When you first begin weaning your baby, it can be hard to know exactly how much food is needed and when to feed your baby. This helpful guide will show you how many meals a day, the average meal size, consistency of the food and what foods are suitable for each stage of weaning:
Baby’s Age
|
Number of meals per day
|
Average meal size
|
Consistency
|
Suitable foods
|
Around
6 months (Stage 1)
|
2-3
meals/
day
|
5-10
teaspoons
|
Smooth thin purée without any lumps
|
Cereals e.g. baby rice, porridge, baby cereal.
Puréed vegetables e.g. carrots, squash, potato. Peeled and puréed fruit e.g. banana and pear.
Well cooked chicken, fish, meat and eggs
|
6-9 months
(Stage 2)
|
3
meals/
day
|
2-4
tablespoons
|
Thick with soft lumps
|
Well-cooked eggs, chicken or mince.
White and oily fish (boned and skinless).
Yoghurt, pasteurised cheese, bread, pasta, noodles, rice.
|
9-12 months
(Stage 3)
|
3
meals/
day plus
2-3
snacks
|
4-6
tablespoons
|
Chunky, mashed texture, moving to chopped, bite size pieces
|
Most family foods are now suitable but do not add sugar or salt. Finger Foods: mango, melon, banana, toast fingers, cheese, pasta shapes
|