Introducing New Foods to Babies 

Tips on how to make the process of introducing new foods as easy as possible.

March 9, 2022

Baby led weaning bib by Bibbrella

So, you tried to introduce something new into your babe’s diet and it turned out to be World War III. Introducing new foods can feel like an uphill battle (even if you follow guidelines) because each and every child has different preferences and levels of willingness. And it just so happens that those two factors can change minute to minute when it comes to babies. Below, we discuss how to try and make the process of introducing new foods as easy breezy as possible for both you and your child. 

Note: This post covers introducing different types of foods, not introducing solids for the first time. Click here to find out more about when and how to begin weaning. 

How Often to Introduce New Foods to Babies

The common recommendation for introducing new foods is to try one new food over a 3-day period. This is a good place to start, but your child’s response should guide the pace. While not all babies are fussy eaters, that doesn’t mean that children don’t have days where they may be feeling more picky than usual. If you notice that two times a week makes your little one fussy, try scaling back to one time a week. On the other hand, if your baby seems to be embracing the new food journey, there’s no need to hold back!

What New Foods to Introduce First

One thing you will need to be a stickler about is which foods are introduced when. A child’s age is a good guideline for what types of food can be offered. For instance, small round foods (e.g. cherry tomatoes and grapes) pose a choking hazard for very young babies who have just started on solids. Teeth growth can also help you determine what starter foods make sense.  

How to Introduce New Foods to Babies

Introduce new foods one at a time: Mealtimes are already a lot for both babies and their parents. Minimize the risk of failure when it comes to trying new foods by testing out just one new ingredient at a time. 

Offer manageable portions: New things in large amounts can be overwhelming for anybody, not to mention very young children. Think slice of tomato with other tried and true veggies instead of a whole cut tomato by itself. Or you might even “disguise” the fruit by feeding toast sticks with tomato jam so babies can get used to the taste before trying the whole food. 

Prepare foods in a variety of ways: Who could blame a kid for not loving carrots on the first try? If a plain carrot stick doesn’t make the cut–don’t give up! Adjust how the ingredient is prepared in steps. If not a regular piece of carrot, how about carrot sticks with dip? If your baby still finds carrot with dip unappetizing, consider a veggie-heavy stir fry recipe that incorporates carrots. 

Focus on the eating process: Being engaged with the feeding process reassures babies about what they’re eating. Don’t be distracted by potential messes and be prepared before going into mealtime. That way, if your little one gets cranky about having to try salsa, both you and your babe will be covered with a full-length bib like Bibbrella.

Ready to embark on a new food journey? Be sure to grab a full-coverage baby bib so that your babe is fully protected from unanticipated messes!