Best First Foods for Baby-Led Weaning

These are some of the best first foods you can introduce to your baby if you are following the baby-led weaning method.

So, your babe is consistently demonstrating signs that they are ready to start solid foods and your doctor has given you the go-ahead to start on the solid food journey with your babe. Now what? It can be a bit scary when you first introduce solids to your little one, but these five foods are all great ways to get started.

While none of the below foods are common allergens, I encourage you to read up on the baby-led weaning method of introducing new foods. BLW (baby-led weaning) advocates introducing your babe to common allergens early and often, but one at a time so you’re aware of any adverse reactions. We are lucky that our little one doesn’t seem to have any food allergies or sensitivities, but if your little one does, you may want to consult a medical professional.

Another quick note: Don’t worry if your child doesn’t yet have teeth! Raia didn’t get her first tooth until after she was a year old, and that didn’t seem to hold her back one bit when it came to eating. You’ll be amazed at what they can do with just their gums!

So, without further ado, here were some of our favorite first foods for baby:

#1 Roasted Zucchini Sticks

Quick Fix: Cut zucchini into 3-4 inch long sticks. Toss with olive oil and some sort of fresh or dried herb (oregano and dill are both favorites) Roast in 400 degree oven for 20 minutes, or until soft enough for your little one to “gum”. If you want to be extra cautious, peel the skin off the zucchini before cutting it into sticks.

#2 Oven-Baked Butternut Squash Fries

Quick Fix: Prepare in the same way as the zucchini sticks, but try using curry powder or a mix of ground cinnamon and nutmeg.

#3 Sliced Avocado

Quick Fix: Cut your avocado in half, then in quarters. Peel off the skin and slice in half again. Serve plain.

#4 Banana

Quick Fix: When baby is first starting out, I might recommend cutting the banana lengthwise in half or quarters. Once they have swallowing down pat, you can just hand them an unpeeled banana, or cut it up into discs.

#5 Oatmeal

Quick Fix: Make oatmeal however you usually make it, but be sure you are using PLAIN rolled or steel-cut oats and are not adding in additional sugars or salt. Some of my favorite early oatmeal additions are pureed pumpkin or a homemade (no sugar added) fruit conserve.

*Note: Unless your little one needs extra iron in his or her diet, it is not necessary to start them out with baby oatmeal or rice cereal. Instead, you can go straight to real oatmeal or rice cereal that you would make for yourself.

Finally, one of my very favorite things about baby-led weaning is the fact that it encourages you to introduce your little one to as many herbs and spices as possible as early as possible. One resource that I have found INCREDIBLY helpful when preparing food for my little one is The Flavor Bible by Karen Page and Andrew Dornenberg [*affiliate link]. It lists out common foods and then gives recommendations of flavor pairings that complement each one. I highly recommend you invest in it!

I hope this post has given you the tools you need to feel confident in preparing your baby’s first foods. As your little one’s oral and manual dexterity progresses, you’ll find more and more foods that they are able to eat. For some easy baby-led weaning recipe ideas, be sure to check out my e-cookbook, 30 Freezer-Friendly Recipes for Babies and Toddlers, this post on Easy Breakfast Recipes That Are Baby-Led Weaning Friendly and this list of 10 Easy Make-Ahead Baby-Led Weaning Recipes.

Happy cooking!