Best baby-led weaning food recommendations and expert tips

Feeding your baby can feel overwhelming.

Just when you think you’ve mastered the rhythm of those midnight feeds — whether breastfeeding, pumping, formula-feeding, or a bit of all of the above — the moment arrives to start introducing your new bundle of joy to other foods. That’s when things can become even more complicated.

The CDC recommends introducing solids around 6 months of age, although every child develops at their own pace. There are a few cues that indicate a baby is ready to start trying new foods, such as sitting up alone or without some support, controlling their head and neck, and pulling objects towards their mouth.

Every parent has their own approach to introducing foods, beyond breastmilk or formula. Some opt for spoon-feeding mashes or purées, which allows adults to dictate the amount of food that goes into their babies’ mouths. Others take the baby-led weaning approach.

What is baby-led weaning?

With the baby-led weaning method, parents offer softer, finger foods so little ones can feed themselves independently. Many parents also like to share their age-appropriate foods right from the dinner table to encourage babies to eat with the whole family.

While there isn’t a plethora of research on the effects of baby-led weaning on development, some parents believe this approach can help foster autonomy early on. Many experts agree it’s a great way for babies to practice the pincer grasp (closing the thumb and index finger together to grab an object).

A 2015 study demonstrated that the baby-led weaning approach has some positive effects on parents. In one study, baby-led mothers reported lower anxiety, lower obsessive-compulsive disorder scores, lower eating restraints, and higher conscientiousness than traditional weaning mothers.

For answers to all common questions about baby-led weaning and starting solids, the Post consulted Dahlia Rimmon, a Registered Dietitian who works on Little Spoon’s Education Advisory Team.

Jump below for some of the best baby-led weaning foods to try, self-feeding tools to stock up, and take a look at the FAQ section for more of Rimmon’s expert tips.

Little Spoon offers a range of little-finger-friendly food to help expand babies’ palettes and prevent picky eating with a variety of textures and ingredients. Recommended for babies 9 months and up, Biteables are uniquely designed for baby-led weaning. Each meal features soft, half-inch pieces of whole foods like corn, beans, sweet potatoes, and proteins like shredded chicken or roasted turkey — easy to heat in the microwave or on the stovetop. These small portions support fine motor skills like the pincer grasp, and help strengthen swallowing and chewing skills highly associated with speech development and clarity. Not to mention, Little Spoon is the first U.S. baby food brand to test for over 500 heavy metals and toxins, giving parents extra peace of mind.

Before starting on a full-blown baby-led weaning journey, some parents introduce their babies to pouches. Pouches are a great way to practice self-feeding, without the mess left on the table (or the floor, for that matter). Cerebelly offers a variety of smooth blends packed with wholesome ingredients like fruits and veggies, as well as added selenium and zinc for brain development, Vitamin B12, and B6. They’re expert-backed, too — developed by a practicing neurosurgeon, who spent years testing out different recipes before perfecting these science-backed, squeezable snacks.

If you’re committed to cooking at home, a steamer is a great investment — especially during the baby-led weaning stage. When serving babies finger foods, it’s important to ensure they’re soft enough to chew — or gum, because that’s probably a more realistic image of what’s going on. Steaming uses moisture to cook food, so you won’t need to pile on oils or butters to get a good roast. NutriBullet’s Turbo Food Steamer offers 5 steam settings and a built-in timer to cook different types of food. This process can also help lock in healthy nutrients, so your little one gets the most out of their meals. In addition to steaming, the Turbo Food Steamer can defrost frozen foods and sterilize baby bottles, pacifiers, utensils, and toys for easier baby times, all around.

Greek Yogurt is a wonderful choice for baby-led weaning. Little Spoon’s YoGos are creamy, smooth, and offered in delicious flavors, such as Strawberry Bananza, Tropical Mango Twist, and Apple Berry Blast (tasty enough for parents to enjoy, in our opinion). They’re also packed with gut-friendly probiotics as well as a solid dose of protein, and a cold-pressing process ensures the best nutrients are locked in and sealed for freshness. It’s hard to believe there are 0 grams of added sugar in each pouch. For little ones learning how to eat on their own, YoGos are a fantastic option — and very fresh too!

