8 Month Baby Food Chart: Finger Foods and 3 Meals a Day

At 8 months, babies typically eat three solid meals a day, handle more textures, and enjoy self-feeding soft finger foods while continuing breast milk or formula. Variety and iron-rich foods are the priorities at this stage.

What's new at 8 months

Your baby is likely chewing (even without many teeth), picking up small pieces, and showing clear food preferences. This is a great time to expand flavors and food groups - proteins, dairy like yogurt and cheese, and a rainbow of vegetables and fruits.

8 month baby food chart

Sample 8 month baby food chart with three meals and milk feeds.

Time	Feeding	Example foods	Amount
On waking	Breast milk or formula	-	Full feed
Breakfast	Solids	Oatmeal with banana, yogurt	4–6 tbsp
Mid-morning	Breast milk or formula	-	Full feed
Lunch	Solids	Soft chicken, sweet potato, peas	4–6 tbsp
Afternoon	Breast milk or formula	-	Full feed
Dinner	Solids	Lentil mash, avocado, soft veg	4–6 tbsp
Before bed	Breast milk or formula	-	Full feed

Iron and protein at 8 months

Keep offering iron-rich foods daily, minced meat, lentils, beans, tofu, and fortified cereals. Protein-rich foods support rapid growth, and pairing plant iron with vitamin-C foods improves absorption.

Great finger foods for 8 months

• Soft-cooked vegetable sticks (sweet potato, carrot, zucchini)
• Ripe banana and avocado pieces
• Well-cooked pasta and soft-cooked beans
• Small pieces of soft fruit

Continue to avoid honey, whole nuts, hard raw foods, and added salt and sugar, and stay within arm's reach during every meal.

By 8 months, complementary feeding centers on three meals of increasingly varied, energy-dense foods that meet rising needs for iron, zinc, and protein. Combining self-feeding with responsive feeding, following your baby's cues for how much to eat - builds both motor skills and healthy appetite regulation. A diet spanning multiple food groups across the day helps cover the nutrient gaps that milk alone no longer fills.