Starting solids: the honest overview
At some point your baby watches you eat as if you were performing magic – and the questions begin: when to start? With what? And what is genuinely dangerous? This page gives you the overview, the linked guides the details – all with sources from the BfR (Germany's Federal Institute for Risk Assessment), the Gesund ins Leben network, the AAP and ESPGHAN rather than Instagram hearsay.
In short: start when your baby shows the readiness signs (usually between the 5th and 7th month) – not because the calendar says so. The ideal first purée is a vegetable-potato-meat purée (iron!), offer allergens early and regularly, and stick consistently to the red list (honey, whole nuts, whole grapes …).
The roadmap in three purées
In Germany the Gesund ins Leben network recommends building up solids over three purées that replace one milk feed each, one after the other – breastfeeding can continue alongside for as long as mother and child like:
| Step | Purée | Why |
|---|---|---|
| 1st purée (start) | Vegetable-potato-meat purée (lunchtime) | Provides iron and zinc – exactly the nutrients that run short from around 6 months. Vegetarian version: whole-grain cereal instead of meat. |
| 2nd purée (~1 month later) | Milk-and-cereal purée (evening) | Filling and provides calcium; whole-grain flakes add extra iron. |
| 3rd purée (~1 month later) | Cereal-and-fruit purée (afternoon) | Vitamin C from the fruit improves iron absorption as a bonus. The order of the 2nd and 3rd purée can be swapped. |
From around 8–10 months the European society ESPGHAN recommends moving to lumpier textures – this “lumpy-food window” shouldn't be missed so that chewing gets learned. Details and the full sequence are in the solids plan for the first 100 days.
Safety first
The solids guides at a glance
- When to start solids? – the 5 readiness signs and what the guidelines really say
- What foods should babies not eat? – red list, choking hazards, gagging vs. choking
- Introducing allergens – why early beats late (LEAP, EAACI, S3 guideline)
- Solids plan: the first 100 days – three-purée plan, lumpy-food window, realistic expectations
- Iron in your baby's first foods – the most important nutrient from 6 months, with a food table
Track solids – with a safety net
In the HeyFini app you log every meal with a few taps: what was on the menu, how it went, how it was tolerated. The catalogue of over 230 foods warns you at exactly the right moment (honey, whole grapes, raw carrot …) and shows the right preparation for each food at 6+, 9+ and 12+ months. On top of that there is the food passport, the readiness checklist, the allergen companion for all 14 major allergens and the Solids Journey: the first 100 days in three phases, whose milestones tick themselves off automatically from the meals you actually log.
Download HeyFini on the App Store
Frequently asked questions
When should I start solids?
When your baby shows the readiness signs – usually between the 5th and 7th month. All the signs and the guideline details: When to start solids?
Purées or BLW?
Both are fine, and most families mix. What matters is readiness, safety (texture!) and iron – not the method.
What must my baby not eat?
Honey, raw milk, raw egg/meat/fish, salt, sugar – and anything that can be inhaled (whole nuts, whole grapes). The complete list: Foods to avoid.
Do I have to avoid allergens?
No – offering them early and regularly is the better way according to current evidence: Introducing allergens.
General guidance, not medical advice. For questions about your child, talk to your paediatrician or midwife.