How To Start My Baby On Solid Foods: Part 1

IS MY BABY READY TO START SOLIDS?

Your lil' babe is growing and starting to check out your guacamole -- is he ready to start solids and get into purees?

Starting solids can be daunting, but it doesn't have to be! Our team of Registered Dietitians created a 3-part series to help guide you and your baby on your starting solids journey. 

Have you already started solids? Skip to How to Start My Baby On Solid Foods, Part 2! 

Has your baby mastered single-ingredient success and ready for more adventurous flavors? Skip to How to Start My Baby on Solid Foods, Part 3! 

Before starting, remember to talk to your pediatrician about your baby's readiness for solids as baby's develop at different rates. Here are a few signs to look out for:

5 HELPFUL SIGNS TO INDICATE YOUR BABY MIGHT BE READY TO START SOLIDS:

1. Baby has doubled their birth weight (13 lbs or more).
2. Baby can sit in a chair or feeding seat with little or no support.
3. Baby can hold their head up with good control.
4. Baby can move food from the spoon to the back of their mouth. If they're spitting it out, it might be because they're not physically ready to swallow.
5. Baby is showing interest in foods by opening their mouth and leaning forward toward the spoon. Or giving you the side-eye when you're eating your overnight oats. ;)

WHAT SHOULD I EXPECT WHEN STARTING SOLIDS?

Every family is different and feeding schedules can vary from family to family. There's no perfect time to start introducing solids to your baby. Some parents start when breastmilk supply is lowest while others start at a time when it simply works best for parents, caregiver, and baby.

Above all, do what works best for you and your family.

STARTING SOLIDS WITH A SINGLE INGREDIENT FOODS?

While there are no rules in which order of food group to introduce first, AAP recommends introducing solids using one "single-ingredient" at a time. The reason behind this is to look out for any reactions. 

Combining foods early is just fine, too. Foods like vegetables, meat, fruits, gluten-free grains, and healthy fats are generally less likely to cause a reaction. Food allergy reactions will happen in minutes or hours. Not several days later. 

Listen to your instincts and do what works for you and your family. If you find your baby is tolerating these foods, talk to your pediatrician about combining foods sooner. And if they're having reactions frequently to food, you may want to isolate the foods to see which are causing the reaction. 

How much food do you start with? Some parents start with 1-2 tablespoons of food per meal time (3 times a day) while others may offer solids one time a day to start and gradually increase to 2-3 times a day. Listen to your baby's cues and your intuition as a parent.

We recommend trying purees and soft foods that are easy on their young tummy and high in nutrients like carrots, sweet potatoes, squash, green beans, banana, avocado, mango, peaches, and even pureed meat or poultry for extra iron.

Get 20% Off Square Baby!

Use code "SOLIDS20" at checkout for 20% off your first order!*
*new customers only

If you're stressed for time (who isn't?!), our purees are made perfectly in a baby-safe smooth texture to make the introduction of solids easy for you and baby. Check out our Full Menu here.

The Academy of Pediatrics stresses the importance of offering a variety of textures and foods, especially fruits, veggies, and pureed meats to help baby develop their palate, get essential nutrients, and learn to love a variety of foods. If you've tried multiple, single-ingredient foods and no reaction has occurred, you can advance on to meals containing a variety of ingredients.

STARTING SOLIDS WITH MULTIPLE INGREDIENTS

Our Square Meals are loaded with iron, healthy fats, extra fiber, and more - the perfect starter meal to introduce your baby to new flavors (and allergens!). Our favorite starter Square Meals are:

• Beet Berry
• Harvest Feast
• Almond Butter & Banana
• Mango Coconut Chicken
• Lil Beef Stew (coming soon)
• Lil Greens  (coming soon)
• Lil Cashew Chicken  (coming soon)

Keep in mind that every baby is different. Some babies gobble up their first bites of food making this a really fun first-time experience for parents while other babies will spit out their first several introductions, which can be quite frustrating.

Remember that babies may take 10-15 times to accept or like a new food! Try not to get discouraged. Building a baby's palate takes time - your babe will become a foodie!

SOLIDS AT DIFFERENT TEMPERATURES

Your baby may prefer meals at different temperatures on different days of the week! This may be frustrating to you, but your baby may be exploring their developing palate. Try one of our Square Meals:

• Warm
• Cold
• Room temperature

To warm, we recommend scooping a portion in a glass container and microwave for 10 seconds. Stir the puree to distribute heat evenly. Double check the temperature before serving!

