Baby-Led Weaning Recipes

There are lots of reasons to love baby-led weaning. But when traditional purées aren’t a part of the menu, you might find yourself scratching your head over what to serve your growing gourmand. 

Baby-led weaning (BLW) is a practice where babies 6 months old or older jump straight to gummable finger foods as soon as solids are introduced, bypassing purées and mashed-up foods.

Proponents of baby-led weaning believe that letting your little one feed herself healthy foods right from the start helps her learn the important skill of chewing first, then swallowing. It also prevents parents from pushing food, making it easier for your sweetie to get in touch with her body’s hunger and fullness signals. It might help her become a more adventurous eater, too. 

Also good? Since baby-led weaning encourages your cutie to eat the same kinds of wholesome foods you eat (with some modifications), getting started simply means opening up your pantry or fridge.

Here are easy meal ideas to serve at breakfast, lunch or dinner, using many of the ingredients you likely already have on your regular shopping list. Just remember to always introduce one food at a time, especially top allergens like eggs, peanuts, soy, wheat, dairy and seafood, before serving up a recipe that contains multiple ingredients. 

Baby-led weaning breakfast recipes

Offer these tasty breakfasts to your little ray of sunshine when it’s time to rise and shine. They’re easy for new noshers to handle and packed with the nutrients your growing baby needs. 

• Hard-boiled egg, whole grain toast and fruit. Boil egg until firm, 10 to 12 minutes. Allow to cool, then peel and slice into quarters for your baby to pick up. (If the eggs are slippery, rolling them in baby cereal can make them more grippable.) Serve with whole grain toast sliced into strips about the size of two adult fingers and sliced banana strips or ripe sliced peaches.
• Baby cereal with peanut butter and blueberries. Combine 1 to 2 tbsp iron-fortified infant cereal with enough formula or breast milk to make a thick, scoopable porridge. Stir in smooth peanut butter. Serve with smushed blueberries. Allow your baby to rake the cereal with her fingers or try offering it on a preloaded spoon. 
• Three-ingredient pancakes. Make pancake batter by mixing 1 medium ripe mashed banana, 1 egg and 1/4 cup quick or rolled oats (not baby cereal). Pan-fry silver dollar-sized pancakes in a small amount of butter or oil. To serve, spread a pancake with a thin layer of plain Greek yogurt and a sprinkle of cinnamon. Offer with fresh fruit, like soft, ripe peeled pear. 
• Cheesy scrambled eggs and avocado toast. Scramble an egg with a pinch or two of grated cheddar cheese. Serve with whole grain toast topped with mashed avocado and sliced into strips.
• PB-banana yogurt boats. Stir smooth peanut butter into plain yogurt (regular or Greek both work). Spread onto thick strips of sliced banana (remember to remove the strings, which can be a choking hazard). Serve with a side of whole grain Os, if your baby is working on her pincer grasp.
• Coconut baked oatmeal strips. Combine 1/2 cup quick oats with 1/4 cup canned coconut milk and a pinch of cinnamon. Spread mixture in a thin layer on a silicone dish or microwave-safe plate (sprayed lightly with cooking spray) and microwave for 60 seconds, until firm. Slice baked oatmeal into strips (you’ll have leftovers) and serve with a side of fruit, like ripe melon or kiwifruit strips.
• Cinnamon ricotta and apple plate. Mix full-fat ricotta cheese with a pinch of cinnamon; serve in a mound alongside steamed, peeled apple slices or, for babies over 9 months, raw peeled, grated apple. Baby can rake ricotta with her fingers, or try serving it on a preloaded spoon.
• Simplest berry smoothie. Blend 1/2 cup plain whole milk yogurt, 1/2 cup frozen mixed berries, 1 tsp chia seeds and 3 to 4 tbsp water until smooth. Serve in a straw cup with a side of whole grain toast strips spread with a very thin layer of smooth peanut butter. (Pour leftover smoothie in ice cube trays and freeze for another time.)
• Veggie omelet strips. Add an extra egg to your omelet so you can share with your baby. (Just leave out the salt.) Try folding in cooked chopped leafy greens like spinach or steamed, chopped broccoli florets. Slice omelet into strips for your baby to pick up; serve with whole grain English muffin strips spread with butter. 

Baby-led weaning lunch recipes

Midday meals don’t have to be complicated (especially when you’re squeezing them in between naps and nursing sessions or bottles). These options are either quick to make or can be prepped in big batches and stored in the fridge or freezer until it’s time to eat.

