How to Introduce a New Food, Step by Step
Updated 7 October 2026
Why one food at a time
Offering one new ingredient on its own, rather than mixed into a meal with several others, makes two things much easier: spotting a reaction if there is one, and noticing which specific foods your baby actually likes or dislikes.
The method
- Prepare it simply — cooked and mashed or cut to a texture that suits their stage, with nothing else mixed in.
- Offer a small amount first, ideally earlier in the day.
- Watch for 2–3 days before introducing another new food, particularly for the common allergens — this window gives you time to notice a delayed reaction, not just an immediate one.
- Repeat it a few times over the following days or weeks, even if the first reaction was a screwed-up face — taste preferences often take multiple exposures to settle, and a dramatic first reaction to a new flavour is normal, not a verdict.
You don't need a strict order
There's no medically required sequence for which foods come first — vegetables before fruit, for example, isn't a rule, just a common habit. Start with whatever soft, easy-to-prepare foods you have.
Once a food is established
Once you've introduced a handful of individual foods without any issues, you can start combining them into simple meals — this is when weaning starts to look more like normal family food, gradually.
Keeping track
A simple log of what's been tried and how it went (even just notes on your phone) makes the early weeks easier to track, especially once you're introducing several foods a week.
