Introducing Solids: A Week-by-Week Planner (Printable)
📌 Bookmark or print this page – it's your simple week-by-week map for starting solids.
In Australia, most babies are ready to start solids at around six months, beginning with smooth, iron-rich foods and progressing through new tastes and textures over the following weeks while breast milk or formula stays their main source of nutrition. This planner lays out a gentle, realistic schedule you can follow at your own pace, with a printable checklist at the end.
How to use this planner
Every baby is different, so treat the weeks below as a flexible guide, not a race. Move faster or slower depending on your baby's appetite and interest. If you're not sure your baby is ready, our complete guide on when to start solids in Australia covers the signs in detail.
Before you start: signs of readiness
Look for these signs, usually around six months:
- Can hold their head steady and sit with support
- Shows interest in food and reaches for it
- Opens their mouth when food comes near
- Has lost the tongue-thrust reflex that pushes food out
The week-by-week planner
| Stage | Focus | Example foods |
|---|---|---|
| Weeks 1-2 | One smooth meal a day; iron-rich first | Iron-fortified baby cereal, pureed meat, smooth veg |
| Weeks 3-4 | Add variety; introduce first allergens | Pureed fruit, well-cooked egg, smooth peanut butter |
| Weeks 5-6 | Build to two meals; thicker mash | Mashed veg, yoghurt, soft lumps |
| Weeks 7-8 | Add soft finger foods; three meals | Soft toast fingers, steamed veg sticks, banana |
| Beyond | Family foods, more texture and self-feeding | Mashed family meals, varied finger foods |
First foods checklist by group
Aim to offer a range across these groups in the first few weeks:
- Iron-rich (first priority): iron-fortified cereal, pureed meat, chicken, lentils, tofu
- Vegetables: pumpkin, sweet potato, carrot, peas, broccoli
- Fruit: banana, stewed apple or pear, avocado, mango
- Dairy: full-fat plain yoghurt, full-fat cheese
- Grains: oats, well-cooked rice, soft pasta
Our guide to iron-rich first foods for babies explains why iron comes first.
Introducing allergens safely
ASCIA recommends introducing common allergy-causing foods in the first year, around six months, and keeping them in your baby's diet regularly once tolerated. The main ones are well-cooked egg, smooth peanut butter, dairy, wheat, soy, fish, sesame and tree nuts. Offer one new allergen at a time, in smooth or thinly spread forms, on a day you can watch your baby.
Textures by stage
Progressing textures is one of the most important parts of starting solids. Begin with smooth purees, move to thicker mash and soft lumps, then offer soft finger foods. For gum-friendly ideas, see our list of finger foods for a 6 month old with no teeth.
Make batch-cooking easy
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Printable summary checklist
Tick these off as you go:
- ☐ Baby shows signs of readiness
- ☐ Started with one iron-rich smooth meal a day
- ☐ Introduced the common allergens, one at a time
- ☐ Progressed from puree to mash to soft lumps
- ☐ Built up to two, then three meals a day
- ☐ Offered soft finger foods for self-feeding
- ☐ Kept breast milk or formula as the main drink
Frequently asked questions
When should I start introducing solids?
Most babies are ready at around six months, when they can sit with support, hold their head steady and show interest in food. Milk remains their main source of nutrition throughout the first year.
What food should I introduce first?
Start with iron-rich foods such as iron-fortified baby cereal or pureed meat, because a baby's iron stores run low from around six months. You can then add vegetables, fruit and other foods.
How quickly should I introduce new foods?
You can offer a new food every day or two. Introduce common allergens one at a time so you can watch for any reaction, but there's no need to wait days between non-allergen foods.
How many meals a day should a baby have when starting solids?
Begin with one meal a day and build up to two, then three meals over the first six to eight weeks, following your baby's appetite and interest.
Do I need to introduce allergens early?
ASCIA recommends introducing common allergens in the first year, around six months, and continuing them regularly once tolerated, as this may help reduce the risk of food allergy. Offer them in smooth or thinly spread forms.
This planner offers general information only and isn't a substitute for advice from your GP, child health nurse, the Raising Children Network or ASCIA. Always introduce allergens one at a time and seek advice if you have concerns.
