Baby Purees: When to Start and When to Move On to Textures

What It Means

Purees are foods blended or strained until they're completely smooth, and they're a common first texture when a baby starts solids. CDC says babies should start foods other than breast milk or formula at about 6 months, not before 4 months, and that smooth, mashed or strained foods are easiest at first. From there, CDC recommends moving on to thicker, lumpier and then finely chopped foods as the baby's eating skills grow.

Try It: Step Through Baby Food Textures

Step through the texture order CDC describes. Ages are rough; follow your baby's readiness.

Step 1: Smooth

Pureed or strained foods, very smooth, from about 6 months once your baby shows the signs of readiness.

Step1of 3

How Parents Say It

"We started with sweet potato puree."
"He gags on anything with lumps in it."
"Time to move her on from purees."

The Breakdown

Textures by stage, per CDC

About when	Texture	Why
Before 4 months	No solid foods	CDC and the AAP advise against it
About 6 months	Smooth: pureed or strained	Easiest to eat at first
As skills grow, around 8 months	Mashed or lumpy, thicker purees	Builds chewing
Later in the first year	Finely chopped or ground	Chewing plus picking up food with the fingers

Signs your baby is ready, per CDC. Your baby can sit up with or without support, control their head and neck, open their mouth when food comes near, and swallow food instead of pushing it back out.

Starting today

Pick one single food and puree it smooth.
Offer a small amount from a spoon, with your baby sitting upright.
Wait before adding another new food; CDC suggests one new food at a time at first, which makes it easier to spot a problem such as an allergy.

When to talk to the pediatrician. Ask before starting if your baby was born early, has trouble swallowing, or has severe eczema or a food allergy, since those can change the plan.

Good to Know

CDC says not to give honey before 12 months, because it can cause botulism, a severe kind of food poisoning. Cow's milk as a drink should also wait until after 12 months, per CDC, though yogurt with no added sugar can come earlier. Keep purees and later textures free of the choking hazards CDC lists, such as whole grapes, popcorn and spoonfuls of nut butter.

FAQ

When can babies start purees?

CDC and the AAP recommend starting solid foods at about 6 months, and not before 4 months, once your baby shows the signs of readiness.

How long should babies eat purees?

There's no set end date. CDC recommends moving to thicker, lumpier and then finely chopped foods as your baby's skills grow, which helps build chewing.

Can I add honey to baby purees?

No. CDC says not to give honey before 12 months because it can cause botulism.

Related Terms and Categories

Baby-led weaning
A way to start solids where a baby feeds themselves soft pieces of food from about 6 months instead of being spoon-fed purees.
Allergen introduction
Giving a baby common allergy-causing foods, such as peanut and egg, early in the first year to lower the chance of a food allergy.
Finger foods
Small, soft pieces of food a baby picks up and feeds to themselves, usually begun once they sit up and can bring food to their mouth.
Choking vs gagging
Gagging is a noisy, normal reflex that keeps food out of a baby's airway; choking is a blocked airway, often silent, that needs 911 and first aid.
High chair
A tall, freestanding seat with a tray for feeding a baby or toddler. CPSC's federal standard requires a three-point restraint and a passive crotch restraint.
Food neophobia
A child's reluctance or fear of trying unfamiliar foods, a normal stage that researchers say peaks around ages 2 to 6.

Baby and toddler

Sources

CDC, "When, What, and How to Introduce Solid Foods"; CDC, "Tastes and Textures"; CDC, "Choking Hazards"; HealthyChildren.org (AAP), "When Can Babies Start Solid Foods? Readiness & Feeding Tips"; HealthyChildren.org (AAP), "Sample Menu for a Baby 8 to 12 Months Old"

Last updated September 30, 2026.

Purees