Now your baby’s past the purée stage, they’ll be ready to experiment with some exciting new flavours and textures.
Here’s a guide to the ideal foods for your 7-9 month-old.
At a glance
- By seven months your baby is probably eating two or three small bowls of mashed or puréed food each day, plus some finger foods
- They'll soon be able to feed themselves more independently and even join in with family meals
- Breastmilk or formula are your baby’s main source of nutrition until they’re a year old
What should my baby be eating by seven months?
Every baby is different, but by seven months your baby should be eating three small bowls of mashed or puréed food each day, plus some rather delicious finger foods. Over the next couple months, they can start feeding themselves more independently and even join in with family meals.
You can start offering two courses at one meal now to give you baby more fun. First offer a savoury course of a mix of
- meat/fish/eggs/pulses/nut butter
- a starchy food like potato rice or pasta
- vegetables
When they have eaten enough of this offer some fruit or yogurt or a milk pudding as a second course. Give some finger foods with both courses.
A bit later you can offer two course at both their meals
Should I offer my baby mashed food with soft lumps and finger food?
Yes. If you haven’t offered your baby mashed or finger foods already it’s important you start now, so your baby can start learning how to chew those lovely lumpy foods.
Offering them a wide range of foods, including things with a stronger flavour, like broccoli, spinach or mild curry, will also encourage their tiny palate. Taking the adventurous approach will mean they’re less likely to turn into a fussy eater , which is worth its weight in gold!
Why not try these baby-friendly finger foods:
- Cooked carrot sticks
- Broccoli spears
- Cooked pieces of pasta
- Fingers of toast
And they can also tuck into family foods like:
- Baked potato with cheese
- Scrambled egg
- Pasta with sauce (minus the salt)
Should I let my seven-month-old feed herself?
Yes, now’s definitely a good time for your baby to start feeding themselves. By seven months they’ll be an expert at grasping objects and will love nibbling on some yummy soft finger foods. Your baby will also be able to eat thick mashes and chew on soft lumps.
How much milk does a seven-month-old need?
Breastmilk or formula are still your baby’s main source of nutrition, but you might find they drop a milk feed once they’re putting away three small meals a day. They’ll still need to have at least 500-600ml (20oz) of breastmilk or formula each day.
What other drinks should I give my seven-month-old?
When your baby starts enjoying regular mealtimes you can offer them water in a cup with meals. Water is the only extra drink your baby needs. Fruit juices are not needed and encourage your baby to prefer sweet drinks. They are also acidic and can damage delicate new teeth so if you do give them, offer them well-diluted - 10 parts water to one of juice.
A lidded free-flow beaker or cup (in other words, one without a valve or teat) is best at this age so that your baby can learn to sip.
Find out which foods to avoid when weaning your baby
Mums say
“Don’t be frightened if they gag, they will a lot to start with, but don’t leave them alone with finger foods in case they choke. And relax – they’ll never starve themselves!” - Jane, mum of two
“When I had my son, now 18, we weren't 'allowed' to offer any drinks other than water. That was the conventional wisdom. However, my son was completely uninterested in water, so only drank breast then formula milk until he was a year old.” - Felice, mum of two