The menus for baby food below are designed to give you an idea of what babies may be eating from 4 months to 8 months of age.
Do NOT feel as though your baby should be eating solid foods according to any schedule. Your baby will eat as much solid foods as your baby needs – trust your baby cues. Start out slowly and let baby take time to taste and experiment with the food.
Pay attention to your baby’s cues. She may want more if she continues to lean in for the spoon, opens her mouth or tries to grab the spoon and bring it to her. She may be finished when she turns her head away, clamps her mouth shut or cries as the spoon comes close to her. Don’t fret if there’s leftover food in the bowl and never force your baby to eat “one more bite” when she indicates she’s finished.
This menu sample is for example and idea purposes only! You should always feed your baby according to his or her needs and cues and not strictly by any chart or schedule.You should look to charts and schedules as examples and for ideas about feeding your baby; following any chart or offered schedule may not be suitable for your baby’s particular circ*mstances and needs.
What is a Food Cube serving? When you see a reference to to a “food cube”, this means an ice cube sized serving. Each cube is equal to approximately 1 ounce.
4-6 month old babies will likely be eating between 2 and 4 ounces of food per day. Some 4-6 month old babies may not have started solids at all.
At 6 or 7 months old, some infants may eat 4-6 ounces of food per day while babies who are just starting solids at 6 or 7 months of age may be eating only 1-2 ounces per day.
Remember the 4 day wait rule when creating a menu plan for your baby and offer only those foods that your baby tolerates well.
Following any chart or offered schedule may not be suitable for your baby. It is important to say again that this menu sample is for example and idea purposes. The menus are geared to give you ideas of what types of food you could serve at different meal times to get a good balance of nutrients and variety. These menu suggestions assume that you have introduced the foods that are shown and that you have waited the proper time period to detect an allergic reaction. Do NOT feel as though your baby should be eating solid foods according to any schedule. Your baby will eat as much solid foods as your baby needs – trust your baby’s cues.
Breast Milk and/or Formula are THE MOST IMPORTANT sources of nutrition for your infant up to 12 months old. Do NOT replace a nursing or bottle-feeding with a solid food meal and do not feed the solids first until your pediatrician indicates this is right for your baby.
When you look at these sample menus, don’t think about serving adult sized portions. Your little one surely could not eat 1 cup of oatmeal with 1 whole avocado mashed into it. However, your little one might be able to eat 4 tablespoons of oatmeal with 2 tablespoons of mashed avocado. We do not note amounts of foods because, as we say, all babies are different and will be eating differing amounts of foods.
By 8-9 months of age, most babies will be eating 3 solid food meals per day. A baby’s appetite will change from one meal to the next so don’t expect your baby to eat 3 “full” meals each and every day.
Read our How Much Should My Baby Be Eating article to learn why your baby may eat more or less than others. All babies are different and your baby may eat more or less than what is shown on these example charts.
Remember, it cannot be stressed enough; all babies are different and your baby may eat more or less than what is shown on these example charts. This menu and sample schedule outlines examples and shows ideas for solid foods only.It does not account for, nor does it list, total daily Breast Milk or Formula intake.See a “Suggested “Milk” chart on the right sidebar to view how much “milk” your baby should be/might be drinking.
As always, you should feed your baby according to his or her cues and needs.Always consult your pediatrician if you are worried that your baby is not receiving proper amounts of either milk or solid foods.
Many breastfeeding moms supplement with formula as their milk supply may be low for a variety of reasons.We give kudos to those moms who continue to hang in there and offer their babies breast milk while supplementing. Hooray for you.You will find our menu samples include the use of both breast milk and formula, separately and together as a total “meal” solution.
Remember, always consult with your pediatrician regarding introducing solid foods to your baby and specifically discuss any foods that may pose allergy risks for your baby.
Suggested Daily “Milk” Intakes for Babies age 0 to 12 months
- 0-3 Months of age:
Breastfeed every 1-3 hours or Formula 18-40 ounces - 4-5 Months of age:
Breastfeed every 2-4 hours or Formula 24-45 ounces - 6-8 Months of age:
Breastfeed every 3-4 hours or Formula 24-37 ounces - 9-12 Months of age:
Breastfeed every 4-5 hours or Formula 24-31 ounces
Whole Cow Milk, as a drink, should not be introduced until 12 months of age. Learn about Introducing Yogurt and Feeding Cheese to your baby.
Table compiled from Merck Source
FAQs
At 3 to 4 months old, your formula-fed baby will have around 32 ounces of formula each day over five to eight feedings of 4 to 6 ounces each. (See whether your baby is getting enough formula.) If you're breastfeeding, your baby will eat five to eight times a day, every two or three hours.
What is the schedule for 8 month old solid food? ›
8-month-olds feeding schedule
Solid foods at least twice or three times a day along with 25 to 32 ounces of formula or breast milk every 24 hours. You can start increasing the quantity and variety of the foods in your 8-month-old baby's diet. You can also try introducing a sippy cup and finger foods.
