How to Start Baby-Led Weaning + First Foods

Published Aug 13, 2023, Updated Dec 29, 2023

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Here’s how to introduce solids using a baby-led weaning approach, when to start, the benefits and what first foods to give your baby.

As a parent, starting solids with your baby is always an exciting (and messy!) time, but it can also feel overwhelming because most pediatricians give you the go-ahead to start around 4-6 months, but don’t give much additional information.

I know for me, I had a billion questions when we started solids – i.e: What foods should we start with? How often should baby be eating? Should it be before or after milk? What if they don’t eat much? Or worse, what if they choke?

With my daughter, Olivia, I decided to do a more traditional approach to starting solids which involved starting with baby food purees and then transitioning to finger foods. It felt like the right approach for us at the time given her feeding background and my nervousness as a first-time mom.

Baby boy in a high chair wearing a green bib with a plate being served of bell pepper, sweet potato and avocado with hemp seeds

Honestly, I had so much fun making homemade baby food and coming up different baby food combinations for her that I don’t regret the decision at all, but when my son, Tucker, was born (almost 3 years later) I had learned more about baby-led weaning (BLW) and felt confident in the approach so I really wanted to try it with him.

There are many benefits of BLW (more on that below) and I can truthfully say, BLW was such a great decision for us and we’ve loved it so much, which is why I wanted to write this post and share our experience. But before I get too far, let me cover the basics…

What is Baby-Led Weaning (BLW)?

Baby-led weaning is simply a method of introducing solid foods to baby that involves letting them feed themselves, rather than spoon-feeding them purees. It was first popularized by Gill Rapley, a British midwife and author of Baby-Led Weaning: The Essential Guide to Introducing Solid Foods.

The idea behind BLW is that it allows babies to explore and learn about food at their own pace, rather than being spoon-fed purees. It also encourages them to develop their fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination, as they learn to pick up and handle different types of food.

BLW is usually started when a baby is around 6 months old, once they are physically able to sit up and have good head control. It’s important to note that BLW is not a replacement for breast milk or formula, but rather a complementary method of introducing solid foods.

Benefits of Baby-Led Weaning

There are several potential benefits to using the BLW method of introducing solids. Here are some of the big ones:

One major benefit is that BLW can help babies learn to regulate their own food intake. When babies are spoon-fed purees, it’s easy for parents to overfeed them. With BLW, parents are in control of what the baby is served, but the baby is in control of how much they eat and can stop when they’re full.
It may help babies develop a healthier relationship with food. By allowing them to explore and try different foods on their own, they may be less picky eaters in the long run. I have to say that Olivia didn’t start with baby-led weaning and she is still a great eater and obviously BLW isn’t the only thing that affects whether your kiddo will become a picky eater or not!
With BLW, babies are picking up and handling food themselves which helps them develop their fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination.
It can be more convenient for parents. Since babies are feeding themselves, parents don’t have to spend as much time preparing purees and spoon-feeding. I definitely found this to be the case for us and loved that I could serve Tucker the same foods the rest of the family was eating rather than having to make special purees just for him.
It makes eating out at restaurants easier. Because baby doesn’t need purees, you’re easily able to order regular food off a restaurant menu to serve to baby and they can be eating alongside you rather than you having to feed baby while enjoying your meal.

6 month old baby in high chair with blue plate, mom on the side in a black sweater.

When to Start Baby-Led Weaning

Just as I mention in my post about starting solids with Olivia, you want to look for signs of readiness before starting solids with your baby. Here are a few signs:

Baby can sit up with (or without) support.
Baby can hold their head up in an upright position without too much bobbing.
Baby has lost the tongue thrust reflex.
Baby puts their hands or toys in their mouth.
Baby has shown interest in food (leaning forward and opening their mouth) or trying to grab food you’re eating.

These are all signs that your baby might be ready to start solids. As always, check with your pediatrician as well!

Tips for Success with Baby-Led Weaning

If you’re interested in trying the BLW method with your baby, here are some tips for success:

Start when your baby is ready. As mentioned earlier, BLW is usually started when a baby is around 6 months old but also be on the look out for the signs I mentioned in the section above.
Be patient. It’s important to remember that BLW is a learning process for both you and your baby. Don’t get discouraged if your baby doesn’t seem interested in certain foods or if they don’t eat much at first.
Offer a variety of foods. One of the benefits of BLW is that it allows babies to try a wide range of foods. Offer your baby a variety of foods, including different textures and flavors. I give lots of ideas below!
Keep a close eye on your baby. As with any method of feeding, it’s important to watch your baby closely to make sure they are eating safely. Make sure they are sitting upright and not choking on any food.
Don’t worry about your baby getting enough nutrients. One motto you’ll often hear is “food before 1 is just for fun” and this just means that before baby turns 1 solid food isn’t meant to be a baby’s primary source of nutrition. They should still be consuming most of their calories through breastmilk or formula.

