At 6 months comes the world of solid food, and with it a long list of questions: what to start with, how much to give, and what to do about the fruits and foods with a reputation for triggering allergic reactions. None of this has to be guesswork — there's a simple sequence that works whether you go the purée route or start with baby-led weaning (BLW), and it also helps you spot quickly if something doesn't agree with your baby.
When to start: signs your baby is ready
- Holds their head steady and can sit with support.
- Has lost (or is losing) the tongue-thrust reflex — doesn't automatically push food back out with their tongue.
- Shows real interest in food: watches your plate, opens their mouth, reaches for it.
The WHO recommends starting around 6 months — not earlier, not much later. Before that age the digestive system isn't quite ready yet, and milk still covers everything your baby needs.
Step-by-step guide for the first week
- Pick one food to start with — a simple vegetable or fruit (squash, sweet potato, banana, avocado), as a thin purée or a soft stick-shaped piece if you're going the BLW route.
- Offer it in the morning, in a small amount (1-2 teaspoons or one piece), after a milk feed, not instead of it.
- Watch for 2-3 hours — that's the window where a reaction, if there's going to be one, usually shows up.
- If nothing happens, repeat the same food the next day. Only then add a new one.
- From the second week on, start combining foods you've already tested individually, and keep adding one new food at a time every 3-4 days.
How to introduce the fruits (and other foods) most likely to cause reactions
Most fruit reactions in babies are contact irritation from acidity — redness around the mouth — not a true allergy. Even so, it's worth treating them with the same care as any new food: one at a time.
The fruits that most commonly cause some kind of reaction are:
- Strawberries
- Kiwi
- Citrus (orange, mandarin, lemon)
- Peach
- Pineapple
- Mango
Protocol for any of these: offer it alone, in a small amount, in the morning, without mixing it with another new food that day, and wait 3-4 days before introducing the next one. Current evidence also doesn't support delaying the foods considered most allergenic overall (egg, peanut, ground nuts, fish) — introducing them early, one at a time, with the same care, is what most pediatric guidelines recommend today.
Log every new food with a date and notes — a real screen from the Alfonso app.
Allergy signs to watch for
- Mild: a rash or redness around the mouth, an isolated hive — keep watching, it doesn't mean cutting out the food for good.
- Moderate: more widespread hives, isolated vomiting, digestive discomfort — pause that food and check with the pediatrician before trying again.
- Severe (emergency): swelling of the lips, face, or tongue, trouble breathing, repeated vomiting, marked lethargy — stop immediately and seek urgent medical care.
When it's worth checking in before you start
If there's a strong family history of food allergies, or your baby already has a diagnosed moderate-to-severe case of eczema, it's worth talking to the pediatrician or an allergist before starting — they may suggest trying the first higher-risk food in the office, as a precaution, not because it needs to be avoided.
Log every new food and the pattern becomes clear
Create your baby's profile in 30 seconds, no account or password needed, and log every new food you try, with a date and notes. If a reaction shows up, you'll have the exact record of what they ate and when — and you can generate a PDF report to bring to the pediatrician in seconds. Syncs automatically with your partner.
Frequently asked questions
What should a baby's first food be?
There's no single required food — the most practical approach is to start with a simple vegetable or fruit, in a small amount, in the morning, so you can watch how they react.
How do you introduce fruits that can cause allergic reactions?
One at a time, without mixing it with another new food the same day, waiting 3-4 days before adding the next one.
How long should you wait between one new food and the next?
3 to 4 days for the foods most likely to cause a reaction — keeping the one-at-a-time pace helps you identify the cause if something happens.
Keep reading
ℹ️ This article is informational and doesn't replace a pediatrician's or allergist's judgment. If you suspect a food allergy, especially a severe reaction, seek medical care right away.