Foods for your growing baby

Our timeline shows the different sorts of foods to give your baby at different ages.

From six months, you also need to check you are giving your baby the vitamins they need.

0-6 months

Breast milk or first infant formula when your baby needs it will give your baby everything they need to grow and develop.

Follow-on formula isn't suitable for babies under six months old. You don't need to introduce it after six months either.

If you're breastfeeding your baby and didn't take vitamin D during your pregnancy, your baby will need to have vitamin D drops from one month old.

From 6 months

Start by offering small amounts of vegetables, fruits, starchy, protein or pasteurised dairy foods once a day at a time that suits both you and your baby.

Including protein foods such as meat, fish, well-cooked eggs, beans and pulses from six months will give your baby the nutrients and iron they need for healthy growth and development.

Breast milk or first infant formula is still important and your baby still needs as much as they had before, even though you are offering solid foods as well.

From six months to five years, it's recommended that all babies and children are given daily vitamin drops containing vitamins A, C and D, unless they're having 500ml (about a pint) or more of first infant formula a day.

Find out more about the vitamins your baby needs.

From 7 months

Your baby may be able to manage mashed foods with some small soft lumps in it. Finger foods can also help you encourage biting and chewing if you haven’t introduced them already.

Gradually increase the amount and variety of food your baby eats and work towards offering your baby three meals a day alongside their usual amount of breast milk or first infant formula.

From 10 months

Your baby will be able to enjoy meals that are chopped up with bigger soft lumps, and they can manage a wider range of finger foods. By about 12 months they will be able to eat the same healthy food as the rest of the family, in smaller portions, and they’ll get more confident about feeding themselves.

Remember, breast milk or first infant formula still gives your baby useful energy and nutrients, so you should keep offering your baby’s usual milk feeds alongside solid foods.

From 12 months

Your baby should be eating a variety of different foods at each of their three meals and they're likely to need two healthy snacks as well, for example fruit, vegetable sticks, toast, bread or plain yoghurt.

Your baby needs less breast milk to make room for more food, but you can keep breastfeeding for as long as it suits you and your baby, alongside giving them a balanced and varied diet. There's no need to offer toddler milks, growing-up milks or goodnight milks.

You can offer pasteurised whole (full-fat) cows' milk, or goats' or sheep's milk, as your baby's main milk drink alongside a varied and balanced diet. Choose pasteurised full-fat dairy foods as these foods contain higher levels of the nutrients that children under two need.

From two years, if your toddler is a good eater and growing well, they can have semi-skimmed milk. From five years old, you can give 1% fat or skimmed milk.

Keep giving your baby daily vitamin drops containing vitamins A, C and D until they are five years old. If you feed your baby first infant formula, they don't need vitamin drops as long as they're having 500ml (about a pint) or more of formula a day.

Read when it's safe to introduce some other foods.

Remember that babies and children under 11 should have less sugar and salt than adults. Find out how much is too much sugar and salt.

Vitamins your baby needs

From six months to five years it's recommended that all babies and children are given daily vitamin drops containing vitamins A, C and D, unless they're having 500ml (about a pint) or more of first infant formula a day.

If you're breastfeeding your baby and didn't take vitamin D during your pregnancy, your baby will need to have vitamin D drops from one month old.

The vitamin drops you choose need to be labelled 'suitable for children under one year of age'.

You may be entitled to Healthy Start food vouchers and vitamins for you and your baby if you’re on certain benefits. In some areas, Healthy Start vitamins are free to all families, so ask your health visitor if they're free where you live.

Find out more about the vitamins children need.