When and How Often to Offer Solid Food

When you first introduce solids to baby, remember to start small. This means one meal time and food each day or even every few days. This can help you monitor if baby has any sort to allergic reaction to the new foods. The feeding doesn’t have to happen at the same time every day and you don’t have to give food every day once you start. It’s okay to offer solid food a few times a week when you’re just starting out if that’s what you have the time and energy for.

In the beginning I recommend offering solids after the baby has been given their breastmilk or formula that way they’re still getting most of their nutrition from the milk and they’re not ravenous. Once baby is older (9-12 months) and you’re transitioning away from milk you can offer solid food first and then milk.

In terms of how many meals to offer baby, start with 1 and then transition to more meals as your baby gets more comfortable and interested in eating solids. I know for Tucker he loved solid food so after offering solids once a day for a couple weeks we quickly transitioned to twice a day and then eventually (around 7-8 months) we were doing 3 meals a day and now at 12 months we’re doing 3 meals a day and 1 snack.

Best First Foods For Baby-Led Weaning

When starting BLW with Tucker, the one thing I was consistently looking up was ideas for foods to introduce to him. Here I’ve put together 12 easy BLW foods that we started with. Of course this list could go on and on, but I feel like it’s a nice starting point.

It’s interesting because even though we started Olivia on purees and Tucker with baby-led weaning, all of their first foods were the same: sweet potato, avocado and banana. So the exact same foods, just a different preparation.

With each of these foods I’m showing the serving suggestion for a young baby (6 months old), once baby is a bit older (8-10 months) and developed their pincer grasp, you can serve smaller, bite-size pieces.

Sweet Potato

Cook: Steam or roast sweet potato until it’s very soft and can be easily mashed between your fingers. I’ve found that baked sweet potatoes are really easy, but I also like cutting sweet potatoes into large wedges, tossing them in a little olive oil and roasting at 375°F for about 30-40 minutes, or until fork tender. You can peel the potatoes beforehand, but I usually leave the skin on because it peels right off after roasting.
Serve: Cut the sweet potato into finger-sized strips or chunks that are easy for your baby to grasp. You can also mash it slightly for a different texture.

Avocado

Prep: Simply peel and remove the pit from a ripe avocado.
Serve: Cut the avocado into slices. If the avocado is too slippery for baby to pick up you can roll it in hemp seeds or flaxseed or spread mashed avocado on lightly toasted whole grain bread for added texture.

Banana

Prep: Peel a ripe banana.
Serve: Offer lengthwise strips of banana that your baby can easily hold and eat. Bananas naturally break apart into thirds and doing this actually gives the banana more texture and makes it less slippery than slicing it with a knife. You can also leave the peel on a banana, cut it in half and then use a paring knife to cut off some of the peel at the top, exposing some of the ripe banana but also giving baby something easy to grasp onto.

Mango

Prep: Peel and remove the pit from a ripe mango.
Serve: Cut the mango into slices that your baby can pick up and suck on. Make sure the pieces are soft enough for easy chewing.

Salmon

Cook: Cook boneless, skinless salmon fillet by baking, grilling, or steaming until it flakes easily. You can season it however you like, just be mindful of added salt. We actually use make air fryer salmon for Tucker. It’s so quick and easy.
Serve: Cut the salmon into large soft pieces that your baby can pick up and enjoy.

Apple

Cook: Peel and core a sweet apple (like Fuji, Pink Lady or Honey Crisp), then steam or cook until it’s soft. I find that steaming apples works best because they get soft throughout. I’ve tried roasting apple slices but the outside became a bit tough. For steaming, I recommend peeling and coring the apple and slicing into quarters or eighths. Place apple pieces in a steamer basket fitted inside a pot with water and steam for 8-10 minutes or until apples are nice and soft and can be pierced with a fork.
Serve: Cut the cooked apple into large slices or offer mashed apple for a different texture. Make sure the pieces are soft enough for your baby to chew with their gums. You should be able to mash it between your fingers.

A piece of hard boiled egg in a green ezpz baby bowl.

