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A Guide to Baby’s First Foods

The Mum Club3 June 2023

Babies sure know how to test us. Just when it starts to feel a little bit easier, you’re given a whole new other job to learn.

But weaning doesn’t have to be as daunting as it might seem and it can actually be (dare we say it) quite fun.

Especially great for hilarious snaps of them covered in mush or videos of them wincing over pureed peas.

So to aid your adventure we’ve rounded up our best weaning tips.

The best tips for weaning your baby

Go easy on the pressure. You don’t have to be wonder mum + chef, all while keeping your shit together – just do what you can.
Aim for variety. Offer veg first and blend veg with fruit if things are getting tricky. Struggling with anything green? A bit of banana never hurt anyone.
Hold the salt and sugar for under ones.
You can add baby’s usual milk to loosen the food when making purees.
Finger foods should be around 6cm long and soft enough to squish when pinched.
Peel off any skin from fruits and vegetable, as this can present a choking hazard early on in weaning.
Ensure food has cooled down before serving.
Good quality food pouches are okay. Not everyone has time to cook, and not everyone wants to. If you can, go organic.
First foods should not replace baby’s usual milk feeds.
Offering around one tsp of first purée is fine; they’re just exploring for now.

Babies are already accustomed to slightly sweeter tastes such as breastmilk or formula, so it is likely that they will accept sweeter foods such as fruit and root vegetables more easily than complex flavours.

Based on this, many mums give their little ones neutral foods before introducing more bitter ones. Avocado for example (filled with healthy fats, creamy in texture and not too sweet) swiftly followed by bitter greens and root vegetables.

Which is why we’ve put together a list of single foods to start feeding your baby with (regardless of whether you follow spoon-led or baby-led weaning) all grouped by ease of preparation. Because let’s face it, we mums need all the help we can get.

Weaning foods that take minutes to make

Mash it up: 2 min preparation time

Avocado
Banana
Mango
Papaya

Steam/stew and blend to a purée: 15 minutes prep time.

Green beans
Spinach
Courgette
Peach
Blueberry
Pineapple
Raspberry
Apple
Pear
Plum
Nectarine
Strawberry

20 minutes prep time.

Broccoli
Kale
Sweet Potato
Carrot
Potato
Cauliflower
Butternut Squash
Pumpkin
Swede
Parsnip

Learning to eat is a major challenge that leads to an important life skill. Go easy on yourself.

You and baby will have good days and bad, so be patient and stay calm, and good luck!

The Mum Club3 June 2023