APPENDIX II

Charting Baby’s Solid Food Adventures

If there is one thing to be said about charts, it’s that you either love them or you hate them. Many parents find it helpful to refer to a chart of foods that are age-appropriate for their infants. The charts on the following pages list foods that are appropriate for each of the three stages, so that you can pick and choose when (and if) you want to serve your baby these foods. The most important thing to remember about any chart is that it is intended to offer suggestions and guidelines for your consideration. Always feed your baby according to your pediatrician’s recommendation and your baby’s needs and cues and not according to any chart.

First Foods for Baby Chart—Four to Six Months Old

The foods listed in this chart are all wonderful starters for babies. They are not known to cause terrible digestive upsets, nor are they highly allergenic.

Foods for Baby

FOUR TO SIX (4–6) MONTHS OLD

CEREALS & GRAINS: Barley, Oat, Rice

FRUITS: Apples, Avocados, Bananas, Pears

VEGETABLES: Acorn/Butternut Squash, Green Beans, Sweet Potatoes

PROTEIN: None

DAIRY: None

Second Foods for Baby Chart—Six to Eight Months Old

Whether your baby is just starting her solid food adventures or is already becoming a fabulous foodie, the foods shown in this chart will expand her palate and bring heaps of joy to her taste buds. Incorporating spices and herbs to baby’s food will let you add zip and flavor without having to rely on salt or sugars.

Foods for Baby

SIX TO EIGHT (6–8) MONTHS OLD

CEREALS & GRAINS: Barley, Oat, Rice

FRUITS: Apples, Apricots, Avocado, Bananas, Mangoes, Nectarines, Peaches, Pears, Plums, Prunes, Pumpkin

VEGETABLES: Acorn/Butternut Squash, Carrots, Green Beans, Parsnips, Peas, Sweet Potatoes, Yellow Squash/Zucchini

PROTEIN: Chicken, Tofu, Turkey

DAIRY: Cheese (closer to eight months), Plain Whole-Milk Yogurt

It’s time to think about experimenting with spices!

Third Foods for Baby Chart—Eight Months and Older

From eight months of age, it’s a no-holds-barred food festival.

Foods for Baby

EIGHT MONTHS AND OLDER

GRAINS & SEEDS: Amaranth, Flax, Kamut, Millet, Pasta, Quinoa, Sesame, Spelt, Wheat

FRUITS: Blueberries, Cherries, Citrus, Cranberries, Dates, Figs, Grapes, Kiwi, Melons, Papaya, Pineapple, Raspberries, Strawberries

VEGETABLES: Artichokes, Asparagus, Beets, Broccoli, Cauliflower, Corn, Cucumbers, Eggplant, Leeks, Mushrooms, Onions, Peppers, Spinach, Tomatoes, Turnip, White Potatoes

PROTEIN: Beans/Legumes, Beef, Fish, Ham (natural), Pork, Tofu

DAIRY: Cheddar, Cream Cheese, Cottage Cheese, Colby, Jack (no soft cheeses such as Brie!)

Combined Solid Food Chart

Foods for All Ages
Age	Fruits	Vegetables	Meats and Proteins	Grains	Dairy
4–6 months	Apples Avocados Bananas Pears	Green beans Sweet potato Winter squash (such as butternut)		Barley Oatmeal Rice
6–8 months	Apricots Mangoes Nectarines Papaya Peaches Plums Prunes Pumpkin	Carrots Parsnips Peas	Chicken Tofu Turkey		Cheese Yogurt
8 months and older	Blueberries Cantaloupe (Melons) Cherries Citrus Coconut Cranberries Figs Grapes Kiwi Persimmons Strawberries	Asparagus Beans (dried/lentils) Beets Broccoli Cauliflower Corn Cucumber Eggplant Leeks Onions Peppers Potato, white Spinach Summer squash (such as zucchini and yellow) Tomatoes Turnips	Beef Eggs Fish Pork	Buckwheat/kasha Flax Kamut Millet Pasta Quinoa	Cheese Cottage cheese Cream cheese
12 months					Cow’s milk