SOLIDS AT DIFFERENT TEXTURES AND CONSISTENCIES

In addition to temperature, some babies may prefer different textures or consistencies. We've said it before, but it's worth repeating - building your baby's palate is hard work! It will take time, and lots of patience! We promise it will be worth it in the end and your little babe will become an adventurous foodies!

Get 20% Off Square Baby!

Use code "SOLIDS20" at checkout for 20% off your first order!*
*new customers only

If your babe is starting solids for the first time, they may want to explore our smooth textured meals such as Apple Curry Chicken, Beet Berry, or Almond Butter and Banana. 

ADDING IRON-FORTIFIED CEREAL

Any of our smooth textured meals can be thickened by mixing in iron-fortified cereal, which can be found in most grocery stores. Looking for a budget-friendly iron-fortified cereal safe and nutritious for baby? Check your pantry for common food staples like oatmeal and barley! With a little preparation and planning, regular oatmeal works well when adding iron-fortified cereal to your baby's diet. To make oatmeal a baby-safe texture, just cook the oatmeal as instructed and toss into a high-speed blender. Pulse a few times until smooth or baby-safe desired consistency!

If you're pressed for time (who isn't?!), there are a few iron-fortified cereals available online or at your local retailer. We prefer rice-free options that are Clean Label Project certified.

Nutrition Tip: One of our favorite ways to add more texture (and nutrition!) is to add chucks of soft veggies or fruits to your baby's meal.

Made a puree too thick? It's an easy fix. Just add breastmilk or formula to the puree to make the consistency thinner. Problem solved!

It's worth repeating again and again. The Academy of Pediatrics states that it can take 10-15 tries for a baby to learn to like a food. Whether it's taste, texture, aroma, temperature, or just that fact that it's TUESDAY that is throwing baby off, they will very often overcome their 'dislike' for the food and learn to enjoy it after several tries. Stay patient. You got this!

HOW TO INTRODUCE ALLERGENS WITH SOLIDS

Landmark research like the LEAP study shows that introducing allergens early (at 4-6 months of age) and often (several times per a week) may help prevent allergies from developing by 80%! Some allergens are challenging to prepare or time-consuming to prepare in baby-safe textures. We're here to help! 

We're leaning into the research and are proud to be the ONLY baby food company to offer an allergen introduction (as well as allergen-free) menu. Our allergen introduction menu includes top allergens including:

• Peanuts
• Tree nuts (cashews, hazelnuts, almonds)
• Milk
• Egg
• Soy
• Wheat
• Sesame

Not sure which allergen meal to try first? Our top fan favorites featuring allergens are:

• Beet Berry (milk/yogurt)
• Hazelnut Pumpkin Pie (tree nuts, egg, soy)
• Almond Butter and Banana (tree nuts)

We offer a customizable allergen introduction (as well as allergen-free) menu to make introducing allergens easier for you and your baby. Explore our menu here.

PALATE DEVELOPMENT WHEN STARTING SOLIDS

Did you know only 10% of children consume the recommended amounts of veggies per day? Introducing a variety of veggies early and often when solids are introduced can help foster the development of baby's palate and even encourage baby to try more diverse flavors later in life. It's important to introduce again (and again!) new flavors to your baby.

That is why we include herbs and spices like mint, cardamom, and curry to help enhance flavor without needing to add sugar or salt!

We know this can be challenging as you're so excited to introduce solids and help your baby become an adventurous eater that enjoys their veggies! It'll happen. Promise. Keep trying.

STARTING SOLIDS: CHOKING VS GAGGING

Worried about choking vs gagging? It's a common concern for most parents when they start to introduce solids. Ask your pediatrician to describe the nuances. Gagging is a protective reflex and common when learning how to chew and swallow. Choking can be characterized by baby's skin turning blue and silence. Read more about how to prevent choking from the Academy of Pediatrics here. 

WE GOT YOU.

Square Baby is here to make it easy to offer 100% Daily Nutrition and a variety of foods, flavors, and textures to help your baby become the little foodie you're dreaming of. We offer 2 weeks of 100% Daily Nutrition, customized to your baby. Choose from a variety of meal box subscriptions including 14, 28, 42, and 56 meal boxes. Delivered straight to your door. 

Hungry for more? ;) Continue to "How to Start My Baby on Solids: Part 2" HERE.

~Katie and Kendall, cofounders

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.