7-Month-Old Baby Food Ideas Every Parent Should Know

By the time their child is 7 months of age, most parents have started experimenting with feeding Baby solid foods. But what 7-month-old baby food guidelines should you be following? Here’s a simple rundown on how to get your baby off to a healthy start.

What can you feed a 7-month-old?

Feeding a baby is a lot less complicated than you might think. New studies show that there aren’t many limitations on what you can feed your 7-month-old. So have fun with all kinds of first foods! Let her experiment with different kinds of fruits, vegetables and whole grain cereals. In fact, tasting a large variety of foods now can lead to healthier eating habits in her future.

These foods fall into two basic groups:

• Homemade Purees: Here’s a closer look at how to make baby food at home.
• Whole Foods: These nutritious soft foods, like avocado and egg yolk, are ideal for a 7-month-old.

Just be sure to serve your baby food that is unprocessed and soft enough to chew, especially if he doesn’t have teeth yet.

What foods are off-limits?

There are a few foods to avoid giving your new eater. These include honey and cow’s milk, both of which shouldn’t be given until your baby is 12 months. Be sure to stay away from whole nuts or other small, hard foods that can be a choking hazard.

You might be surprised to hear that peanut butter is all good, though.

How much should a 7-month-old eat?

At 7 months, your baby should still be getting the majority of his nutrition from breast milk or formula. Each day, Baby should be drinking about six to eight ounces of formula or breastfeeding about every three to four hours. For solid food, feed him a meal whenever the rest of your family eats—breakfast, lunch and dinner.

But keep in mind, Baby’s “meals” will be very small. It’s not unusual for a baby who is 7 months old to eat only about a tablespoon or two of food during a feeding. Look for signs of fullness, like pushing the food away or closing their mouth when food is offered. See more about the baby food stages.

How do I introduce new foods?

Introduce new foods to your baby one at a time. That way, if she has a bad reaction or allergy problem, you’ll likely know which food caused the issue. Common advice is to wait three to five days between starting each new food. If Baby doesn’t like a fruit or vegetable you introduce, don’t worry! It sometimes takes more than one try before she learns to like a food.

To get started making your own baby food, check out our recommended baby food storage containers.