Your baby is showing all the signs. Sitting up, eyeing your dinner plate, maybe even lunging for your toast. You know it is time to start solids, but where do you actually begin?
If you have been searching for a reliable starting solids checklist, you are in the right place. We created this guide and free printable PDF because, as parents ourselves, we remember the mix of excitement and overwhelm that comes with this milestone. You want to get it right without overcomplicating things.
Below you will find everything you need: readiness signs, essential gear, first foods to try (and what to avoid), plus a practical week-by-week plan. And when you are ready, download our free checklist to keep on your fridge.
Signs Your Baby Is Ready for Solids
Before you start ticking off your starting solids checklist, the first step is making sure your baby is genuinely ready. Australian guidelines from the Raising Children Network recommend introducing solids around 6 months of age, but not before 4 months.
The Five Readiness Signs
Look for these developmental milestones before offering first foods:
- Good head and neck control – Your baby can hold their head steady and upright while seated.
- Sitting with minimal support – They can sit in a highchair without slumping to one side.
- Interest in food – They watch you eat, reach for your plate, or open their mouth when they see food coming.
- Loss of tongue-thrust reflex – They no longer automatically push food out of their mouth with their tongue.
- Hand-to-mouth coordination – They can bring objects (and eventually food) to their mouth deliberately.
From our experience, most babies tick all five boxes somewhere between 5.5 and 7 months. If you are unsure, have a chat with your child health nurse or paediatrician. There is no rush—waiting until your baby is truly ready makes the whole process smoother for everyone.
The Starting Solids Checklist
This is the core of your preparation. Before that first spoonful (or handful, if you are going the baby-led weaning route), make sure you have everything sorted.
Gear Essentials Explained
You do not need a mountain of gadgets to start solids well. Here is what actually matters:
- Highchair with foot support – Proper positioning makes a real difference. When your baby's feet rest on a stable surface, they can sit upright, focus on eating, and develop self-feeding skills more effectively. A highchair footrest is one of the simplest upgrades you can make.
- Easy-clean surfaces – Starting solids is messy. A silicone placemat that fits your highchair tray saves you scrubbing dried avocado off plastic three times a day.
- Silicone bibs – The catch pocket is the secret weapon. It collects dropped food and rinses clean in seconds.
- Open cup – Offering small sips of water with meals helps your baby learn to drink. You do not need a fancy cup—a small open cup works brilliantly.
We have tested countless accessories with our own kids, and the items above are genuinely the ones that earn their spot in the kitchen.
First Foods to Try (and What to Avoid)
Choosing first foods does not need to be complicated. Current Australian guidelines recommend starting with iron-rich foods, then building variety from there.
Iron-Rich Foods First
By around 6 months, your baby's iron stores from birth start to deplete. That is why Australian health guidelines emphasise iron-rich foods as the number one priority. Great options include:
- Red meat (beef, lamb)—pureed, minced, or as soft strips for baby-led weaning
- Chicken and turkey
- Fish (try salmon for healthy fats too)
- Well-cooked egg
- Iron-fortified baby cereal
- Legumes (lentils, chickpeas, beans)
- Tofu
Introducing Common Allergens
Current evidence from ASCIA (Australasian Society of Clinical Immunology and Allergy) recommends introducing common allergens around 6 months and continuing regularly. The key allergens to introduce early are egg, peanut (as smooth butter), tree nuts, cow's milk products, wheat, soy, sesame, fish, and shellfish.
Introduce one new allergen at a time, offer it in the morning so you can watch for reactions throughout the day, and keep offering it regularly once introduced.
Setting Up Your Highchair for Starting Solids Success
Your baby's positioning during meals affects everything from how well they swallow to how long they stay interested in eating. Getting this right from day one is part of any good starting solids checklist.
The 90-90-90 Rule
Feeding therapists recommend the "90-90-90" position: hips, knees, and ankles all at roughly 90-degree angles. This gives your baby a stable base so they can focus on the food instead of trying to stay upright.
