First foods
What you offer first when starting solids, such as iron-rich foods, fruit and vegetables, or infant cereal.
What should our baby's first foods be?
In short: Parents choose between 2 main approaches: Iron-rich foods first; Fruit, vegetables and rice cereal first. Evidence: well established. Guidance and evidence agree. The real question is whether you'll follow it. Best settled: 0–6 months.
- Evidence
- Well established
- Best settled
- 0–6 months
- Part of
- Pregnancy to first birthday
First foods: what are the options?
Parents usually land on one of these 2 approaches.
1. Iron-rich foods first
You begin with foods high in iron, such as meat, beans or fortified cereal.
2. Fruit, vegetables and rice cereal first
You begin with fruit, vegetables and rice cereal.
First foods: what does the evidence say?
Well established. Guidance and evidence agree. The real question is whether you'll follow it.
Canada: iron-rich foods first, twice a day or more
Sources
What else is worth knowing?
Babies' iron stores run down at around six months, which is why iron-rich foods are often suggested first. Beyond that, the order of foods matters less than offering variety. Texture and safe shapes matter more than the specific food.
Questions to ask each other
- What foods would we like our baby to try first?
- How important is it to us to offer iron-rich foods early?
- How do we feel about mixing in infant cereal?
More in Feeding the baby
First published 2026-10-03. Last updated 2026-10-05. General information, not medical advice.