Infant Food Chart: A Month-by-Month Feeding Guide for Babies

Feeding a baby in the first year is one of the most common sources of parental worry, and for good reason. What your baby eats, and when, directly shapes their growth, immunity, and relationship with food for life. This infant food chart breaks down exactly what to offer at each stage, from birth through the first birthday, so you always know what is age-appropriate and safe. Whether you are just starting out or trying to make sense of conflicting advice, a clear baby food chart by month takes the guesswork out of daily feeding decisions.

This guide follows the general recommendation that babies receive exclusive breast milk or formula for the first six months of life, with no solids or water needed before that point. After six months, solid foods are introduced gradually alongside continued breastfeeding.

A few ground rules before you start:

• This infant food chart is general guidance, not a substitute for personalised medical advice.
• Every baby develops at a slightly different pace. Some may be ready for solids closer to six months; others may need a little more time.
• If your baby was born preterm, has a diagnosed allergy risk, or has any digestive condition, speak with your paediatrician before starting solids.
• Introduce one new food at a time, wait two to three days, and watch for any reaction before offering the next new food.

When should I start giving my baby solid food?

Most babies are ready around six months, once they can hold their head steady, sit with support, and show genuine interest in food. Starting before four months is not recommended, as the gut and swallowing reflex are not mature enough to handle anything other than milk.

For the first six months, breast milk alone provides everything a healthy, full-term baby needs, including the right balance of protein, fat, carbohydrates, and immune factors. If breastfeeding is not possible, an appropriate infant formula is the complete alternative. No other food, water, or juice is necessary during this phase.

How often and how much?

• Newborns typically feed 8 to 12 times in 24 hours, roughly every two to three hours.
• By around two months, feeds usually settle to 6 to 8 times a day.
• By four to five months, many babies feed 5 to 6 times a day as each feed becomes more efficient.

Formula-fed babies generally take about 150 ml per kilogram of body weight per day as a rough guide, spread across feeds. Your paediatrician will adjust this based on your baby's weight gain and growth curve, not a fixed brand recommendation.

Alongside feeding, learning newborn care basics alongside feeding helps you build a confident daily routine from the very start.

Can newborns have water or solids before 6 months?

No. Breast milk and formula contain all the fluid a healthy baby needs. Adding water or juice can dilute nutrients and stress immature kidneys. Solids before four months pose a choking risk and can interfere with nutrient absorption.

This is the stage most parents search for when they look up a weaning food chart for babies. Starting solids at six months is exciting, but the process needs to be gradual. Breast milk or formula remains the main nutrition source throughout this phase, with solids playing a supporting role.

What to Offer

Good first foods for babies are smooth, easy to swallow, and simple in flavour. Indian pantry staples work very well here, and there is no need to buy commercial pouches.   

Portion Sizes at 6 to 8 Months

Start with one to two teaspoons per meal and build up over a few weeks to two to three tablespoons per meal. Offer solids twice a day, keeping the texture smooth and runny at first. Breast milk or formula continues 4 to 6 times a day alongside.

Following a structured baby feeding schedule during this phase, where solids come after a milk feed rather than replacing it, helps your baby stay well-nourished while they learn to eat.

What is the first food to give a 6-month-old baby?

A single-ingredient puree such as mashed banana, cooked and pureed sweet potato, or thin ragi porridge is an ideal starting point. Keep it plain, with no salt, sugar, or spices, so your baby learns natural flavours before anything more complex is introduced.

The 6 month baby food chart can be summarised simply: one new food every two to three days, smooth textures, small amounts, and always watch how your baby responds.

By nine months, most babies have better tongue control and some have their first teeth. This is the time to move beyond purees and introduce lumpy, mashed, and soft finger foods. A more varied baby feeding schedule takes shape here, with structured meal and snack times helping your baby develop hunger and fullness cues.

Texture and Meal Structure

• Move from smooth purees to soft mashed or minced consistencies.
• Offer three meals a day plus one to two small snacks.
• Breast milk or formula continues, typically three to four times a day.

