When can babies eat…
Each food guide gives the age each health service suggests, how to prepare it as your baby's skills grow, and the allergy and choking notes that apply.
The Cocoon guide library
Starting solids
Explore readiness around six months, iron-containing first foods and progressing textures. Keep breast milk or infant formula alongside food, and use preparation advice suited to your baby's skills.
Meals as your baby grows
Milk feeds and meals shift together. These guides show how a day of food changes from first tastes to family meals.
More first foods
Iron-rich foods, grains and family favourites, each with preparation by stage and the choking and allergy notes that apply.
Fruit and vegetables
Soft, cooked or grated: how to make each one safe to eat as your baby's skills grow.
All starting solids guides
Solids
Apple for babies: when to start, stewed apple and raw apple safety
When babies can eat apple, why raw apple pieces are a choking risk, how to stew, purée, grate or slice it by age, seeds, pouches and apple juice.
Solids
Avocado for babies: ripeness, mash, spears and cubes by age
When babies can eat avocado, how to pick a ripe one, how to serve it mashed, in spears and in small cubes as your baby grows, and how to keep it safe.
BreastfeedingBottle
Baby feeding schedule by age: how much and how often (0–2 years)
How often babies feed, typical formula amounts, when solids and meals build up, and what milk looks like after 12 months — with example days by age.
SolidsDevelopment
Baby food textures by age: purées, lumps and finger foods
How to move your baby from smooth or mashed food to lumps, finger foods and family meals, how to prepare each texture safely, and what to do about gagging and choking.
SolidsDevelopment
Baby-led weaning vs purees: how they compare and how to start
What baby-led weaning (BLW) and spoon-feeding purees involve, how they compare on safety, iron and mess, how to do each one well, and how to combine them.
Solids
Banana for babies: how to serve it by age, ripeness and constipation
When babies can eat banana, how to mash, cut and hold it at each stage, ripe versus green bananas, whether banana causes constipation, and choking safety.
Solids
Beef for babies: when to start, iron, mince and safe cooking
When babies can eat beef and other red meat, why it's a good source of iron, how to cook mince through and serve beef by age, and sausages, ham and salt.
Solids
Blueberries for babies: when to start and how to cut them safely
When babies can eat blueberries, how to mash or quarter them at each age, frozen berries and teething, dark nappies, and the signs that mean allergy.
SolidsWeaning
Bottle to cup: when to introduce a cup and stop bottles
When to start an open or free-flow cup, when health services suggest moving off bottles, a step-by-step plan for dropping bottles, and why it matters for teeth.
Solids
Broccoli for babies: when to start, soft florets and bitter tastes
When babies can eat broccoli, steaming soft florets for finger food by stage, choking safety, coaxing a bitter vegetable, wind and green nappies, and when to get help.
HealthSolids
Can babies drink water? Water by age, from newborn to toddler
When babies can have water, why not before 6 months, hot weather advice by country, how much from 6 months, boiling tap water, and why juice can wait.
Solids
Carrots for babies: when to start, soft sticks and raw carrot risk
When babies can eat carrots, why raw carrot is a choking risk, cooking soft carrot sticks, grating and mashing by stage, orange skin, and when to get help.
Solids
Cheese for babies: safe types, salt and how to serve it
When babies can eat cheese, which cheeses to avoid, how to cut it so it isn't a choking risk, lower-salt choices, and what to know about cow's milk allergy.
Solids
Chicken for babies: when to start, safe cooking and how to serve
When babies can eat chicken, how to cook it through and serve it at each age, leftovers and reheating, nuggets and salt, and how to lower the choking risk.
SolidsHealth
Choking vs gagging in babies: signs, first aid and safe eating
How to tell normal gagging from choking, what to do if your baby is choking, and how to set up meals and prepare food to lower the risk.
Solids
Eggs for babies: when to start, how to cook them and allergy signs
When your baby can have egg, how well to cook it in Australia, the UK and the US, how to serve it at each age, and what to do if your baby reacts.
SolidsWeaning
Feeding a 10–12 month old: meals, snacks, family food and milk
Meals, milk feeds and snacks at 10–12 months, chopped family food, self-feeding, salt and sugar limits, an example day and getting ready for cow's milk.
BreastfeedingBottle
Feeding a 4–6 month old: milk, night feeds and solids readiness
How much milk babies need from 4 to 6 months, distracted feeds, night feeds after the 4-month change, readiness for solids, iron, water and first cups.
SolidsBreastfeeding
Feeding a 7–9 month old: meals, milk, lumps and an example day
Meals and milk feeds for 7–9 month olds, lumpy and finger foods, iron, allergens, drinks, gagging, an example day and when to get help.
SolidsWeaning
Feeding toddlers 12–24 months: meals, milk limits and portions
Meals, snacks, milk limits by country, breastfeeding, cups, portions, fussy eating, vitamins, foods to avoid and an example day for toddlers aged 1 to 2.
Solids
Fish for babies: when to start, mercury, bones and how much
When babies can eat fish, which fish to limit or avoid because of mercury, how to cook and serve it by age, shellfish, and fish allergy signs.
