Food and healthy eating: Babies
Feeding your baby in the first year is an exciting time! Although you may have ups and downs along the way, it is important to remember this is a time where your baby is developing, exploring, and learning about food. As a parent, you can help your baby develop healthy eating habits that will last a lifetime.
From birth to 6 months
Breastmilk is the only food your baby needs for the first 6 months of life. It provides complete nutrition for your baby and provides a special time for you and your baby to get to know one another. Continue to breastfeed your baby for up to 2 years and beyond, for as long as you both want. All babies need vitamin D. Babies who are exclusively or partially breastfed need 400 IU of vitamin D daily from birth to 1 year of age.
If you have made an informed decision not to breastfeed your baby, you can contact us to request a copy of our resource on infant formula which provides information on how to feed it to your baby safely.
From 6 to 12 months
At 6 months, breastmilk continues to be your baby’s main food, but you can now start offering solid food. The solid food you give your baby at first is not meant to replace breastmilk, it complements it. Continue to breastfeed as you begin to offer solid food.
You may notice that your baby is showing an interest in food, has developed good head control, can sit up in a highchair, and opens their mouth wide when you offer food. These are all signs that your baby is ready for solid food. This usually happens around 6 months. You do not need to offer solid food before 6 months—breastfeed more often if your baby seems hungry.
What foods do I offer first?
Start with iron-rich foods such as beef, chicken, turkey, pork, fish, eggs, tofu, iron-fortified infant cereals, or legumes such kidney beans, lentils, and chickpeas. Iron is important for your baby’s growth and development. To start, offer iron-rich foods to your baby a couple times a day or more.
What about other foods and drinks?
Once your baby is eating iron-rich foods regularly—anything goes (except cow’s milk and honey)! You can offer other foods such as vegetables, fruit, yogurt, and cheese. Gradually increase the number of times per day you offer solid foods. Work up to offering solid food at regular meals and snacks. You can also continue to breastfeed for as long as you and your baby want. These sample meal plans (Health Canada) can be used to guide what to offer your growing baby. Remember that every baby is different! Let your baby’s cues guide how much you offer.
Introducing cow’s milk should be delayed until 9 to 12 months of age. If your baby is not being breastfed, homogenized milk (3.25% M.F.) can replace infant formula from 9 to 12 months of age and when your baby is eating a variety of iron-rich foods. You can give your baby sips of water any time after 6 months of age. Offer cow’s milk and water to your baby in an open cup, instead of a “sippy cup”. You may need to help your baby with this at first, but it will help teach your baby drinking skills.
Tip: Babies do not need special foods. Give your baby foods that you and your family eat every day. For example, if you are cooking chicken for dinner, offer this to your baby in an appropriate texture. Be sure to cook your meats and alternatives well and keep them moist so they are easy to swallow. Check out these videos for tips on how to make your own baby food (Middlesex-London Health Unit).
What texture should I offer my baby?
You can offer your baby a variety of textures from 6 months, such as pureed, mashed, minced, and soft finger foods such as banana, grated cheese, bread crusts, and toast. Make sure you observe your baby at mealtimes so you can decide if they are ready for a new texture.
What about food allergies?
When introducing new foods, you should always supervise your baby and look for signs of an allergy. You do not have to wait to introduce new foods, unless you are offering a common allergen (Health Canada). These include foods like eggs, products with nuts, fish, soy, or wheat. You should wait a couple days before offering another food that is a common allergen to help identify the cause of a potential reaction. If you have a family history of food allergies, talk to your doctor about the introduction of certain foods.
Is there anything I should not give my baby?
Honey should not be given to infants under 1 year of age to reduce the risk of infant botulism (Health Canada).
For children under 4 years of age, you should also avoid foods that may be a choking hazard such as hard, small and round, smooth, and sticky solid foods. Examples are hard candies, gum, popcorn, marshmallows, peanuts, nuts, seeds, fish with bones, or snacks served with toothpicks.
From 12 to 24 months
By 12 months of age, your baby should be eating a variety of foods from Canada’s Food Guide. Aim to offer your child regular meals and snacks throughout the day, typically 3 meals and 2 to 3 snacks.
Keep in mind that children have small stomachs, so it is important to be realistic about how much they can eat. Start by offering about half of what you would eat at a meal or snack and give your child more if they are still hungry. Never force or bribe your child to eat. Instead, keep offering nutritious food and allow them to decide how much and if they will eat. It is normal for children to be “picky” about the foods that they eat. Stick with it and keep meals pressure free. Your child will eventually learn to like them. For more information, check out these tips for your picky eater (Ellyn Satter Institute).
Continue to breastfeed your baby for as long as you both want. If your baby is not breastfed, offer 500 mL per day of homogenized (3.25% M.F.) cow’s milk. After 2 years of age, you can give your baby skim, 1%, or 2% milk.
Remember that children are growing quickly and have high energy needs. Be sure to offer your child energy-dense foods such as breastmilk, cow’s milk, cheese, avocado, and nut butters.
Other feeding tips
- Involve your child at mealtimes. Sit them at the table in a highchair with the rest of the family.
- Children do not need juice. Offer water instead in an open cup.
- Be a good role model by eating nutritious foods too. Children learn from others around them.
- Always supervise your child during mealtimes. Get rid of distractions such as the TV and toys, so your child can focus on eating.
- Avoid giving children under 4 years of age foods that can cause choking such as hard candies, gum, popcorn, marshmallows, peanuts, nuts, seeds, fish with bones, or snacks with toothpicks.
This item was last modified on October 3, 2024