• Hummus plate. Make a quick batch of low-sodium hummus by processing a can of drained chickpeas (look for one without added sodium) with a spoonful of tahini, the juice of half a lemon, a garlic clove and enough olive oil to make a thick paste. Serve a scoop of hummus with steamed carrot strips (they should be soft enough for you to smush with your fingers), thin strips of mozzarella cheese and whole wheat pita wedges. Your baby can rake hummus with her fingers, or you can spread it on the pita wedges for her to pick up.
• Tortilla melt. Sprinkle grated cheddar cheese on a corn or whole grain flour tortilla and toast until cheese is just melted. (Tortilla should still be soft.) Sprinkle with finely diced tomato and slice into strips or wedges.
• Baby-friendly falafel. In a food processor, add one can of drained chickpeas, a handful each of fresh parsley and cilantro, 1/2 cup diced onion, 1/4 cup all-purpose flour, 2 cloves garlic, a squeeze of lemon juice, 1 1/2 tsp baking powder and 1 tsp cumin; pulse until mixture is the texture of coarse sand. Refrigerate mixture for 1 to 2 hours; form into small logs or patties and bake until golden. Serve falafel patties with plain Greek yogurt and avocado strips.
• Broccoli fritters with chicken. Pulse steamed broccoli florets in a food processor until very finely chopped; add whole wheat flour, shredded cheese and egg to bind. Form into patties and pan-fry or bake. Serve with finger-sized strips or shredded-bite sized pieces of soft-cooked chicken.
• Apple-cheddar mini frittata. Thin beaten egg with a splash of milk; add diced peeled apple and shredded cheddar cheese. Pour mixture into mini muffin cups and bake. Serve with soft steamed green beans or peas.
• Leftover salmon cakes. Combine leftover flaked salmon (or canned salmon) with enough leftover mashed potatoes (or sweet potatoes) and beaten egg to form into small balls. Flatten balls and pan-fry or bake until golden. Serve with a dollop of plain Greek yogurt and steamed or roasted zucchini or broccoli florets.
• Savory veggie and cheese muffins. Combine 2 cups whole wheat flour, 2 tsp baking powder, 2 eggs, 3/4 cup milk, 1/4 cup melted butter, 1/2 cup shredded cheese and 1 1/2 cups shredded or diced vegetables; pour batter in mini muffin tins and bake at 350 degrees F for 15 to 18 minutes, or until golden. Serve mini muffins with a side of cottage cheese and thinly sliced strawberries.
• Sweet potato pizza slices. Top thick rounds of roasted sweet potato with low-sodium tomato sauce and shredded mozzarella cheese and bake until bubbly. (Pull off sweet potato skin just before serving.)
• Super avocado toast plate. Spread avocado on whole grain toast and cut into strips; top with a sprinkle of hemp seeds. Serve with sliced melon and plain Greek yogurt or cottage cheese.

Baby-led weaning dinner recipes

Meatballs, pasta, lentil purée and more. Don’t just prep these meals for your baby — you’ll love them, too.

• Mini meatballs, mozzarella and squash. To make mini meatballs, combine 1 pound of ground beef or turkey with 1/2 cup oat flour (rolled oats ground in the food processor), 1 beaten egg and a pinch of dried oregano. Roll into small balls and bake until browned. Serve meatballs drizzled with low-sodium tomato sauce (slice in strips or bite-sized pieces, depending on baby’s age), mozzarella strips and roasted acorn squash strips drizzled with butter. 
• Veggie pizza thin. Spread low-sodium tomato sauce on a whole wheat sandwich, top with shredded mozzarella cheese and finely diced steamed broccoli or spinach. Toast until bubbly, then slice into strips and serve.
• Shredded chicken quesadilla. Tuck bite-sized, shredded chicken pieces into whole wheat tortilla with shredded cheddar cheese; pan-fry until cheese is melted. Slice quesadilla into strips and serve with finely diced pieces of tomato.
• Easy chicken-sweet potato nuggets. Combine 1/2 pound ground chicken with 1/2 cup cooked, mashed sweet potato; roll into small logs or patties and coat in whole wheat bread crumbs. Bake until cooked through. Serve with a side of plain Greek yogurt and steamed asparagus spears, cooked until very soft.
• Cheesy pasta with peas. Toss warm, soft-cooked whole wheat fusilli or rotini with butter, ricotta, grated Parmesan cheese and soft-cooked peas. Serve with sliced fruit, like ripe peeled pear, melon or mango.
• Quick rice and beans. Cook white rice according to package directions. Drain and rinse canned unsalted black or pinto beans. Mash beans with a fork, then mix 1/4 cup mashed beans with 1/4 cup cooked rice, 2 tbsp avocado and a sprinkle of garlic powder. Serve with roasted slices of peppers and onions.
• Slow-cooked pork and slaw. Cook pork shoulder in a slow cooker until very tender. Finely shred green or napa cabbage in a food processor or in the smallest holes of a box grater; combine with a drizzle of olive oil and apple cider vinegar. Serve pork in bite-sized shreds with the slaw and a side of roasted sweet potato wedges.
• Curried red lentil purée with pita. Sauté a shredded carrot until softened; add 1/2 cup red lentils, a pinch of curry powder and 1 1/4 cup water. Simmer until lentils are cooked and liquid is absorbed. Serve red lentil purée in a preloaded spoon or let baby rake it with her fingers. Serve with whole wheat pita strips, plain yogurt and thinly sliced strawberry or mango. 
• Butternut squash soup and cheese toast. Sauté onion and garlic until softened, add butternut squash cubes and low-sodium vegetable broth. Simmer until squash is soft and purée to make a thick soup that baby can rake with her fingers, or serve on a preloaded spoon. Serve with whole grain toast strips or cubes with melted cheese.