Egg

Cook: Make hard boiled eggs or scramble eggs until fully cooked and well-set, but still soft enough to squish between your fingers.
Serve: Cut the hard boiled egg into quarters. Break scrambled egg into small, manageable pieces or offer a small omelet or egg strips that are easy for baby to pick up.

Strawberry

Prep: Wash and remove the stem from a ripe, soft strawberry.
Serve: Give baby the whole strawberry. Large strawberries are best because they’re less of a choking risk.

A piece a hamburger in a green ezpz baby bowl.

Beef

Cook steak: Season steak lightly with a pinch of salt and any other desired seasonings. Grill, broil, or pan-sear the steak until it’s well-cooked and tender. Avoid overcooking to prevent it from becoming too tough.
Serve steak: You can leave steak on the bone or cut into a large strip (the size of two adult fingers pressed together). Be sure to remove any large chunks of meat that are falling off or pieces of fat. Baby will suck and gnaw on the steak and get all the juices out. We gave Tucker steak like this early on. It kept him entertained/eating for about 20 minutes and he loved it.

Cook hamburgers: If using ground meat, you can mix it with a small amount of breadcrumbs or cooked oats to help bind it together. Avoid adding too much salt or seasonings that may be too strong for baby. Form small, flat patties from the ground meat. You can also make meatballs if you prefer.
Serve hamburgers: Cut burger patty into large strips for serving.

Broccoli

Cook: Steam or boil broccoli until it’s tender. Larger pieces of broccoli are better for young babies and I liked keeping the stalk on Tucker to use as a little handle. He would gnaw on the floret and leave the stalk.
Serve: Larger pieces of broccoli are better for younger babies and I liked keeping the stalk on Tucker to use as a little handle. He would gnaw on the floret and leave the stalk.

Mashed white beans in a green ezpz baby bowl.

Mashed Beans

Cook: Cook beans (like chickpeas, black beans, or lentils) until they are soft and easy to mash. I typically take the lazy route and use canned beans (no salt added or low sodium) that have been drained and rinsed.
Serve: Offer a small portion of mashed beans that your baby can pick up and explore. You can also spread mashed or pureed beans on whole grain toast.

Zucchini

Cook: Steam or roast zucchini until it’s tender and can be easily be pierced with a fork. I cut mine into spears, add a little olive oil and roast at 375°F for 20-30 minutes or until soft.
Serve: Cut the zucchini into two adult finger-sized strips. You can also offer mashed zucchini for a different texture.

Baby boy eating oatmeal in a high chair with a gray bib and pink bowl.

Additional First Foods

Above I shared 12 foods that I introduced to Tucker early on in our BLW journey but there are so many others. Here’s a list of some others to consider:

Carrots
Green Beans
Peanut butter: This is a common allergen, so be mindful when introducing peanut butter to your baby and be sure to only introduce one allergen at a time. I typically look for a creamy peanut butter that has only one or two ingredients (peanuts and salt). Some of my favorite brands are Wild Friends peanut butter and 365 organic creamy peanut butter. I recommend stirring a spoonful into oatmeal or spreading a little over toast.
Chicken: Our go-to chicken recipes, which Tucker loves are this air fryer chicken breast and apple cider vinegar chicken.
Tofu
Pasta
Toast
Yogurt: Whole milk (full-fat) yogurt is recommended for babies and toddlers. My go-to yogurt brands are Fage 5% plain Greek yogurt and Siggi’s plain whole milk yogurt.
Oatmeal: My recipe for baby oatmeal is a great resource for serving oatmeal to your baby. Tucker loves it!

More BLW Food + Serving Ideas

If ever you want to learn more about how to serve a certain food for baby led weaning, Solid Starts is amazing. Their website is one of the best resources I’ve found for learning how to cook and serve foods for baby led weaning. They have detailed information about how to cook and serve the food, pictures of everything and videos of babies at different ages eating the foods. It’s incredibly helpful.

Foods to Avoid with Baby-Led Weaning

Keep in mind that there are certain foods that should be avoided or introduced with caution when practicing BLW to ensure your baby’s safety and minimize the risk of choking. Here’s a list of foods to be cautious about:

