Safe serving sizes and textures by age

Four texture stages

Chewing and swallowing skills grow quickly between 6 and 12 months. Move through these stages at your baby's pace:

• Smooth purees, around 6 months: thin, completely smooth single foods, like pureed meat, iron-fortified infant cereal or blended vegetables.
• Lumpy and mashed, as your baby gets the hang of it: thicker purees and fork-mashed foods with small soft lumps, like mashed banana, avocado or lentils.
• Soft finger foods, often around 8 to 10 months: soft pieces your baby can pick up and squash with their gums. Babies who start with finger foods begin with finger-length strips (see below).
• Chopped family foods, by around 12 months: most of what the family eats, cut into small pieces, with no added salt.

Go at your baby's pace

If your baby isn't ready for the next stage, stay where they're comfortable a little longer and try again in a few days. Practicing new textures is how they learn to chew.

Changing textures as your baby grows

Preparing food safely means adjusting how soft it is and its shape as your baby’s skills grow.

• 6 to 8 months, finger-length strips: long, thick shapes about 3 to 4 inches long that your baby can hold in a fist. Soft enough to squash easily between your thumb and finger.
• 9 to 12 months, small soft pieces: small pieces about the size of a chickpea as the pincer grasp develops. Soft and tender enough to mash with the gums.

The squish test

Before offering a solid food, press it firmly between your thumb and index finger. If it squashes easily without much force, it’s soft enough for your baby to mash with their gums.