How much should a 6 month old eat a day?

Milk — breast milk or formula — is still the main source of nutrition at 6 months. Solids usually start at one small meal a day, a couple of teaspoons, building towards two or three small meals by the end of the month.

What foods can I start with at 6 months?

Iron-rich foods are the priority: iron-fortified cereal, well-cooked puréed meat or lentils, plus single vegetables and fruits. Introduce one new food at a time so a reaction is easy to trace.

When should I introduce common allergens?

Current guidance is to introduce common allergens such as peanut, egg, and dairy early, around the start of solids, in age-appropriate forms. Talk to your paediatrician first if your baby has eczema or a known allergy.

What should a 6 month old avoid?

No honey, no cow's milk as a main drink, no added salt or sugar, no whole nuts, grapes, or other choking hazards, and no unpasteurised foods.

Feeding schedule

6 month old eating plan: the first month of solids

Starting solids is less about volume and more about iron, allergen exposure, and practice with new textures. Here is a realistic week-by-week plan for the first month, what to prioritise, and what to keep off the tray entirely.

What should a 6 month old eat in their first month of solids?

At 6 months, breast milk or formula is still the main source of nutrition, and solids start as one small meal a day alongside it. Begin with iron-rich foods such as iron-fortified cereal, puréed meat, or lentils, add one new single food every two to three days, and work up to two or three meals a day by the end of the month.

Milk feeds stay roughly the same at first; solids are practice, not replacement.
Iron is the priority nutrient from 6 months.
Introduce common allergens early and one at a time, at home, earlier in the day.
No honey, no added salt or sugar, and no cow's milk as a drink before 12 months.

Four principles for the first month

Milk still leads

At 6 months breast milk or formula remains the main source of calories and hydration. Solids are practice and iron, not a replacement for feeds.

Iron is the goal

Iron stores from birth run low around this point. Iron-fortified cereal, puréed meat, lentils, and beans should appear most days.

One new food at a time

Offer a new single-ingredient food for two to three days before adding another, so any reaction is easy to attribute.

Introduce allergens early

Peanut, egg, dairy, wheat, soy, sesame, and fish are introduced early in age-appropriate textures. Check with your paediatrician first if your baby has eczema or a known allergy.

Week-by-week plan

Milk feeds continue on demand throughout. Solids sit alongside them, ideally when your baby is alert and not overly hungry.

Week	Meals	What to offer
Week 1	One small meal a day, 1–2 teaspoons	Iron-fortified oat cereal thinned with milk; single vegetable purée such as sweet potato or carrot.
Week 2	One meal a day, building to 2–3 tablespoons	Add a second vegetable and a first fruit (pear, banana). Keep cereal daily for iron.
Week 3	Two small meals a day	Introduce a protein: smooth puréed chicken, beef, lentils, or well-mashed beans. Begin allergen introduction, one at a time.
Week 4	Two to three small meals a day	Combine flavours, thicken textures slightly, add soft finger foods if your baby is grasping. Continue the allergen rotation.

What to avoid at 6 months

Honey — risk of infant botulism under 12 months
Cow's milk as a main drink before 12 months (small amounts in food are fine)
Added salt and added sugar of any kind
Whole nuts, grapes, popcorn, and other choking hazards
Unpasteurised dairy, juice, or soft cheese
Rice cereal every day — rotate grains to limit arsenic exposure

General guidance only — it is not medical advice. Your paediatrician should confirm readiness for solids and guide allergen introduction for your child.

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Frequently asked questions

How much should a 6 month old eat a day?: Milk — breast milk or formula — is still the main source of nutrition at 6 months. Solids usually start at one small meal a day, a couple of teaspoons, building towards two or three small meals by the end of the month.
What foods can I start with at 6 months?: Iron-rich foods are the priority: iron-fortified cereal, well-cooked puréed meat or lentils, plus single vegetables and fruits. Introduce one new food at a time so a reaction is easy to trace.
When should I introduce common allergens?: Current guidance is to introduce common allergens such as peanut, egg, and dairy early, around the start of solids, in age-appropriate forms. Talk to your paediatrician first if your baby has eczema or a known allergy.
What should a 6 month old avoid?: No honey, no cow's milk as a main drink, no added salt or sugar, no whole nuts, grapes, or other choking hazards, and no unpasteurised foods.