Choking Hazards:
- Small, round foods: Grapes, cherry tomatoes, blueberries, and other similar-sized foods. These foods should be mashed or cut into small pieces to reduce the risk of choking.
- Nuts and seeds: Whole nuts and seeds are a choking hazard. Nut butters and finely ground seeds can be introduced as spreads or in small quantities.
- Hard or raw vegetables: Raw carrots, bell pepper, celery, and other hard vegetables should be cooked until soft and cut into appropriate shapes.
- Popcorn: The small and hard kernels can be a choking hazard.
- Hard candies: Avoid hard candies or any other hard sweets.
Allergenic Foods:
- Introduce allergenic foods one at a time and watch for any adverse reactions. This includes common allergenic foods such as peanuts, tree nuts, eggs, dairy, soy, wheat, fish, and shellfish.
Added Sugar and Salt:
- Avoid adding salt or sugar to your baby’s food. Babies’ kidneys are still developing, and their sodium intake should be limited.
Highly Processed Foods:
- Foods high in added preservatives, additives, and artificial flavors should be avoided.
Honey:
- Honey can contain bacteria that may cause infant botulism, a serious illness. Avoid giving honey to babies under 12 months old.
Low-Fat Foods:
- Babies need healthy fats for their brain development. Avoid introducing foods marketed as low-fat or fat-free.
Sugary Foods and Beverages:
- Sugary foods and sweetened beverages should be limited. Focus on offering whole, nutrient-rich foods instead.
Spicy and Strongly Flavored Foods:
- Introduce strong flavors gradually, as babies’ taste buds are still developing. Avoid overly spicy or heavily seasoned foods.

Remember that every baby is unique, and their readiness for different foods may vary. It’s essential to closely supervise your baby while they’re eating and to follow their cues. Always consult with your pediatrician before introducing new foods, especially if you have concerns about allergies or sensitivities.

Can You Combine BLW with Purees?

I had to include this question because back when I was researching BLW before starting solids with Olivia I read somewhere that it wasn’t a good idea to combine a baby led weaning approach with purees because it will confuse the baby.

I’ve since learned that you can totally combine spoon feeding purees and baby-led weaning. You can also pre-load a spoon with a puree or mashed food and allow baby to self-feed that way. You may find that some foods are easier to introduce as a puree. Overall, it’s important to do what works for your family and baby.

If you want to learn more about combining BLW with purees, I found this article to be insightful.

Choking vs Gagging

A lot of parents are worried about choking when they start solids, particularly BLW and rightfully so, choking is certainly scary. I was one of those parents that was nervous, but through the experience of feeding Tucker this way I’ve learned the difference between gagging and choking, which has made me much more comfortable. Here’s the difference:

What is gagging? Gagging is a protective reflex that babies have to prevent choking. It’s a normal part of the learning process as they explore new textures and learn how to manage food in their mouths. Gagging involves the involuntary retching and coughing that pushes food forward in the mouth and prevents it from entering the airway. Gagging can be loud and seem alarming, but it’s actually a sign that your baby’s reflexes are working as they should. Gagging may become less frequent as your baby gains more experience with different textures and learns to handle foods more effectively.
What is choking? Choking, on the other hand, is a serious situation where a foreign object, such as a piece of food, becomes lodged in the airway and obstructs breathing. It can be life-threatening and requires immediate intervention. The risk of choking is one of the reasons why it’s important to offer appropriate foods and supervise your baby closely during mealtime.

One thing that might give you even more peace of mind is taking a course on Infant/Child CPR, Choking and First Aid.

My Favorite BLW Supplies

A collage with lots of items that are great for baby-led weaning.

Honestly you don’t need a bunch of fancy gadgets to feed your baby, but there are some items that are nice to have. With that in mind I’ve rounded up all of the baby-led weaning feeding items that I use from the best spoons for self-feeding, full coverage bibs, silicone plates and bowls, micro-fiber towels for clean-up and more. You can find everything here on LTK or check out the BLW section of my Amazon storefront.

Full coverage bibs
Cleaning cloths – I used to use these microfiber cleaning cloths, but I’ve switched to these muslin washcloths and I love them even more.
Crinkle cutter and grape cutter
Avanchy baby dishes: We absolutely love these dishes because they actually suction well! We have the bamboo divided plate, the non divided plate and the bowl. The one thing I will say is that they come with a spoon, but we’ve never used them because seem way too big to fit in a baby’s mouth. We let Olivia play with them in her kitchen.
Ezpz silicone feeding supplies: We really like all of the ezpz items for feeding. We have the tiny spoon, the tiny cup, ezpz first food set, the straw training cup
NumNum baby spoon set – the perfect spoons for baby-led weaning and self-feeding
High chair: I get asked all the time where our high chair is from, but I got this one before Olivia was born and unforunately they don’t make it anymore. If I were to purchase/register for one today, I would get the Stokke Clikk high chair.
Travel high chair – we use this all the time at restaurants. I definitely recommend getting the tray to go along with it.
Grosmimi sippy cup
Feeding Littles & Beyond cookbook