For most highchairs—including the popular IKEA Antilop—this means adding a footrest. When your baby's feet dangle with nothing to push against, they tend to slump, lean on the tray, or get restless. A simple adjustable footrest solves this instantly.
Highchair Accessories That Help
We designed our IKEA highchair accessories specifically for the starting solids phase. Here is what makes the biggest difference:
- Footrest – Adjustable height so it grows with your baby. Creates the stable base that supports better posture and longer, calmer mealtimes.
- Silicone placemat – Full tray coverage means food stays on the mat, not wedged in tray crevices. Peels off and rinses clean.
- Cushion cover – Adds comfort and a slight grip so your baby sits more securely. Wipeable and machine washable.
When you are setting up for your baby's first meal, spend a minute getting the highchair right. Adjust the footrest height, secure the harness, and pop on a placemat. It is a small effort that pays off at every single meal.
Week-by-Week Starting Solids Plan
One of the most common questions we hear from parents is "what do I actually offer and when?" Here is a practical timeline to take the guesswork out of those first few weeks.
Week 1: Explore and Taste
Start with just one meal a day, ideally when your baby is alert and not too hungry or tired. Mid-morning or early afternoon often works well. Offer a single iron-rich food—a teaspoon or two of iron-fortified cereal mixed with breast milk or formula, or a small serve of pureed meat.
At this stage, it is all about exploration. Most food will end up on their face, in their hair, or on the floor. That is completely normal and part of the learning process.
Week 2: Add Vegetables and Fruits
Keep offering one meal a day, but start adding variety. Try:
- Pureed or mashed sweet potato
- Steamed and mashed pumpkin
- Mashed avocado
- Pureed pear or apple
- Mashed banana
Offer a new food alongside one your baby has already tried. This gives them something familiar while they explore something new.
Week 3: Introduce Allergens
Now is a good time to start introducing common allergens. Try well-cooked scrambled egg, smooth peanut butter mixed into porridge, or full-fat yoghurt. Introduce one new allergen at a time, ideally in the morning so you can observe your baby for the rest of the day.
If you want guidance on what to watch for when introducing allergens, our gagging vs choking guide is a helpful companion read.
Week 4 and Beyond: Build Variety
By week four, you can start offering two meals a day and combining foods. Think porridge with mashed banana and a drizzle of nut butter for breakfast, then pureed meat with sweet potato for lunch. Gradually increase textures from smooth purees to mashed and then soft lumps.
Remember, breast milk or formula remains the primary source of nutrition until around 12 months. Solids at this stage complement milk feeds—they do not replace them.
For a comprehensive food tracking tool, pair this checklist with our First 100 Foods Tracker to record every food your baby tries.
Download Your Free Starting Solids Checklist PDF
We have packed everything from this guide into a clean, printable checklist you can stick on your fridge or save to your phone. No more scrolling through articles mid-mealtime—just a clear, one-page reference for those busy early weeks.
What is included in the free PDF:
- Complete list of everything you need before starting solids
- Week-by-week plan for introducing first foods
- Signs of readiness quick-reference card
- First foods to try and foods to avoid at a glance
- Allergen introduction tracker
Print it, laminate it, or keep it on your phone. Either way, you will have a practical reference that makes starting solids feel a lot less overwhelming.
Making Starting Solids Easier
Starting solids is one of those parenting milestones that sounds simple but comes with a hundred small decisions. Having a clear starting solids checklist takes the mental load off so you can actually enjoy watching your baby discover food.
Here are the key takeaways:
- Wait for readiness signs – Around 6 months for most babies, but let your child lead.
- Start with iron-rich foods – This is the number one nutritional priority.
- Get the highchair right – Proper foot support and positioning set your baby up for safer, calmer mealtimes.
- Go at your baby's pace – Some days they will eat, some days they will not. Both are normal.
For more practical feeding guides, explore our baby-led weaning tips for beginners or browse our full range of IKEA highchair accessories designed to make mealtimes easier from day one.
