- 100 First Foods resource: There are lists available online, such as the "100 First Foods," designed to provide a wide variety of foods for introducing solids to babies, including whole grains, fruits, and vegetables.
- Baby-led weaning: This approach encourages offering foods in manageable, finger-sized forms that babies can self-feed, such as steamed broccoli stems or vegetable sticks, promoting exploration and self-regulation with food.
- Interactive feeding: Using dips like yogurt or hummus and allowing babies to play with and explore food textures encourages acceptance and positive food experiences.
- Variety and exposure: Offering diverse foods early, even those outside traditional baby foods, helps increase acceptance and reduces picky eating later on.
- Safety considerations: Foods should be soft or easily mashed to prevent choking and cut into appropriate sizes for baby development stages.
Early Introduction to Foods
Offering a variety of safe and soft foods helps babies explore and build healthy eating habits.
Geraldine Rubin, MD, Pediatrics
