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Your guide to weaning

Everything you need to know about starting your little one’s weaning journey. We’ve got top tips from parents and experts on how to get their taste buds tingling.

What is weaning?

Weaning is the transition from milk to solid food. At around six months of age, your baby will start to need nutrients that aren’t available in adequate amounts in their milk alone. It’s important they’re introduced to solid food that starts to meet these additional nutritional needs while breast or bottle feeding continues up to two years of age or beyond.

Once your little one reaches this milestone, it’s natural to have lots of questions, so explore the weaning sections and look out for top tips from our Expert Panel and other families.

Is my baby ready for weaning? 

There are a number of things to consider as you approach the weaning or complementary feeding stage, for example:

  • Can your little one sit up? (It’s ok if they need a little extra support from you)
  • Can they grasp objects and bring them to their mouths?
  • Are they interested in your food and perhaps try to grab from your plate?
  • Can they hold their head steady and move around from side to side?
     

Where do I start with weaning? 

If weaning with purees, start with thin purees and build up to ones with a thicker consistency and eventually minced or chopped foods. Then try larger pieces of food from protein and carbohydrate groups, like fish, chicken and potato.

Going down the puree route? Start with single flavours based on a range of vegetables. Try and focus on vegetables over fruit, as little ones have a preference for sweeter tastes so it’s good for them to become accustomed to savoury flavours early on.
 

Good first vegetables to include early on:

Spinach

Broccoli

Cauliflower

Pumpkin

Over time your little one will progress from purees to first finger foods to moving food and soft lumps around their mouth as well as using their lips to clear food from a spoon. Soon enough they’ll be accepting a wide range of food, as eaten by the entire family.

The Importance of solid food

Chewing improves the strength and coordination of the jaw area, which is essential for speech development. The more texture and shapes they are given in food at a younger age, the more receptive they will be to a wide range of food later in life. If you keep your little one on the puree stage for too long, it may be more difficult for them to accept lumps and finger foods.

Soft cooked vegetables

Cubes of hard cheese

Flaked fish

Hard boiled egg wedges

Foods that should be avoided in the first year:

Honey

Honey may lead to infant botulism, as it contains bacteria which can cause this illness in little ones under 12 months.

Fruit juice

Due to its high sugar content which can lead to tooth decay.

Processed meat

Due to its high salt content.

Whole nuts

Due to the possible choking risk.

How much food should I give me little one? 

The developmental feeding or weaning stage provides new tastes, textures and nutrients as well as introducing your little one to the social element of eating with family.

To begin with it may only be a few teaspoons, but as they grow, more will be eaten at each meal

Be led by your baby and let them regulate their own appetite. Allowing them some control is key. If they are curious and attempt to grab the spoon too, then don’t stop them – be prepared for the fact that it will get messy!

This varies so much, depending on how they feel each day

Every day is different: factors like if they are teething or feeling tired, as well as how much they’ve moved around, can all affect how much they eat. 

Aim to recognise signs when your little one has eaten enough.

They might refuse to open their mouth, or they turn their head away to avoid further food. It’s useful to note that all babies are different, and they can differ in the amount they eat, so persistence is vital.

Top tips

Halve foods such as grapes and cherry tomatoes to minimise the risk of choking and you should always check for any bones in fish or meat before cooking and serving.

From 6 months it’s fine to use crushed nuts or nut butters in meals, however try and choose those with no added salt or sugar.

Parent Corner

Check out our latest articles here to discover advice, tips and info on how to make your little one’s weaning journey easy and hassle-free.

Read more

Got a question?

Here are some of our most popular questions, if you have a specific question, check out our FAQ page to find your answer!
Find more answers

How much sugar is there in your products?

Wherever possible, our finger foods only contain sugar that is naturally present in the fruits and vegetables from which they are made. All of our products are sold in portion-controlled packs and adhere to very strict baby regulations. We do recommend that little ones eat a varied and balanced diet offering a wide range of healthy, tasty foods.

I’m concerned my child has an allergy, what should I do?

If you are concerned that your little one has a food allergy or an intolerance then you should first get professional advice from your healthcare professional. Don’t just eliminate foods from your child’s diet, as they may become deficient in important nutrients. Depending on the severity and urgency, make notes of symptoms and the reactions and talk to your healthcare professional.

How can I encourage my little one to eat vegetables?

Where you can try and sit as a whole family and eat and enjoy your meal (and vegetables!) all together, so your child can see you enjoy all the foods on your plate.

Children need to try foods such as vegetables many times until they are familiar and accept them. This is tough to witness as a parent, but don’t give up and try offering it again!

In the meantime make sure to include some vegetables within meals (e.g. grated courgette or carrot in a pasta sauce) so you know they are getting some vegetables into their diet.