Baby food recipes for 6 month olds

Around six months is when most babies begin complementary foods alongside breast milk or infant formula. Six months is a general guide rather than a fixed rule: readiness matters more, and the usual signs are sitting up with support, steady head control, and reaching for food and bringing it to the mouth. Some babies show these signs a little earlier or later, and milk still does most of the nutritional work at this stage. First tastes are about getting used to flavour, texture and the mechanics of eating.

There is no single food every baby has to start with. Families commonly begin with soft cooked vegetables such as carrot, sweet potato, courgette, parsnip or broccoli; ripe fruit like pear, banana, peach or cooked apple; well-cooked grains such as oats and rice; and soft proteins including lentils, beans, full-fat plain yoghurt, well-cooked egg and finely flaked fish or shredded meat. Iron-rich foods matter more from six months onwards, so meat, pulses, egg and iron-fortified cereals are worth including regularly. Offering a wide variety of tastes and textures early on — including bitter greens and plainly seasoned herbs and spices — helps babies get used to the food the rest of the family eats.

Both approaches work at this stage. Smooth purées and soft mashes are easy to control and freeze well in small portions, while soft finger foods — such as steamed vegetable sticks cooked until they squash easily between your fingers — let babies practise self-feeding. Many families mix the two. What matters is that the texture matches your baby's developmental readiness: soft enough to squash, and cut into a shape they can manage safely for their stage. If you are leaning towards self-feeding, our baby-led weaning guide covers how to prepare and cut food in more detail.

Common allergen foods — such as egg, peanut and other nuts (as smooth butters thinned into food, never whole), dairy, wheat, soya, sesame, fish and shellfish — are usually introduced in age-appropriate forms once solids have started. Introducing them one at a time, in small amounts and not at bedtime, makes it easier to spot a reaction. This page is educational and not medical advice: if your baby has eczema, an existing food allergy, or you have any concerns, speak to a qualified health professional and follow guidance from your country's relevant health authority before introducing allergens.

Gagging and choking are not the same thing. Gagging is noisy and visible — your baby may cough, splutter, go red and push food forward. It is a normal reflex while learning to eat. Choking is quiet: the airway is blocked, so there is little or no sound. Always stay with your baby while they eat, keep them sitting upright and never let them eat while lying down, moving around or in a car seat. Prepare food in shapes and textures suited to their stage, and consider a paediatric first-aid course so you know what to do if something goes wrong.

Some things are generally kept out of a baby's diet in the first year: added salt and salty foods such as stock cubes and processed meats, added sugar and honey, whole nuts and other small hard round foods, unpasteurised dairy, raw or undercooked egg where recommended locally, and drinks such as cow's milk as a main drink, tea, coffee and anything sweetened. Water in a cup with meals is fine alongside milk feeds. Guidance varies by country, so check the advice from your local health authority.

Most families start with one small meal a day at a time when the baby is alert but not too hungry, then build up towards two or three meals over the following weeks as their appetite and skills grow. There is no schedule to hit. Breast milk or infant formula remains the main source of nutrition during the early stages of complementary feeding, so solids are offered around milk feeds rather than replacing them. Appetite varies day to day; refusing a food once does not mean it will not be eaten later.

What can a 6 month old eat?

Around six months, most babies start complementary foods alongside breast milk or infant formula. Soft cooked vegetables, ripe fruit, well-cooked grains, pulses and soft proteins are all common starting points. Readiness varies from baby to baby, so signs like sitting with support, good head control and interest in food matter more than the date on the calendar.

How often does a 6 month old eat solid food?

Many families begin with one small taste a day and build up gradually as the baby gets used to eating. Milk feeds still provide most of a baby's nutrition at this stage, so solids are usually offered around, not instead of, breast milk or formula.

What texture should food be at 6 months?

Both smooth or mashed purées and appropriately soft finger foods are used at this stage. What matters is that the texture matches your baby's developmental readiness — soft enough to squash easily, and shaped so it is manageable for their stage.

When can common allergens be introduced?

Common allergen foods are usually introduced in age-appropriate forms once solids have started, one at a time so any reaction is easy to spot. If your baby has eczema, an existing food allergy or a family history of allergy, speak to a qualified health professional before introducing them.