Introducing Solids To Infants

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Start with Milk consistency:  thickened→ finely→ mashed→  minced→ diced→ finger foods
(use your judgment as it depends on each child to how many teeth they have and coordination)

Foods not to introduce before 1 year:

• Egg white (don’t forget you can introduce the yolk!)
• Strawberries
• Peanut Butter (up to 3 years if your family has a history of allergies- discuss with your doctor)
• Milk after 1 year (at 9-12 months you can introduce cheese, cottage cheese (a great source of protein) and yogurt (a great dessert!)
• Do not give honey to your baby because of botulism

Watch for foods your baby can choke on- for example, hard candies (they should not be getting any candy to begin with), grapes, hotdogs, nuts and raw vegetables. Use your common sense.

Reminders:

• Introduce one new food every 3-4 days
• Your child is learning much more than healthy eating habits- they are learning about social cues
• and hand-eye coordination so let them feed themselves! Allow your child to get messy
• Be patient… introduce and reintroduce foods up to 6-7 times. Introduce small amounts.
• Make meal times quiet
• Don’t just introduce foods you like to eat!
• Try to get at least 2-3 food groups at each meal/snack by the time they are 1 year
• Don’t add spices, salt and pepper to your child’s meals… but DO add fresh herbs (for examples basil and oregano to spaghetti sauce)
• Respect baby’s satiety cues when they are full. Do not bring the spoon to the mouth of the child. Hold the spoon out and allow the child to come to the spoon.
• Allow them to feed themselves whenever the opportunity is available (and based on age of course)
• Put all the food you will serve on the plate/high-chair tray at the beginning of the meal. Do not serve in ‘courses’ as you would with adults.
• Allow 20-30 minutes for a child to eat a meal. Once that is done, take the food away so they learn the importance of meal times.
• Remember portion sizes. Most toddles and young children will eat portions approximately the size of their fist.
• Choose textures and foods that appropriate for your child’s development and age. Do they have teeth? How many? Are they showing interest in some foods? Are they trying to hold a spoon?

Foods	From birth to 6 months	From 6 to 9 months	From 9 to 12 months
Breast Milk	Nursing on demand.Exclusively breastfed babies should receive a vitamin D supplement	Nursing on demand.Breastfed babies should receive a vitamin D supplement.	Nursing on demand.
Iron-fortified Formula	Formula feedings on demand, about 4 to 8 feedings every 24 hours.Boil all water for formula and drinking water.	Formula feedings on demand, about 3 to 5 feedings every 24 hours.	Formula feedings or whole cow’s milk, about 3 to 4 feedings every 24 hours.
Iron-fortified Infant Cereal and Other Grain Products	None	Introduce iron-fortified infant cereal – rice or barley (mixed grain last for allergies). Try oatmeal for added fibre.Mix with breast milk or formula.  Feed cereal from a spoon, not from the bottle.  Start with 2 to 3 teaspoons, progress to 2 to 4 tablespoons twice daily.Be aware of choking hazards. Remember 2-4 days in between new foods for easier allergy detection.	Continue with iron-fortified infant cereal.Introduce other Grain Products like dry toast.Introduce other plain cereals, bread, rice and pasta, 8 to 10 tablespoons a day. Think of different textures.
Vegetables	None	After cereal offer pureed cooked vegetables – introduce different colours for different nutrients.  Progress to soft mashed cooked vegetables, 4 to 6 tbsp a day.	Offer mashed or diced cooked vegetables, 6 to 10 tablespoons a day.
Fruit	None	After cereal and vegetables offer pureed cooked fruits or a very ripe mashed fruit, for example a banana, 6 to 7 tablespoons a day.	Offer soft fresh fruits, peeled, seeded and diced or canned fruit packed in water or juice, diced 7 to 10 tablespoons a day.
Meat & Alternatives	None	After vegetables and fruit, offer pureed cooked meat, fish, chicken, tofu, mashed beans, egg yolk, 1 to 3 tablespoons a day.	Offer minced or diced cooked meat fish, chicken, tofu beans, egg yolk 3 to 4 tablespoons a day.
Milk and Milk products	None	After vegetables and fruit have been introduced try whole yogurt, cottage cheese and cheese.	Introduce whole milk at 12 months.

Your child is watching your every move- so think about your eating habits too!

Ref: Dairy Farmers of Ontario Introduction to Solids Handout

Also see Introducing Solids To Infants; A How To Guide