Solid Food Tracker
Track your baby's first 100 foods journey
For information only — not medical advice. Start solids around 6 months, introduce allergens one at a time, and talk to your pediatrician before starting solids or if your baby is high-risk for allergies. Call emergency services for any trouble breathing or severe reaction.
Why Track Your Baby's First Foods?
Starting solids is a major milestone. Keeping a simple record of what your baby has tried helps you offer variety, spot and remember any reactions, and make sure the “big nine” food allergens are introduced early — the step that research now links to fewer food allergies. This tracker organizes a curated list of 100 baby-friendly foods across eight categories so you can see at a glance what is left to explore.
When Can Babies Start Solid Foods?
The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and the World Health Organization recommend starting solids around 6 months, and not before 4 months. Age is only part of it — look for these signs of readiness:
- Sits up with little or no support and holds the head steady
- Has lost the tongue-thrust reflex (no longer pushes food out)
- Reaches for food and opens the mouth when it comes near
- Can move food from the front to the back of the mouth and swallow
Until about 12 months, breast milk or formula is still the main source of nutrition; solids are for practice, iron, and exposure to flavors and textures.
How to Introduce Allergens Safely
For most babies there is no benefit to delaying allergens. Landmark trials (LEAP, EAT) and the 2017 NIAID guidelines show that introducing peanut and egg early — around 6 months, once a few first foods are tolerated — can substantially cut the risk of developing those allergies. The U.S. now recognizes nine major allergens: milk, egg, peanut, tree nuts, wheat, soy, fish, shellfish, and sesame (added by the FASTER Act).
- Introduce one new allergen at a time, in a safe form (e.g. thinned peanut butter, well-cooked egg, plain yogurt) — never whole nuts or spoonfuls of thick nut butter.
- Wait 3–5 days before the next new food so you can tell which one caused any reaction (AAP/CDC).
- Offer it early in the day when you can watch your baby.
- Once tolerated, keep offering it regularly (about twice a week) so the protection lasts.
- If your baby has severe eczema or an existing food allergy, talk to your pediatrician before introducing peanut or egg.
Worked Example
Your baby is 6 months old, sits well, and has already tried banana and oatmeal with no problems. On a calm morning you mix a teaspoon of smooth peanut butter into a little warm water or her usual puree and offer it. You watch for two hours for any rash, hives, vomiting, or swelling. None appear, so peanut goes in the “tried” column. You wait 3–5 days before introducing the next allergen (say, well-cooked egg), then keep peanut in rotation about twice a week. That early, repeated exposure — not avoidance — is what the evidence supports.
Foods to Avoid in the First Year
A few foods are not safe for babies regardless of readiness, mostly because of botulism or choking risk:
Make sure every food is soft enough to squish between your fingers, and always supervise meals with your baby seated upright.
Is the “First 100 Foods” an Official Guideline?
No. The “first 100 foods before age one” idea is a popular, variety-focused approach — not an AAP or WHO rule, and there is nothing magic about the number 100. What is well supported is offering a wide range of flavors and textures in the first year: it supports iron and nutrient intake, helps prevent picky eating, and gives repeated allergen exposure. Treat 100 as a fun target to encourage variety, not a medical requirement or a race.
Recognizing an Allergic Reaction
Offer new foods when you can watch your baby, and know the signs:
Frequently Asked Questions
When should I start solid foods?
The AAP and WHO recommend starting solids around 6 months (and not before 4 months), once your baby can sit with support, holds the head steady, has lost the tongue-thrust reflex, and shows interest in food. Until about 12 months, breast milk or formula stays the main source of nutrition.
How should I introduce allergens to my baby?
Introduce the major allergens early, around 6 months once a few first foods are tolerated, one at a time and in a safe form (thinned peanut butter, well-cooked egg, plain yogurt). Wait 3-5 days before the next new food so you can tell which one caused any reaction, offer it early in the day, and keep offering it about twice a week once tolerated.
Do I really need to wait days between new foods?
The AAP and CDC suggest waiting about 3-5 days after a new single-ingredient food before adding another, so a reaction can be traced to the right food. This matters most for the major allergens; low-risk fruits and vegetables can be rotated more freely.
What foods should babies avoid before 12 months?
Avoid honey (botulism risk) and cow’s milk as a main drink until 12 months, and skip added salt and sugar. Choking hazards like whole nuts, popcorn, hard chunks, and whole grapes or cherry tomatoes (cut these lengthwise) should be avoided or modified. Every food should be soft enough to squish between your fingers.
Is the "first 100 foods" an official guideline?
No. The "first 100 foods" is a popular, variety-focused approach, not an AAP or WHO rule, and there is nothing special about the number 100. What is well supported is offering a wide range of flavors and textures in the first year. Treat 100 as a motivating target, not a medical requirement.
What if my baby rejects a food?
It can take 10-15 exposures for a baby to accept a new food, so keep offering it without pressure. Make mealtimes relaxed and let your baby explore textures at their own pace.
Related Tools and Reading
- Formula Calculator and Growth Tracker — balance milk feeds with solids and follow your baby's growth
- Baby BMI Calculator and Milestone Tracker — check growth and development alongside feeding
- Baby-Led Weaning and Family Meals — how to offer finger foods safely at the family table
- How to Encourage a Toddler to Try New Foods and Picky Eating: It's Not What You Think
- Kids' Healthy Eating Guide — building balanced meals as your baby grows
Methodology and Sources
Readiness ages, the “wait 3–5 days” spacing, and allergen advice on this page follow current guidance from the bodies below. The food list is a curated, variety-focused selection, not a prescribed diet.
- AAP / HealthyChildren.org — Starting Solid Foods
- AAP / HealthyChildren.org — When to Introduce Egg, Peanut Butter & Other Common Allergens
- World Health Organization — Infant and Young Child Feeding
- CDC — Foods and Drinks to Encourage & Food Allergies
- NIAID 2017 — Addendum Guidelines for Peanut Allergy Prevention (LEAP)
Note: This tracker is for general information and is not medical advice. Always talk to your pediatrician before starting solids, before introducing allergens if your baby is high-risk, or if you have any concerns about feeding or reactions.