6 Month Baby Food Chart: Best First Foods + Free Printable

Six months is the milestone most pediatric guidance points to for starting solid foods. At 6 months, babies typically begin with small amounts of single-ingredient purees or soft mashed foods while breast milk or formula still provides most of their nutrition. This chart shows what to offer, how much, and how to build a simple routine.

Is your baby ready for solids?

Before following any 6 month food chart, confirm the signs of readiness: your baby can sit upright with minimal support, holds their head steady, brings objects to their mouth, and seems interested when you eat. Starting around this age also matters nutritionally, because a baby's iron stores begin to run low and solids help replace them.

6 month baby food chart

This chart is a starting framework. Every baby is different, follow your baby's hunger and fullness cues rather than forcing amounts.

Sample 6 month baby food chart showing meals, example foods, and amounts.

Time	Feeding	Example foods	Amount
On waking	Breast milk or formula	-	Full feed
Mid-morning	First solids	Iron-fortified cereal, mashed banana	1–2 tsp
Midday	Breast milk or formula	-	Full feed
Afternoon	Single-food puree	Avocado, sweet potato	1–2 tsp
Evening	Breast milk or formula	-	Full feed
Before bed	Breast milk or formula	-	Full feed

Best first foods at 6 months

Smooth, single-ingredient foods are easiest to start with. Good options include avocado, banana, and sweet potato, along with iron-rich foods like fortified cereal and well-pureed lentils.

How much to feed

Begin with just 1–2 teaspoons of one food, once a day. Over a few weeks, work up to 2–3 tablespoons at one or two meals. Let your baby decide when they're full, turning the head away or closing the mouth is a clear stop signal.

Foods to avoid at 6 months

• Honey, risk of infant botulism before 12 months.
• Cow's milk as a main drink, not until 12 months (small amounts in cooking are fine).
• Whole nuts, hard raw vegetables, and other choking hazards.
• Added salt and sugar.

Building a simple routine

Keep first meals low-pressure and consistent. Offer solids when your baby is alert and not overly hungry, sit them upright, and expect plenty of mess. Most of their calories still come from milk at this stage, solids are about practice and new flavors.

The aim of complementary feeding at 6 months is to gradually add nutrient- and energy-dense foods alongside milk, with iron and zinc the priority nutrients as birth iron stores taper off. Responsive feeding, offering food in response to hunger cues and respecting fullness, supports healthy appetite regulation from the very first spoonful. Exposing your baby to a range of flavors and textures now also helps build acceptance of a varied diet later.