The Best First Foods for Babies (and How to Keep Using Them as They Grow)

The Best First Foods for Babies (and How to Keep Using Them as They Grow)

By Jessica Kurosaki, Le Puree In-House Dietitian

Introducing solids is a big (and often messy) milestone, but it doesn’t have to feel overwhelming. Whether you’re starting with purees, finger foods, or a bit of both, the goal is to build variety, confidence, and a love of real food.

We’ve rounded up some of the best first foods to support your baby’s development - meals that grow with them from first tastes through to toddlerhood and beyond.

Start strong and keep the nutrition going. (Hint: every food can be a forever food!)

🍼 6–8 Months: First Tastes

These foods are so exciting- they can offer a range of textures, flavours and nutrients! Get creative!

Pumpkin or sweet potato

  • Start: Steamed and mashed- or pureed, depending on your feeding strategy
  • Later: Stir into ricotta, blend into muffins or pancakes
PICTURED: Le Puree Pumpkin, Banana, Carrot Puree

Avocado

  • Start: Mashed down as smooth as you’d like
  • Later: Sliced, chunkier mash or spread on toast

Banana

  • Start: Mashed or pureed
  • Later: Peeled and segmented- longer pieces are safer. Also sliced or chunks into cereal

Egg (allergen exposure!)

  • Start: Well cooked. Mashed or scrambled and offer a small amount to start
  • Later: Omelette strips, egg muffins, cooked into baked goods

🍴 8–10 Months: Exploring New Textures

Starting to explore textures, more allergen exposure and tons more nutrients!

Stewed Apple or Pear

  • Start: Steamed, peeled and mashed. Some babies will manage spears to hold onto at this stage
  • Later: Steamed or baked- grated into porridge, or soft pieces as handheld snacks

Tofu (allergen exposure!)

  • Start: Offering silken tofu is a no cook, extremely messy meal. It’ll be shampooed into their hair if they approve, but it’s an amazon source pf protein
  • Later: Cubed as finger food, in stir fries or scrambled eggs
PICTURED: Le Puree Tofu. Green Lentil & Wakame Puree

Fish (boneless) (allergen exposure!)

  • Start: Flaked, deboned and mixed with mashed veggies
  • Later: Salmon or mackerel fritters, baked and flaked pieces served with baked veggies, pasta or risotto  
PICTURED: Le Puree Mackerel Fritters

 

🥗 10–12 Months: Mini Meals Begin

More variety and independence in eating.

Greek Yoghurt (full-fat, plain) (allergen exposure!)

  • Start: Offer this on its own or with fruit pieces that they can safely chew
  • Later: In smoothies, dips, or dolloped on pancakes
PICTURED: Le Puree Lemon Ricotta Pancakes with Greek Yoghurt

Lentils

  • Start: Well cooked and mashed with veggies
  • Later: In dahl, veggie patties, or sub half the meat from a bolognese sauce for lentils (more nutrients, more cost effective). Hello win win!

Every food can be a food to keep in their diet forever. We believe that baby food is just food. So, however you start it- let’s aim to keep it in their rotation!

Some of our favourites for starting solids and beyond...