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First Foods Checklist (Free Printable)
A printable checklist for starting solids — readiness signs, first food ideas by category, the allergen-introduction schedule, choking-prevention rules, and when to call your pediatrician.
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This article is for general information and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always consult your pediatrician or doctor about your child.
Aligned with AAP, WHO, NHS and CDC guidance.
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Readiness — don't start solids before all three are true
- Around 6 months of age (most babies); not before ~17 weeks.
- Sits up well with little or no support; can hold head steady.
- Shows interest in food (watches you eat, reaches for it, opens mouth).
Always discuss starting solids with your pediatrician, especially for premature babies or any health concerns.
First foods by category
- Steamed broccoli florets (soft)
- Sweet potato (cooked, mashed or wedge)
- Avocado (ripe, sliced or mashed)
- Carrot (cooked until very soft)
- Cucumber (peeled, for older babies)
- Banana (ripe, mashed or in spears)
- Pear (ripe and soft, or cooked)
- Mango (very ripe)
- Peach (ripe, no skin)
- Berries (whole only when chewing is solid; otherwise mashed)
- Iron-fortified infant cereal (oat, multigrain)
- Well-cooked lentils or beans (mashed)
- Soft-cooked egg (whole, yolk + white)
- Chicken or beef (slow-cooked, shredded)
- Tofu (firm, cut into soft strips)
- Plain whole-milk yogurt (no added sugar)
- Soft pasta (well cooked)
- Oats (cooked, plain)
- Small pieces of soft bread
- Plain cheese (small soft cubes)
Allergen introduction — start early, one at a time
Current AAP guidance: introduce common allergens between 4–11 months (not later) to reduce allergy risk. Offer one new allergen at a time, in the morning, in a small amount; watch for 2 hours; repeat over days.
- Peanut (smooth peanut butter, thinned)
- Egg (well-cooked, whole)
- Milk / dairy (yogurt, cheese — not as a drink until 12 months)
- Tree nuts (butters or finely ground)
- Wheat (small soft pieces)
- Soy (tofu, edamame mashed)
- Fish (cooked, well-flaked, low-mercury)
- Shellfish (if part of family diet)
- Sesame (tahini, thinned)
- One new allergen per day, in the morning
- Mix with a food baby already tolerates
- Watch 2 hours for hives, vomiting, breathing changes
- Repeat the allergen regularly to maintain tolerance
- If family history of severe allergy, consult pediatrician first
Choking prevention — non-negotiables
- Sit upright in a high chair
- Adult present and attentive
- Soft enough to mash between thumb and finger
- Appropriate size: long strips early, small bites later
- Know infant choking-relief first aid
- Whole grapes / cherry tomatoes (quarter them)
- Whole nuts / popcorn / hard candy
- Chunks of raw apple, carrot, celery
- Hot dogs / sausage rounds (slice lengthwise)
- Sticky foods (peanut butter on a spoon, marshmallows)
Foods to skip in the first year
- Honey — botulism risk under 12 months.
- Cow's milk as a drink — small amounts in food are fine, but not as a main drink until 12 months.
- Added salt and sugar — babies don't need them.
- Juice — not recommended under 12 months.
- Unpasteurized dairy, raw or undercooked meat/eggs/seafood.
General guidance; follow your pediatrician's instructions for your child.
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Track first foods (and reactions) in one place
Whispie helps you log new foods and patterns alongside sleep and feeding — useful when introducing allergens or tracking what works. Free to start.