Type: Video

As your baby begins to try foods for the first time, it is important that he or she eat foods that are rich in iron and zinc. Iron is a key nutrient that is important for babies’ growing bodies and brains. Meats – like chicken, turkey and beef – are full of iron and can make a great first food your baby.

Here are steps to cook ground beef for your baby:

Step 1: Prepare the ground beef
Place ground beef and about ½ cup of water in a saucepan

Step 2: Cook the meat
Cook over medium-high heat until meat is cooked thoroughly and no longer pink (approximately 6 to 8 minutes). Ground meat should be cooked to an internal temperature of 160 degrees Fahrenheit.

Step 3: Puree or Serve as a Finger Food
For a smoother texture, you can puree the beef in a blender. Add water, breast milk or infant formula and blend until it is smooth.

Now enjoy watching your baby pump that iron! And remember, talk to your child’s pediatrician or health care provider about any questions or concerns.

To learn more, check out these additional resources related to this topic:

• More bite-sized videos about introducing first foods – 1,000 Days
• Foods and Drinks for 6 to 24 month olds – Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
• Information about Iron – Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
• Starting Solid Foods– American Academy of Pediatrics’ Healthy Children
• Safe Minimum Internal Temperatures for Food – United States Department of Agriculture

Your baby is hungry… now what?

With these helpful hints, mealtime can be as easy as Ready, Set, Go!

• Get Ready: Before you feed your baby, wash your hands and theirs.
• Get Set: Set your baby in a high chair so that he or she is sitting up-right. And help set the mood by removing distractions, like cell phones and TV.
• Go! Go ahead and get into it! Show your baby just how yummy food can be. Don’t forget to smile and make eye contact while you’re feeding your little one.
• All-Finished: Your baby will let you know when he or she is finished eating by turning his or her head, closing his or her mouth or pushing away food. Every day can be different so trust your baby to show you when he or she is full.

And remember, this is not actually a race! So let you your little one explore, have fun and get messy! You’re helping your baby develop healthy eating habits that will last a lifetime.

And as always, talk to your child’s pediatrician or health care provider about any questions or concerns.

To learn more, check out these additional resources related to this topic:

• More bite-sized videos about introducing first foods – 1,000 Days
• Mealtime Routines and Tips – Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
• Starting Solid Foods – American Academy of Pediatrics’ Healthy Children

So your baby is ready to try foods for the first time? Great!

As a first step: Start with a small amount of a single-ingredient food. As a tip, you can put a small amount into a bowl for your baby to sample, and then store the rest in the refrigerator or freezer to use later – this helps to save money and avoid waste.

Now here’s what to expect as you introduce a new food:

• Expect a Funny Face. Funny faces are perfectly normal as babies taste different flavors and textures.
• Expect to Try…and Try Again. It can take 10 to 20 different times before a baby learns to like a new food. Give your baby a chance to try foods again and again, even if your baby does not like them at first. Babies may need to try some foods many times before they like them. Here are some tips that might make trying foods again and again easier:
  • Wait a week before you try the new food again.
  • Try mixing the new food with a food your baby likes, such as breast milk.
  • Remember that it may take more tries for your baby to learn to like vegetables (because of their bitter taste) than other healthy foods like fruits (which are sweet). Continue offering a variety of vegetables, and let your child decide when he or she is ready to start eating them. Be patient and keep trying.
• Expect a Mess. Messy meals are part of the experience, but it can leave you wondering… Did my baby actually eat anything? Well here’s how you can tell…
• Expect a Poopy Diaper: You can tell your baby is eating by a change in his or her poop’s texture and color. More solid food means more solid poop. And don’t be surprised if the poop oddly resembles the food that he or she just ate. Did I see a pea in the diaper?

And here’s one final tip! Wait 3-5 days before introducing a new food, especially if there is a family history of food allergies.

But most importantly, HAVE FUN! You’re developing your baby’s taste buds for years to come. And remember, talk to your child’s pediatrician or health care provider about any questions or concerns.

To learn more, check out these additional resources related to this topic:

• More bite-sized videos about introducing first foods – 1,000 Days
• Picky Eaters and What to Do – Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
• Starting Solid Foods – American Academy of Pediatrics’ Healthy Children
• Food Allergy Reactions – American Academy of Pediatrics’ Healthy Children

Now that your baby is trying foods, are you also wondering what drinks he or she should try? Between 6-12 months, babies only need to drink breast milk and/or formula AND water. That’s it!

• Breast milk and/or formula. Continue feeding your baby breastmilk and/or formula throughout your baby’s first year. It will remain your baby’s main source of nutrition even as you start to introduce foods.
• Once you start introducing foods, you can also start to give your baby water in a cup (about 4 ounces). But just plain water. Using a cup (with a lid is fine for early learners) will help your baby to develop the motor skills needed for feeding him or herself.

And for the record, your baby does NOT need the following drinks in the first year:

• Cow’s milk. Drinking cow’s milk before 1-year-old can cause intestinal damage to your baby.
• Alternative milks. Alternative milks like soy milk, almond milk, coconut milk, oat milk, etc. should not substitute breast milk and/or formula in the first year.
• Sugary drinks. Juice (yes, even 100% juice), soda, tea/coffee, horchata, etc. should be avoided in the first year.

And remember, talk to your child’s pediatrician or health care provider about any questions or concerns.

To learn more, check out these additional resources related to this topic:

• More bite-sized videos about introducing first foods – 1,000 Days
• What to drink – Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
• Starting Solid Foods – American Academy of Pediatrics’ Healthy Children
• Tap Water Database – Environmental Working Group

Before your baby turns 1, there are some foods you should avoid giving him or her. Some foods should be avoided because they could cause sickness or safety concerns, while other foods should be avoided because they are unhealthy.

Foods to avoid include:

• Cow’s milk: Drinking cow’s milk before age 1 may put your baby at risk for intestinal bleeding. Instead of cow’s milk use breast milk or infant formula before age 1.
• Alternative milks: Alternative milks like soy milk, almond milk, rice milk, oat milk, etc. should not substitute breast milk or formula in the first year.
• Honey: Honey (even as an ingredient) may cause a serious health problem called botulism. Your child can start to try honey and foods that contain honey only after he or she is 1-year-old.
• Sugary drinks: Sugary drinks like fruit juice (even 100% juice), soda, tea/coffee or horchata encourage babies to crave sugary foods and can cause cavities, even before your baby has all of his or her teeth.
• Salty foods: Foods that are high in salt, also known as sodium, should be avoided because babies’ kidneys can’t handle too much salt. Check food labels to find foods low in sodium.
• Choking hazards: Small, hard foods pose high risks of choking. Common foods that are most risky include nuts, popcorn, hot dogs and whole grapes. As a tip, you can cut grapes into small pieces and then serve them to your baby. And just remember, anything can be a choking hazard so be sure to watch your baby carefully as he or she eats.

By knowing the foods to avoid, you can keep your baby healthy and safe!

And remember, talk to your child’s pediatrician or health care provider about any questions or concerns.

To learn more, check out these additional resources related to this topic:

• More bite-sized videos about introducing first foods – 1,000 Days
• Foods to Limit – Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
• Starting Solid Foods – American Academy of Pediatrics’ Healthy Children
• Choking Hazards – Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)