Weaning milestone: 9-11 months

What should my baby be eating by nine months?

Your baby should be joining in the family meal and tucking into three small meals a day. 

What foods should I be offering my nine-month-old?

Your baby can enjoy what everyone else is having now – just chopped into baby-sized bites. And now your baby is getting more active – crawling and cruising around furniture – they’ll need to keep their energy levels up. And to ensure they’re eating a brilliantly well balanced diet, try and feed them these foods every day:

• Starchy foods, like potatoes, pasta rice, bread/toast or breakfast cereal – include them at all meals for that all important energy boost
• Fruit and vegetables -  including tinned, frozen and dried as well as fresh include them in all your baby’s meals
• Meat, tofu, fish, eggs, pulses (lentils, beans or peas) or nut butters – include these at two meals each day to give you baby plenty of  iron
• Full-fat dairy foods – foods like cheese, yoghurt, fromage frais and milk puddings are packed with calcium, which is ideal for strong bones and teeth

What finger foods can I offer now?

You can now offer hard finger foods such as:

• Breadsticks
• Rice cakes
• Crackers
• Toast with cheese spread
• Pieces of raw fruit and vegetables such as apples, carrots, cucumber
• Cubes of cheese
• Pieces of boiled egg

Are low-fat foods suitable for babies?

No, low fat foods are not recommended for babies. Only once your child is two, can you gradually introduce lower-fat dairy products and cut down on fat in other foods – and only if your child is a good eater and growing well. 

Does my baby need snacks in between meals?

Not necessarily as with milk feeds, three meals and their daytime sleeps there is not a lot of time.  Keep food to mealtimes and offer two courses at each meal – a savoury course followed by a second course of fruit and/or a milk pudding. Give finger foods with both courses. 

Why is iron so important?

Your baby was born with stores of iron, but they start to run out from around six months. Lack of iron is the most common nutritional deficiency seen in young children, so it’s very important to offer your baby plenty of those iron-rich foods. Good sources of iron include:

• Red meat – like beef and lamb
• Chicken and turkey - especially the dark meat
• Dried fruit – like prunes and apricots
• Iron-fortified cereals – as long as they’re low sugar
• Eggs - cooked till both the white and yolk are solid
• Beans, tofu (bean curd), lentils and chickpeas
• Beans, tofu (bean curd), lentils and chickpeas
• Nut butters
• Green vegetables – like spinach, broccoli and peas

Keep your baby’s diet healthy – find out how to avoid giving the wrong foods.