Weaning Diary

Your week-by-week guide to what to feed your little one and when, plus the foods to avoid.


Once you've made the decision to wean, check out our simple week-by-week guide to what to offer your little one and when.

There's a whole world of new tastes and textures out there to introduce your little one to - it's an exciting time, so make sure you make it fun!

To ensure you know what to give your little one, how much they need and how to wean them, we've put together this week by week guide to show you the best methods.

If you're still unsure, why not chat to other mums in our community or ask a question to get more advice.

 

WEANING DIARY

 

  What to give How much

Week 1		  
Baby rice and purees of single vegetables – for example, carrot, parsnip, potato, courgette or cauliflower
 Just offer a few teaspoonfuls a day, unless your baby wants more

Week 2
 Introduce purees of fruit like apple, pear or mashed banana
 Two servings a day, if your baby’s happy
Week 3

  If he’s over six months, try dairy products like mild Cheddar cheese or unsweetened natural yoghurt Two meals a day

Week 4
 From six months, purees of protein-rich foods like chicken, lean meat or lentils
Two or three meals a day, with at least one serving of protein

Week 6-9		  
Citrus fruits, hard-boiled eggs, wheat-based foods (bread, pasta, etc), strawberries, boneless fish.
Introduce lumpier foods, and, from seven months, finger food like breadsticks or chunks of fruit
 
Three meals a day
 

Week 9-12		  
Small, unsalted portions of normal ‘adult’ food, chopped up, and do encourage him to eat with the family
Three meals a day, with healthy snacks in between, if he’s hungry

 

What not to eat! 

If you’re weaning before six months, stick to baby rice and pureed fruit (except citrus fruits) and vegetables, along with breastmilk or infant formula.

Beyond six months, most foods are suitable, but here’s what to avoid:

1. Whole nuts: a choking hazard for under-fives. Don’t offer peanut products before age three if there’s a family history of allergies

2. Salt: before 12 months, it could cause kidney damage. From 12 months, use only sparingly

3. Honey: it can cause botulism (serious food poisoning) before 12 months

4. Raw or undercooked eggs: avoid them until 12 months because of the risk of salmonella food poisoning

5. Tea, coffee and fizzy drinks: the caffeine stops your baby’s body absorbing iron

6. Low-fat foods: your tot needs lots of calories to grow

7. Adult gravy and sauces: often very high in salt

8. High-fibre foods like added-bran cereals: too hard to digest

9. Cow’s milk: it can cause allergies before 12 months, although you can use it in cooking.