What to Offer

Iron intake becomes particularly important now because stores from birth begin to deplete around six months. Including iron-rich first foods for babies, such as lentils, dark leafy greens cooked very soft, and egg yolk, every day is worthwhile.

Baby Food Portion Size by Age: 9 to 11 Months

• Each meal: roughly three to four tablespoons of a mixed dish, or a combination of a grain, a protein, and a vegetable in similar amounts.
• Snacks: one to two tablespoons of soft fruit or plain full-fat yoghurt.

What finger foods can a 9-month-old eat?

Soft-cooked vegetables cut into short strips, ripe banana, avocado cubes, small pieces of well-cooked egg, and soft-cooked pasta are all suitable. Always stay nearby while your baby eats, and cut pieces small enough to avoid choking.

By the first birthday, most babies can eat modified versions of what the rest of the family eats. The focus shifts from special baby purees to soft, low-salt, low-sugar family meals shared at the table.

What Changes at 12 Months

Whole cow's milk can be introduced as a drink, replacing formula if you choose, though breastfeeding can continue as long as you and your baby wish.
Three meals a day plus one to two snacks form the main pattern.
Breast milk or cow's milk: roughly 300 to 400 ml per day is adequate alongside a varied diet.

Portion Guide Per Meal at 12 Months

Can a 1-year-old eat the same food as adults?

Not exactly the same. Family food is fine as a base, but meals for a one-year-old should still be low in added salt and sugar, soft enough to chew safely, and free of whole nuts or hard raw vegetables. Spices can be introduced gradually based on tolerance.    

Some foods are unsafe or unsuitable throughout the first year, regardless of how keen your baby seems.

Foods to avoid in the first 12 months:

• Honey: risk of infant botulism, a serious bacterial illness, before 12 months.
• Cow's milk as a main drink: not suitable before 12 months because of its protein and mineral load on immature kidneys. Small amounts in cooking are fine from six months.
• Added salt and sugar: immature kidneys cannot handle excess sodium, and early sugar exposure sets unhelpful taste preferences.
• Whole nuts and large chunks of hard food: significant choking hazard at any age under five.
• Whole grapes, cherry tomatoes, and large pieces of raw carrot: cut these into small pieces or quarters.
• Unpasteurised dairy, raw or undercooked eggs, and raw shellfish: infection risk.
  Caffeinated drinks, including tea and coffee.

Baby food portion size by age matters, but so does texture. Even age-appropriate foods become hazards when they are too large or too firm.

This infant food chart applies to healthy, full-term babies. Certain groups need individualised guidance before starting solids.

Speak with your paediatrician before introducing solid foods if:

• Your baby was born before 37 weeks. Corrected age, not birth age, guides readiness for solids in preterm infants.
• There is a family history of severe food allergies, eczema, or asthma. Early introduction of allergenic foods such as peanut, egg, and wheat may actually be protective, but the approach should be discussed with a specialist.
• Your baby has a diagnosed digestive condition such as gastro-oesophageal reflux disease, a metabolic disorder, or has had gut surgery.
• Growth faltering, persistent vomiting, or loose stools raise questions that need clinical review before or during weaning.

Report adverse events, including allergic reactions, choking incidents, or unexpected symptoms after introducing a new food, to your healthcare provider or the relevant regulatory authority.

An infant food chart can help parents understand how feeding typically progresses as babies grow, but feeding should be guided by developmental readiness rather than age alone. Breast milk or appropriate infant formula remains the primary source of nutrition during the first year, while complementary foods are generally introduced around 6 months when a baby is ready. As babies develop, parents can gradually introduce a variety of iron-rich foods, vegetables, fruits, grains, proteins, and other age-appropriate foods while progressing from smooth textures to thicker and more varied consistencies. Foods should be prepared appropriately to reduce choking risks, and added salt, sugar, honey before 12 months, and other unsuitable foods should be avoided. Every baby develops differently, so parents should consult a paediatrician for personalised feeding guidance, particularly if there are concerns about allergies, growth, feeding difficulties, or nutritional needs.