Baby-led weaning recipes for the whole family

One of the reasons many families love baby-led weaning is because it allows for your mini muncher to eat many of the same foods everyone else is having (with a few modifications). These tasty meals work for eaters big and small.

• Taco bar. Serve your baby’s tacos deconstructed: Offer strips of whole wheat or corn tortillas, sautéed ground beef or chicken, mashed black beans, shredded cheese and finely diced tomato or shredded lettuce.
• Baked salmon, sweet potato and steamed broccoli florets. Flake your baby’s salmon into small pieces, checking thoroughly for any bones. Season mashed baked sweet potato with butter, but leave out the salt. Cook baby’s broccoli for a few minutes longer so it’s soft enough that you can smush it between your fingers.
• Ground turkey chili with whole wheat cornbread. Use your favorite chili recipe, but keep the sodium count low by using no-salt-added beans and low-sodium broth.
• Deconstructed chicken and broccoli stir-fry with rice. Set aside cooked chicken and broccoli for your baby before adding the sauce to the stir-fry. (Cook your baby’s chicken and broccoli for a little longer to make sure it’s tender enough that you can smush with your fingers.) Mix rice with mashed avocado to make little clumps that your baby can pick up.
• Rotisserie chicken, roast potato wedges and peas. Remove chicken skin and slice chicken into finger-sized strips for younger babies, or bite-sized shredded pieces for babies working on their pincer grasp. Cook your baby’s peas longer until they’re very soft. If your baby isn’t yet able to pick up the peas individually, you can mush them to for her to rake with her fingers.
• Brussels sprouts and cheese frittata. Finely shred the Brussels sprouts and sauté until softened before adding to the egg and cheese mixture. Slice frittata into strips or wedges for baby and serve with a side of fruit, like peeled, sliced peaches.
• Beef and veggie stew with potatoes. The soft, slow-cooked texture is already just right for your baby. Shred beef into small pieces and slice potatoes into wedges or strips that she can easily pick up.
• Breakfast for dinner. Who doesn’t love pancakes and scrambled eggs? If you’re doing pancakes from a box mix, look for one with as little added sugar as possible (less than 2 grams sugar per serving is ideal), and serve pancakes to your baby with a side of unsweetened applesauce instead of syrup. Remove your baby’s portion of scrambled eggs before adding any salt. Round out the meal with fresh sliced fruit. 

Safety tips to keep in mind when preparing baby-led weaning recipes

Baby-led weaning is safe for baby, as long as you stick with a few commonsense feeding guidelines and learn to spot the difference between gagging — which is normal and, in the early days, common — and choking. Remember to:

• Explain baby-led weaning to everyone who takes care of your child. It’s important to ensure that they follow the same safety precautions you do.
• Keep it soft. No matter what’s on the menu, in the beginning, the food’s texture should be soft enough for you to smush with your fingers or easily dissolvable — signs that your baby will easily be able to gum or chew it. Steer clear of foods that are hard or crunchy, like raw carrot or apple slices.
• Cut food into thick sticks or strips. When you first introduce baby-led weaning, slice foods up so baby can hold them in her fist and chew from the top down (instead of tiny bite-sized pieces). Once she has mastered her pincer grasp, usually around 8 or 9 months, you can start cutting food up into smaller bite-sized pieces.
• Avoid serving any foods that are choking hazards. For babies under 12 months, these include nuts; whole grapes, cherries or cherry tomatoes; uncooked dried fruit; thick gobs of nut butter; hot dogs; large chunks of meat or cheese; fish with bones; popcorn; and crunchy snacks like chips, pretzels or granola bars.
• Always supervise your baby while she eats. Never let your baby eat unattended. 
• Keep baby sitting upright in her high chair while eating. Don’t let her eat while she’s crawling or playing, and don’t serve food in the stroller or the car.
• Watch for allergic reactions. Call your doctor right away if your child experiences symptoms of an allergic reaction after eating a new food (such as hives, wheezing, swelling, nausea, vomiting or diarrhea). An allergic reaction may be more severe or possibly life-threatening (called anaphylaxis) if multiple areas of the body are affected. In the rare event that your child shows signs of a life-threatening allergic reaction like trouble breathing or swallowing, call 911 right away. That said, the thinking is no longer to hold back on certain foods to avoid allergies: The more options you offer, the more likely your newbie foodie will accept different foods, which translates into fewer mealtime battles in the future. 
• Know the difference between gagging and choking. Gagging is actually a safety response to food traveling too far back into the mouth — and it's not the same thing as choking, which is silent. A child who is gagging appears to be coughing mildly and may make a little noise, while one who is choking will look terrified and be unable to breathe or make noise. If your child is gagging, it’s best to stay calm (or at least, look calm) and wait until it passes. All parents should know the basics of choking first aid safety, regardless of what kinds of foods you’re serving.

Mealtime baby-led weaning style is a fun opportunity to introduce your mini muncher to many of the same kinds of foods you love to eat. As long as you keep basic baby food prep guidelines in mind with regards to texture and the size of food pieces, feel free to get creative and have fun.