At around six months your baby will start to need solid food alongside their milk. Known as complimentary feeding, or weaning, this is the start of a lifelong relationship with food for them to explore with you by their side!
With thanks to Organix

The first 1,000 days are so important to the development of your baby and what they eat plays a big part in that. Developing your little one’s precious palate so they appreciate flavours of healthy food is key. So, where do you start? 

To ensure your baby grows up accepting a wide range of flavours and different solid foods, giving them lots of variety from the start is really important. It’s also important that the flavours are not masked with salt or sweetened to make the savoury flavours more acceptable. Food habits become entrenched early on, so setting them off on the right food path will help steer them along. 

At six months most foods can be included, with just a few exceptions…

Foods to avoid:

• Added salt
• Sugary foods
• Raw or lightly cooked shellfish
• Honey
• Whole nuts and peanuts (serve them ground or crushed)

How to start:

Solid food will feel strange at first. Start slowly and simply with one teaspoon. Do this each day until your baby is looking for more. Over the next couple of weeks, gradually increase the amount you are giving, whilst continuing with milk feeds and slowly introducing new flavours. After two or three weeks try a second ‘meal’ in the day, followed by a third. 

First foods to try

Carrots, sweet potatoes, squash, cauliflower and beetroot are popular first weaning foods, they are easy to steam or boil and are a big hit with little ones!  They also taste amazing roasted in the oven. If you are adopting the baby-led weaning approach or looking to introduce finger foods alongside purées, then you can very easily bake or steam sticks of root veg too. 

Organix Just Fruit and Veg Jars are another delicious fruit and veggie option for your little one to try from 6 months +. Filled with goodness, using only the best organic ingredients, they have nothing unnecessary added – no added salt, no artificial colours or flavours. They are also a great convenient option. Find out more here. 

Organix Melty Carrot Puffs, also for 6 months +, are a great first finger gently baked into sticks that are chunky, easy to grab and hold – perfect shape for dipping into hummus. Find out more here.

From 7 months +, you could try them with Organix award winning Melty Veggie Sticks*. These are made from the best organic vegetables and make a great finger food for little ones learning to feed themselves. They are packed with the best organic vegetables to fuel moments of weaning wonder and keep on-the-go toddlers satisfied throughout the day! Baked, not fried and made with organic corn and pea and flavoured with vegetables, like our jars, they have nothing unnecessary added to them. Find out more here.

We also have lots of recipes to try on our website along with ideas and activities for introducing new tastes and textures. Here is a selection of savoury options:

Parsnip Puree

This naturally sweet vegetable is a big hit with babies. Its brimming with vitamins and minerals and wonderfully easy to prepare (in under 10 minutes), plus there’s usually heaps left over to freeze for other occasions.

https://www.organix.com/recipes/6-months/parsnip-puree

Shepherd’s Pie

Warming and delicious, this pie can be eaten by adults and babies alike. It can also easily be made in advance and heated through the next day. Your little one will be won over by the comforting silky mash, soft carrots, and tasty celery and minced lamb!

https://www.organix.com/recipes/6-months/shepherds-pie

Broccoli Puree

Broccoli is a superfood, rich in vitamin A,C, E, K and a good array of B, as well as being a good source of fibre and protein. It also contains iron, potassium, calcium, selenium and magnesium.

https://www.organix.com/recipes/6-months/broccoli-puree

You can find a whole lot more at https://www.organix.com/recipes/6-months.  For more weaning recipes, try the Organix Baby & Toddler Cookbook which has over 70 quick and easy recipes from first purees to dinner time faves for the whole family to enjoy! 

*Made for Mums Silver Award 2020

Disclaimer: The views and advice given in this article are those of the guest writer and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Weaning World or any other organisations represented on this platform