Fed on milk since birth, your child will gradually be ready to explore new flavors. This is the time for weaning, a step full of discoveries for baby! With the introduction of new foods, all of their senses will awaken through new tastes, smells, colors, and textures. A true delight for their taste buds! It is also an important period to encourage, from a young age, a varied and balanced diet based on enjoyment.

It’s a big step for baby—and one that often raises many questions for parents. To make things clearer, you’ll find in this article the main stages to know as you diversify your little glutton’s diet.

When should you start baby’s complementary feeding?

It is recommended to start introducing solid foods as early as four completed months of age, and no later than six completed months. During this period, infants are particularly receptive to new sensory experiences. Before four months, it is still too early because their intestines are not yet sufficiently developed. From six months onward, their nutritional needs change. To meet these needs, it then becomes necessary to offer a varied diet, in addition to breast milk or infant formula.

To determine whether your little gourmet is ready to explore new flavors, look for a few telltale signs: your baby can sit up, support their head, put objects in their mouth, and shows interest in what’s on your plate. However, always consult your pediatrician or doctor before starting. Since every child is unique, it’s best not to compare your baby with others. Your little one may simply need a bit more time to reach this stage, which will naturally change their eating habits!

How to properly start introducing solid foods?

To introduce your child to their first purée, choose a day when you are fully available. The more enjoyable the moment, the more confident they will feel as they face all these culinary changes. It is generally recommended to start complementary feeding at lunchtime, before breastfeeding or bottle-feeding. Baby will be hungry and more willing to accept the new food. ;) Feel free to let your partner hold the spoon; the first meals are a great opportunity for them to bond.

The beginning of complementary feeding can be done in two different ways:

• Offering a spoonful of finely blended vegetables to your little gourmet.

• With a bottle, by diluting a little mashed vegetables in the milk and gradually increasing the quantities until you obtain a bottle that is half milk, half vegetables.

Introducing new foods is a major step that should always be done gradually. Offer one food at a time so your infant can clearly identify its taste, smell, and texture. Vary the flavors as much as possible to enrich their palate; this will help them accept new foods more easily later on. Also, allow a two- to three-day interval between introducing new foods to spot any allergic reactions.

From 6 months onward, and according to the principles of Baby-Led Weaning (BLW), you can also offer your little adventurer a piece of fruit, vegetable, or bread to nibble on. We tell you more in our article "."

How much to start with?

Start by offering small amounts of vegetables and fruits: 1 to 2 teaspoons are enough. You can then gradually increase the portions until reaching the equivalent of a 130 g jar after one month. The golden rule: always listen to your baby and adjust the number of teaspoons according to their appetite. From the very first months, they instinctively know how to eat to satisfy their hunger. If they have difficulty finishing their teaspoons at first, don’t panic. The goal of the initial meals is not to feed baby, but rather to awaken their taste and build a pleasurable relationship with food. Their nutritional needs are fully met by breast milk until six months.

What are the main stages of introducing solid foods?

From 4 to 6 months: With the pediatrician’s or doctor’s approval, your little adventurer is
ready to explore new flavors. This is the first step of
food diversification, with the introduction of vegetables and fruits, in the
form of finely blended purées.

From 6 to 8 months: Your little glutton needs animal proteins, rich in iron, such as meat, fish, and eggs. Their nutritional needs are increasing; milk alone is no longer enough to satisfy them. Their routine gradually shifts to four meals a day (two diversified meals and two milk feedings/bottles). It is also time to vary textures by offering foods mashed with a fork.

From 8 to 12 months: Your little one can now enjoy more elaborate recipes. Let them explore flavor combinations, aromatic herbs, and mild spices! In terms of texture, they can now savor melt-in-the-mouth pieces.

From 12 to 36 months: Baby’s diet is now varied and similar to that of adults. Their first teeth continue to grow, allowing them to chew better and better. They can now eat larger pieces. At the table, your little adventurer is becoming more and more independent, and their taste is developing.

As for milk, it remains the foundation of infant nutrition. Therefore, it is important to give at least 500 mL of milk per day until about three years old .

Your little glutton can start discovering their first vegetable and fruit purées. Since children are true sweet tooths, it is recommended to offer vegetables first so they are better accepted.

When it comes to variety, there’s no shortage of choices! Opt for less fibrous vegetables, which are easier for baby to digest and whose flavor isn’t too strong. These include green beans, spinach, zucchini, carrots, and leek whites, etc. Initially, avoid cabbage, onions, celery, or peppers, as they are more difficult to digest.

