Starting solids at 6 months: first foods, iron & allergens

Check readiness before choosing a first food

The CDC readiness guide looks at development as well as age. Relevant signs include:

• Sitting alone or with support.
• Controlling the head and neck.
• Opening the mouth when offered food.
• Moving food back to swallow instead of pushing it out.

Interest in your plate alone is not enough. If readiness is unclear, or there are swallowing, growth or other feeding concerns, ask your pediatrician. A calendar, food checklist or AI answer is not a readiness assessment.

First foods: include iron, without a fixed menu

There is no required first-food order. Include iron-rich choices as solids begin. The CDC iron guidance notes that needs vary with breast milk, formula and other circumstances; a food count cannot establish that a baby has enough iron. Ask a clinician about supplements rather than using this page to choose a dose.

Examples to discuss and prepare for your baby's skills, not a daily prescription

Food option	What to check
Iron-fortified infant cereal	Choose an infant product and an appropriate smooth texture; vary grains rather than using only rice
Meat or poultry	Cook thoroughly, remove bones and prepare a texture the baby can manage
Beans or lentils	Cook and mash; whole beans can be a choking hazard
Fruit and vegetables alongside other foods	Soften or puree as needed; these do not replace attention to iron-rich choices

The AAP starting-solids guide recommends beginning with small tastes and not forcing a baby who turns away. Continue breast milk or infant formula alongside early solids. Do not make a tracker quantity or an empty bowl the goal.

New foods and allergens: do not hide the guidance differences

CDC and the AAP's general starting-solids page describe introducing single-ingredient foods with 3 to 5 days between new foods. The AAP's more specific allergen-introduction page says at least a day. These are not identical instructions. Ask your pediatrician which approach fits your baby, especially when you need an individual allergy plan; this article does not select a personalized interval.

The allergen guide advises against unnecessary delay once a baby is ready. Severe eczema, egg allergy or a previous immediate food reaction warrants a conversation with the clinician before peanut introduction. Do not use an app to choose a high-risk introduction, a test dose or a re-challenge after a suspected reaction.

Keeping a repeat-exposure record is different from prescribing repeat exposure. Record actual meals and follow your clinician's advice. No symptoms noticed on one occasion is not proof that allergy is absent or that another serving is safe.

Preparation and supervision still matter

The CDC choking guidance emphasizes upright seating, continuous supervision and food preparation matched to development. Avoid whole nuts, sticky spoonfuls of nut butter, whole grapes, hard raw pieces and other choking hazards. A previously eaten ingredient does not make every texture safe.

Under CDC foods-to-avoid guidance, do not give honey or cow's milk as a drink before 12 months. Plain pasteurized yogurt is a different food from replacing milk feeds with cow's milk. Avoid unpasteurized products, added sugars and high-salt foods. These examples are not a complete food-safety checklist.

For trouble breathing, collapse or a suspected severe reaction, call your local emergency number and follow the child's prescribed emergency plan. For other possible food reactions, stop the suspected food and contact a clinician before offering it again. Do not delay care to finish a log. The AAP food-allergy guide explains the need for medical assessment.

Turn the meal into a useful record

1. Write what happened. Keep the food and ingredients, preparation, time offered and approximate amount eaten together. “Amount unknown” is more useful than an invented number.
2. Separate observations from conclusions. Give an observation its own time. Write what you saw, not “allergy confirmed” or “safe forever.”
3. Make the handoff readable. Ask the next caregiver to find the entry. If a field or shared view is unavailable, use the free printable feeding log and talk directly.

For a more detailed record checklist and caregiver workflow, use our baby food and allergen tracker guide. These are recordkeeping tasks, not a menu or treatment plan. Do not create test meals or artificial health entries to check the software.

ParentFlow's everyday feeding tracking, daily summaries and trends are free. Premium Food Planner is separate; Notes and To-Dos require Plus or Premium. Everyday tracking is offered on iOS, Android and Web, but this page does not verify Food Planner or individual field availability on each platform. Check your chosen version before subscribing. The record cannot diagnose or rule out allergy or prevent a reaction.

Quick answers

Does turning 6 months mean my baby is ready for solids?

No. About 6 months is the usual starting point, not an automatic approval. Look for head and neck control, supported sitting and the ability to swallow food. CDC does not recommend solids before 4 months. Discuss uncertain readiness or feeding concerns with your pediatrician.

How much should my baby eat when starting solids?

Begin with small tastes and follow your baby's cues rather than a target from a tracker. Do not force food when your baby turns away. Continue breast milk or infant formula alongside early solids; ask your clinician about individual feeding or growth concerns.

Do I need to wait three days between each new food?

Published advice differs: CDC and AAP's general starting-solids page describe 3 to 5 days between new single-ingredient foods, while AAP's allergen-introduction page says at least a day. Ask your pediatrician which approach fits your baby. Neither an interval nor a symptom-free log rules out allergy.

What foods should I avoid in the first year?

Do not give honey before 12 months or cow's milk as a drink before 12 months. Avoid unpasteurized foods and drinks, added sugars and high-salt foods. Whole nuts, sticky spoonfuls of nut butter, whole grapes and hard food pieces are choking hazards; preparation must suit your baby's development.

Do I need Premium Food Planner to keep a feeding log?

No. ParentFlow's everyday feeding tracking, daily summaries and trends are free. Food Planner is Premium; Notes and To-Dos require Plus or Premium. Everyday tracking is offered on iOS, Android and Web, but Food Planner availability and field parity are not verified here. Check your chosen app or use the free printable feeding log.

Sources & further reading

1. CDC — When, What, and How to Introduce Solid Foods
2. AAP — Starting Solid Foods
3. CDC — Iron
4. AAP — Introducing Common Food Allergens
5. CDC — Choking Hazards
6. CDC — Foods and Drinks to Avoid or Limit
7. AAP — Food Allergies in Children

Sources checked September 6, 2026. ParentFlow publishes this article and offers the app linked below. This is a public-source review, not independent clinician review or a signed-in test of app features. Read our editorial standards and privacy policy before sharing child information.

This article is educational, not an individual feeding or allergy-management plan. ParentFlow is a wellness companion, not a diagnostic tool. It cannot assess readiness, diagnose or rule out allergy, or prevent a reaction. Follow your clinician's advice; call your local emergency number for a suspected severe reaction.