: iron-fortified infant cereal, puréed meat, beans or lentils. Vegetables and fruit can follow. There is no need to follow a strict order.
When and how should I introduce allergens like peanut and egg?
Current US guidance is to introduce common allergens, including peanut and egg, early, once your baby has started solids and tolerates a few first foods, usually around 6 months. Offer one new allergen at a time in a safe form and wait a few days before the next. Babies with severe eczema or egg allergy should see a pediatrician first.
How many days should I wait between new foods?
Many pediatricians suggest about 3 to 5 days between new allergenic foods so you can tell which food caused any reaction. Common non-allergenic foods can be introduced more quickly.
When can my baby have finger foods?
Soft finger foods can be offered from about 6 to 8 months, as soon as your baby can sit and bring food to the mouth. By 8 to 9 months most babies manage mashed and soft chopped foods; moving past smooth purées by about 9 months supports chewing skills.
When can a baby have cow’s milk and honey?
Cow’s milk as a main drink and honey should wait until 12 months. Honey can cause infant botulism, and cow’s milk before one year can displace iron-rich foods. Yogurt and cheese made from cow’s milk are fine from about 6 months.
How much water can a baby drink?
From about 6 months, small sips of water with meals are fine. The CDC suggests about 4 to 8 oz (120 to 240 ml) of water a day for babies 6 to 12 months; breast milk or formula remains the main drink.
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