Prepare the purées as follows: finely blended, without salt, without pepper, and without fats. It is important that the vegetables are well cooked and previously peeled, rinsed, and seeded if necessary.

About two weeks after introducing vegetables, it’s time to awaken their taste buds with fruit purées. Choose classic fruits such as banana, pear, apple, peach, and apricot. You can introduce them at snack time, in the form of a smooth purée with no added sugar, one fruit at a time.

Feeding for babies between 6 and 8 months

After vegetables and fruits, it’s time to discover fish, meat, and eggs! Offer your infant animal proteins once a day only, respecting the following portions: 10 g of meat or fish (always well cooked and mashed), or 1/4 of a hard-boiled egg, mashed.

From six months, it is important to add a teaspoon of fats to meals, as they are necessary for healthy brain development. Choose plant-based oils (olive, walnut, rapeseed) or add a small knob of butter just before serving.

Baby cereals can also be added to meals during this stage. Sprinkle them in small amounts into purées or bottles to provide energy for your little adventurer. It is possible to give them before six months, provided they are gluten-free.

Continue to vary foods, and also textures, by offering more coarsely mashed purées.

Baby feeding between 8 and 12 months

At 8 months, baby becomes a little explorer. Whether on all fours or with their taste buds, they are eager for discoveries. Offer more elaborate recipes by mixing different ingredients and adding aromatic herbs.

At this age, all fresh fruits are allowed, provided they are ripe—even raw (cut into small pieces for pitted fruits). You will need to wait a little longer before offering dried fruits, which are not recommended due to choking hazards.

Meanwhile, chewing skills are improving. Even without teeth, babies can eat larger pieces thanks to their gums. As they become more skilled with their tongue, they also manage to move food around in their mouth. Feel free to vary textures by offering your little one chopped, blended, mashed, or small melt-in-the-mouth pieces.

During this period, children can consume more plant-based proteins. It is recommended to double the quantities by offering 20 g of meat or fish (4 teaspoons) or 1/3 of a hard-boiled egg per day. You can also offer starchy foods such as pasta, bread, wheat semolina, and rice.

Starting from 8 months, it is possible to include cheese in your little one’s diet (about 10 g per day). Only pasteurized cheese without a rind, such as Gruyère or Emmental, is allowed at this age. From 10 months, switch to plain yogurt or baby Swiss-style cheese (15 g per day)!

Feeding between 12 and 36 months

Your little adventurer has blown out their first birthday candle, and their taste palette is now very rich. Food diversification is at its peak. During this final stage, they can eat like a big kid… well, almost! They still have very specific nutritional needs and cannot share adult meals, which are too salty and sweet for them. Nevertheless, it is perfectly possible to take a portion of the family dish before any seasoning and give it to them as a meal. Convenient when you’re short on time, this trick also helps you avoid managing too many different dishes. As for milk, it remains the cornerstone of their diet, always necessary to meet all their needs.

At the table, baby becomes more independent and can share family meals, sitting securely in their high chair. You can offer them their own spoon—just be prepared for splashes ;). From 15 months, they can try dried vegetables in purée (lentils, chickpeas, dried beans).

Give them the opportunity to explore even more flavors and textures, to the greatest delight of their taste buds!

What if the baby refuses to eat?

With food diversification, baby is faced with a whirlwind of new experiences! They need time to acclimate. If they hesitate at the first spoonful, encourage them and offer it again. If they truly refuse, do not insist. Offer the food again the next day or a few days later; they might love it then! Whatever happens, respect their pace and appetite. Meals should remain a pleasant moment so their relationship with food stays positive, too. If you are looking for ways to gently develop your child’s taste, do not hesitate to consult our article full of !

Can breastfeeding continue during the introduction of solid foods?

Yes, it’s even recommended! :) Breastfeeding and complementary feeding are completely compatible. Exclusive breastfeeding is recommended by WHO until the age of six months. Beyond that, it is necessary to introduce a varied diet, in addition to milk, to meet all your little one’s nutritional needs. Your child will then instinctively reduce breastfeeding in favor of solid foods. If you breastfeed on demand, offer their “solid” meals at fixed times to gently help them adjust to their new rhythm.

Did you know? A breastfed baby is already exposed to multiple flavors from birth, since the taste of milk varies depending on what the mother eats. Therefore, do not hesitate to diversify your diet to help your baby become familiar with a multitude of tastes.

While introducing solid foods may seem complicated, there are actually no strict rules. Stay attentive to your little one’s appetite and tastes, and add a touch of patience; things will gradually fall into place. The main principles are, above all, enjoyment and discovery! We wish you many delicious meals ahead with your little gourmet. ;)