SolidsHealth
Foods to avoid for babies under 12 months (and why)
The short list of foods and drinks to skip or change in your baby's first year — honey, choking risks, salt, sugar, certain drinks, fish, eggs and cheeses.
SolidsBehavior
Fussy eating in toddlers: why it happens and what helps
Why toddlers become picky eaters, calm strategies that help, what to avoid, an example day of meals and snacks, and when fussy eating needs a doctor.
SolidsHealth
Honey and babies: why not before 12 months, and botulism signs
Why babies under 12 months shouldn't have honey, whether cooked honey or a honey dummy counts, the signs of infant botulism, and honey for coughs after age 1.
SolidsHealth
Introducing allergens to babies: peanut, egg and reaction signs
When and how to introduce peanut, egg and other common allergy foods, how to spot a reaction, and what to do if one happens.
SolidsHealth
Iron-rich first foods for babies: what to offer and why
Why babies need iron from around 6 months, the best iron-rich first foods and how to prepare them, what helps absorption, and when iron drops come in.
SolidsHealth
Juice for babies and toddlers: when, how much and better drinks
Why babies under 12 months don't need juice, how much toddlers can have under Australian, UK and US advice, teeth, constipation and better drinks.
Solids
Mango for babies: when to start, slippery spears and mouth rash
When babies can eat mango, how to serve ripe mango by age, making slippery spears easier to hold, the stone and skin, dried mango and mouth rashes.
BottleWeaning
Moving to cow's milk at 12 months: how much, which milk and how
When cow's milk can become a main drink, how much toddlers need, full-fat versus reduced-fat, plant milks, allergy, and how to switch from formula.
Solids
Nut butters for babies: tree nuts, safe serving and allergy signs
When and how to give your baby almond, cashew, hazelnut and other tree nut butters, what each country advises, safe textures by age and reaction signs.
Solids
Oats and porridge for babies: when to start, gluten and oat milk
When babies can eat oats and porridge, how to serve them at each age, what oats mean for gluten and coeliac disease, and when oat milk is suitable as a drink.
Solids
Pasta for babies: when to start, shapes by age and wheat allergy
When babies can eat pasta, which shapes suit each stage, how to introduce wheat as an allergen, keeping sauces low in salt, and wholemeal and legume pastas.
Solids
Peanuts for babies: when to start, how to prepare and allergy signs
When and how to give your baby peanut, what Australian, UK and US guidance says about eczema and egg allergy, safe preparation by age, and reaction signs.
Solids
Pear for babies: when to start, softening hard pears and constipation
When babies can eat pear, how to tell if it's soft enough, cooking or grating firm pears by age, pear skin, pear for constipation, and why juice can wait.
Solids
Peas for babies: when to start, squashing peas and pea allergy
When babies can eat peas, why to squash small round peas, frozen and tinned peas, peas as a legume allergen, and why pea protein drinks aren't a main milk.
Solids
Prawns and shellfish for babies: when to start, allergy and safety
When babies can eat prawns, crab, mussels and squid, how to cook and chop shellfish by age, raw shellfish risks, mercury, and shellfish allergy signs.
Solids
Pumpkin for babies: when to start, mash, wedges and seeds
When babies can eat pumpkin and butternut squash, roasting versus steaming, mash and soft wedges by age, canned purée, pumpkin seeds and choking safety.
Solids
Rice for babies: when to start, arsenic advice and safe leftovers
When babies can eat rice, what Australian, UK and US agencies say about arsenic, how to serve rice at each age, and how to store and reheat it safely.
SolidsDevelopment
Starting solids: readiness signs, first foods and how much
When and how to start solids, the signs your baby is ready, what to offer first, how much food by age, and how advice differs in Australia, the UK and the US.
Solids
Strawberries for babies: when to start, how to cut them and mouth rash
When babies can eat strawberries, how to wash and cut them at each stage, why a red mouth is usually skin irritation, and the signs that mean allergy.
Solids
Sweet potato for babies: when to start, mash and soft wedges
When babies can eat sweet potato, how to cook it soft, mash or wedges by age, baked versus steamed, vitamin A, iron pairings and choking safety.
Solids
Tofu for babies: when to start, soy allergy and how to serve it
When babies can eat tofu, silken versus firm, how to serve it by age, soy allergy signs, soy drinks and formula, and iron for vegetarian babies.
Solids
Tomatoes for babies: when to start, safe cuts and mouth rash
When babies can eat tomatoes, cooked or raw, how to cut cherry tomatoes, keeping tomato sauces low in salt, and why a red mouth is usually irritation.
Solids
Yoghurt for babies: when to start, best types and added sugar
When babies can have yoghurt, why plain full-fat is best, Greek-style and flavoured yoghurts, added sugar, dairy allergy, and how yoghurt fits with milk feeds.
Key terms
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Baby sleepBaby healthDaily routinesBreastfeedingDevelopment & milestonesSafe sleepBehaviourSoothing & cryingBottle feedingWhen baby is unwellPostpartum recoveryPregnancy & birthTravel & outingsGrowth & percentilesWeaningPumping & milk supplyDiapers & nappiesParent mental healthTeethingAll guides
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