Which meal is an appropriate first solid food for a baby between 4 and 6 months of age? ›
4 to 6 months: Single-grain cereals
That's why cereals fortified with iron are an ideal early food. Combine 1 teaspoon of single-grain cereal with 4 to 5 teaspoons of breast milk or formula. At first, most of the cereal will end up on your baby's chin.
What is the feeding schedule for a 6 month old? ›
A feeding schedule for a 6-month-old can vary depending on their food source. However, generally, infants need to eat every 2-3 hours or 5-6 times per day. A baby's 6-month birthday marks an important transition as many infants are ready to start trying solids at this point.
What is the schedule for a 4 month old baby? ›
What a 4-month-old sleep schedule may look like
- 7 a.m.: Wake for the day and have a bottle or breastfeed.
- 9 a.m.: Morning nap.
- 10:30 a.m.: Wake up, nurse or have a bottle, then playtime.
- 12:30 p.m.: First afternoon nap.
- 2 p.m.: Wake up, have playtime and tummy time.
- 2:30 p.m.: Nurse or have a bottle, then more playtime.
Your 6-month-old will likely need about four to six breast milk or formula feedings and one to two solid meals each day. Once your baby starts solids, continue to offer breast milk or formula in the usual amounts and just add a small breakfast, lunch or dinner to your baby's day.
How many meals for an 8 month old? ›
By 8 months or so, babies often have three meals and start adding snacks. Continue to offer a wide variety of fruits, vegetables, grains, and protein-rich foods. As your baby's eating skills improve, gradually introduce more textures and soft finger foods.
What is the feeding chart for 8 month old baby? ›
Nutritional Food Chart of an 8-months-old baby
- • Early morning. Breast milk or formula.
- • Breakfast (Around 8.00 a.m.) ...
- • Mid-morning (Around 10.00 am) Breast milk or formula.
- • Lunch (Around 12.30 – 1.00 p.m.) ...
- • Mid-afternoon (Around 3.00 p.m.) ...
- • ...
- • Dinner (Around 7.30 – 8.00 p.m.) ...
Start with menu items like pieces of soft cheese; small pieces of pasta or bread; finely chopped soft vegetables; and fruits like bananas, avocado, and ripe peaches or nectarines. These foods should require minimal chewing, as your baby may not yet have teeth.
What is the best puree for babies? ›
Start with one food at a time and select foods that are nutritious and easy to mash such as bananas, avocados, peaches, mangoes, plums, grapes, potatoes and butternut squash. If your baby responds well to these, advance to other nutritious foods such as asparagus, kale, ground chicken, or quinoa.
Solid foods may be introduced in any order. However, puréed meats, poultry, beans and iron-fortified cereals are recommended as first foods, especially if your baby has been primarily breastfed, since they provide key nutrients. Only one new single-ingredient food should be introduced at a time.
What is the only essential food a baby needs for the first 6 months? ›
breast milk or first infant formula provide the energy and nutrients your baby needs until they're around 6 months old (with the exception of vitamin D in some cases) if you're breastfeeding, feeding only breast milk up to around 6 months of age will help protect your baby against illness and infections.
What is the schedule for 8 month old solids? ›
At 7 and 8 months old, babies need solid foods two to three times a day. They're still getting most of their nutrients from breast milk or formula, though.
How to start purees at 4 months? ›
Mix cereals and mashed cooked grains with breast milk, formula, or water to make it smooth and easy for your baby to swallow. Mash or puree vegetables, fruits and other foods until they are smooth. Hard fruits and vegetables, like apples and carrots, usually need to be cooked so they can be easily mashed or pureed.
Can a 4 month old go 4 hours between feedings? ›
Over the first few weeks and months, the time between feedings will start to get longer. On average, most exclusively breastfed babies will feed about every 2 to 4 hours. Some babies may feed as often as every hour at times, often called cluster feeding. Or may have a longer sleep interval of 4 to 5 hours.
How many hours should a 4 month old go without eating? ›
During this time, babies need an average of 14 hours of sleep daily. At 4 months, they can go eight hours at night without feeding; by 5 months, they can sleep for 10 or 11 hours straight. Both 4-month-olds and 5-month-olds will sleep four to five hours during the day, spread out over two to three naps.
What is a 4 month old breastfeeding schedule? ›
But generally, your 4 months old should be fed around six to eight times within a 24-hour period. If you're a busy mum that doesn't always have the time to breastfeed, our breast pumps and storage bags will help you store breastmilk for your baby for when you're not around.
How many night feeds should a 4 month old have? ›
You can expect your baby to start feeding less often at night than during the day. After 2 months of age, babies settle into a regular feeding schedule. A baby feeds about every 3 to 5 hours. So by 4 months, your baby may be able to go 5 or more hours at night between feedings.
