Baby Food Stages – an easy-to-read and complete guide explaining the different feeding stages! Goes over what each of the stages is all about – Stage 1, 2, and 3, Finger Foods and Baby-Led Weaning.
Baby Food Stages
Are you finding the baby food feeding stages confusing?
You are not alone!
Stages 1, 2, 3, table foods, finger foods, baby-led weaning… ahhh… help.. what does it all even mean🤯!
Don’t worry I’m here for you!
I broke down each of the stages into an easy-to-digest (pun intended) guide 👊.
Baby Food Ages
- Stage 1 Purees: 4+ months
- Stage 2 Purees: 6+ months
- Stage 3 Purees: 9+ months
- Finger Foods: 10+ months
- Baby-Led Weaning: 6+ months
Purees – Stages 1, 2 and 3
Baby Food Purees are grouped into 3 different stages – Stage One, Stage Two and Stage Three. All of these stages consist of baby food purees but they range from single-ingredient smooth purees to chunky combination purees filled with soft-cooked foods.
Stage One is the very first stage of feeding that includes single-ingredient purees that are smooth and easy to swallow.
Stage Two purees are combination purees made up of several different ingredients, that in addition to fruits and vegetables can also include yogurt, grains and proteins.
Stage Three baby food purees are made with combination purees with the addition of having soft-cooked chunks of food for baby to practice chewing and swallowing foods.
You can read more here – The Ultimate Guide on How to Make Homemade Baby Food.
Stage One Products We Love
Baby-Led Weaning or Finger Foods
Baby-Led Weaning and Finger Foods are basically the same types of food, just served to baby at different times. Baby-Led Weaning is a newer approach to feeding baby where you skip the puree stages altogether and serve baby chunks of cooked food right from the very start. Whereas, Finger Foods, or sometimes referred to as Table Foods, are typically served to baby after they master Stage 3 baby food purees.
Finger foods are served at 10+ months and baby-led weaning starts at 6+ months.
You can read more here – The Ultimate Guide to Finger Foods for Baby-Led Weaning.
Baby-Led Weaning Products We Love
DON’T MISS MY GUIDE ON THE 10 BEST FIRST FOODS FOR BABY!
Stage 1 Purees
Stage 1 baby food is the first type of puree you will be introducing to baby. Made with a single ingredient and pureed until smooth, these simple purees are perfect for your budding eater.
- age: 4+ months
- single ingredients
- smooth in texture
- can be thinned out (similar to a thick soup)
- offer baby one puree at a time to watch for any allergic reactions
- first bites can be fruits, veggies or grain cereal
- think about offering different colors of food as well as different tastes to start developing their palette
Stage One Recipes
- 15 Stage One Baby Food Purees (4-6 months)
- 4 Homemade Baby Cereal Recipes (4+ months)
- 36 Healthy + Homemade Baby Food Recipes (4+ Months)
Stage 2 Purees
Stage 2 purees will make baby’s mealtime more exciting, with multiple-ingredient combination purees. This is the time to really focus on exposing baby to a wide variety of fruits, veggies, grains and proteins along with spices and herbs to make fun and unique flavor combinations.
- age: 6+ months
- combination of multiple-ingredient purees
- smooth in texture
- can be a thicker consistency than stage one purees
- great time to expose baby to a variety of flavors and colors of foods
- can add in plain yogurt, grains as well as proteins
Stage Two Recipes
- 18 Stage 2 Baby Food Purees (That Baby Will Actually Eat)
- 15 Fast + Easy Baby Food Recipes (made in under 15 minutes!)
- 18 Breakfast Ideas for Baby (6+ months)
Stage 3 Purees
Stage 3 is full of hearty meals with multiple-ingredient purees with soft-cooked chunks of food inside. This stage is all about giving baby time to learn how to chew and swallow small pieces of soft foods. The next step will be finger foods or table foods.
- age: 9+ months
- combination purees with soft-cooked chunks of food
- great time to expose baby to a variety of flavors and colors of foods
- all wholesome fruits, vegetables, grains, meats, yogurt and spices are on the table
- great time to play with turning your own meal into a meal for baby – simply by pulsing it in the blender
Stage Three Recipes
Baby-Led Weaning or Finger Foods
Baby-Led Weaning is a newer approach to feeding baby where you skip the puree stages altogether and serve baby chunks of cooked food right from the very start. Ultimately, you would be feeding baby the exact foods you are having at that meal.
Finger foods and can be served to baby after Stage 3.
Finger foods and the food you serve to baby for Baby-Led Weaning are the same foods just served at different times during baby’s eating journey – finger foods are at 10+ months and baby-led weaning starts at 6+ months.
If you want to learn more, check out my Ultimate Guide to Finger Foods for Baby-Led Weaning.
- baby-led weaning age: 6+ months
- finger food age: 10+ months
- chunks of cooked foods
- can be served in 2-3 inch strips or chopped to “pea” size pieces
- avoid hard foods such as hot dogs, popcorn, nuts, etc, that can be choking hazards
Baby-Led Weaning (Finger Food) Recipes
- 125 Baby Led Weaning Foods (Starter Foods + Recipe Ideas)
- 8 Baby-Led Weaning Meal Ideas for Baby + Toddler
- 6 Baby-Led Weaning Breakfast Ideas
[…] Guide to Baby Food Stages […]