What Can a Baby Eat at 6 Months? Complete Food List
Detailed list of all allowed and prohibited foods for 6-month-old babies. Includes preparation methods, combinations, and a sample weekly menu.
The beginning of solid foods
At 6 months, your baby enters one of the most important phases of early childhood: starting solids. Breast milk or formula remains the foundation of their diet, but now it's time to introduce new flavors and textures.
The question every mom asks: what exactly can my baby eat?
Foods allowed at 6 months
Fruits
| Fruit | How to offer | |-------|-------------| | Banana | Mashed or as a stick | | Avocado | Mashed or sliced | | Papaya | Mashed | | Mango | Sliced or mashed | | Pear | Cooked and mashed | | Apple | Cooked and mashed | | Melon | In thin strips | | Watermelon | Seedless, in pieces | | Persimmon | Ripe, mashed | | Plum | Cooked | | Peach | Ripe, in strips | | Kiwi | Ripe, mashed |
Vegetables and greens
| Food | How to offer | |------|-------------| | Sweet potato | Cooked as a stick or mashed | | Squash/pumpkin | Cooked and mashed | | Carrot | Cooked as a stick | | Zucchini | Cooked and mashed | | Yellow squash | Cooked | | Yam | Cooked and mashed | | Cassava | Cooked as a stick | | Broccoli | Cooked (florets) | | Cauliflower | Cooked and mashed | | Beet | Cooked and mashed | | Spinach | Cooked and finely chopped | | Green beans | Cooked and cut |
Proteins
| Food | How to offer | |------|-------------| | Chicken | Shredded or cooked in strips | | Beef | Sauteed ground or shredded | | Egg | Boiled (white and yolk) | | Fish | Cooked, boneless (tilapia, cod, sole) | | Beans | Cooked and mashed | | Lentils | Cooked and mashed | | Chickpeas | Cooked and mashed | | Liver | Cooked and shredded (1-2x per week) |
Grains and cereals
- Rice
- Pasta (no salt)
- Oats
- Quinoa
- Corn (cooked and cut off the cob)
Healthy fats
- Olive oil (a drizzle on prepared food)
- Coconut oil
- Butter (unsalted, small amounts)
Foods PROHIBITED at 6 months
- Honey: risk of infant botulism
- Salt: until 1 year
- Sugar: until 2 years
- Cow's milk as a drink
- Coffee, black tea, mate tea
- Juices (even fresh; offer the whole fruit instead)
- Processed meats (ham, hot dogs, sausage)
- Ultra-processed foods
- Whole nuts (choking hazard; nut butters and pastes are fine)
- Strawberries, kiwi, tomatoes: not prohibited, but introduce with care as they can be more allergenic
Correct textures by stage
| Age | Texture | |-----|---------| | 6 months | Fork-mashed, very soft and smooth | | 7-8 months | Mashed with small lumps | | 9-10 months | Chopped into small pieces | | 11-12 months | Adapted family meals |
Never blend your baby's food smooth. A mashed texture is essential for developing chewing skills and oral-facial muscles.
Sample weekly menu
Monday
- Lunch: rice + mashed beans + shredded chicken + cooked carrot + broccoli
- Snack: mashed banana
Tuesday
- Lunch: sweet potato + ground beef + zucchini + beet
- Snack: cooked pear
Wednesday
- Lunch: rice + lentils + mashed boiled egg + squash
- Snack: mashed papaya
Thursday
- Lunch: pasta + chicken + spinach + carrot
- Snack: mashed avocado
Friday
- Lunch: yam + cooked fish + zucchini + green beans
- Snack: mango slices
Saturday
- Lunch: rice + beans + beef + broccoli + beet
- Snack: cooked apple
Sunday
- Lunch: cassava + chicken + squash + cauliflower
- Snack: melon strips
Expected quantities
Don't be alarmed if the baby eats very little at first. It's normal.
| Age | Amount per meal | |-----|----------------| | 6 months | 2 to 3 tablespoons | | 7-8 months | 1/3 of a cup | | 9-11 months | 1/2 cup | | 12 months | 3/4 of a cup |
Breast milk or formula still provides most of the calories until 12 months.
Preparation tips
- Steam cook to preserve nutrients
- Don't mix all the foods together: the baby needs to learn each individual flavor
- Season with onion, garlic, parsley, chives, turmeric, basil
- Freeze portions in glass jars or ice cube trays (they last up to 30 days)
- Vary the colors on the plate: each color represents different nutrients
Signs of food allergy
When introducing a new food, offer it in the morning and watch for 3 days. Warning signs:
- Redness or swelling on the skin
- Persistent vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Swelling of the lips or eyes
- Difficulty breathing (emergency)
The most allergenic foods are: egg, cow's milk, wheat, soy, fish, peanuts, and shellfish. The current recommendation is not to delay introduction. Offer them normally, but pay close attention.
Feeding at 6 months is a phase of discovery. The goal isn't to replace milk, but rather to introduce the world of food. Offer with love, without pressure, and with plenty of variety.
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