The first stage of baby-led weaning can be tricky. Scooping is a tough skill to master for little ones who are learning to eat on their own, but still lack full wrist rotation capacity. NumNum has designed clever Pre-Spoons, tailored for tiny hands to reduce scooping and balancing struggles. The open-channel and thick, contoured handle provides a secure, no-slip grip, so it’s easier to pick up whatever they have their eyes on (including soft, solid foods). Reviewers mention they double as a teething toy!

Baby-led weaning is all about encouraging little ones to self-feed, practice their pincer grip, and maybe even flex their hand-eye coordination. If there’s a single tasty snack that can help with all those goals, it’s Amara’s meltable, bite-sized smoothie snacks. These are made with five or fewer simple ingredients, including whole fruits and veggies. Adding spirulina brings out the deep green color that little ones love — and can spot without squinting. Unlike other softer, cooked foods, Amara Melts are easy to serve and don’t require as much clean-up, which makes them a great option for taking on the go or longer travel days.

Starting solids has never tasted so good! Little Spoon’s organic oatmeal is made with ancient grain barley and millet, offering up to 14 grams of whole grains plus 13 essential vitamins and minerals, such as calcium, Vitamin D, and added iron for neurological development. Recommended for babies 4 months and up, it’s a simple first food to help wean little ones off breastmilk or formula. It’s certified organic and completely rice-free, too.

Support your babies’ self-feeding journey by offering them perfectly portioned, bite-sized pieces. WeeSprout’s baby-led weaning kitchen tools set comes with a crinkle cutter, a grape cutter, and a sandwich cutter to create finger-friendly foods on demand. It was designed in collaboration with a feeding specialist to make it easier for little fingers to handle food, and it makes it easier for parents to prep their meals, too. Everything in this baby-led weaning set is top rack dishwasher safe, so clean-up is a breeze.

Made for ages 10 months and up, Nurture Life’s tasty Finger Foods are a great option for families taking the baby-led weaning approach. These individually-packaged servings offer a variety of food groups, from cheesy pastas and tender meats to sauces with hidden veggies. While parents must transfer these to microwave-safe containers, the preparation doesn’t take long — just 20 to 40 seconds in the microwave or 5 to 12 minutes in the oven.

Self-feeding is a key stage during children’s development, allowing little ones to explore new tastes and textures, while learning how to pick up food with their fingers (or utensils), and practicing biting and swallowing. If you’re considering baby-led weaning, be sure to reach out to your child’s pediatrician for further guidance and questions pertinent to your little one’s needs.

Starting solids and baby-led weaning FAQs

The Post interviewed Dahlia Rimmon, a registered dietitian on Little Spoon’s Education Advisory Team, for answers to some of the most frequently asked questions about starting solids and encouraging healthy, independent eating habits.

How can parents encourage independent eating?

Rimmon’s number one tip is to aim for family meals a few times a week, or every day if possible.

“Babies learn by watching, and mealtime is a great opportunity to model healthy eating habits,” she explained. “At this age, babies love to copy everything you do, so seeing you eat foods independently helps them feel more confident in testing out their new self-feeding skills.”

She added that shared meals make eating feel fun, social, and low-pressure, which is exactly the kind of environment that encourages independence.

How do you introduce babies to new food groups?

Some parents prefer to introduce their babies to one food group at a time, easing into new flavors gradually. Rimmon, however, encourages parents to explore a variety of foods early on.

“I recommend introducing all food groups early on so babies can experience a wide variety of nutrients, colors, flavors, and textures,” explained. “This helps them develop a healthy relationship with food and encourages acceptance of different tastes from the start.”

What flavors and textures tend to sit better with picky eaters?

Rimmon has warned that kids with picky eating behaviors often react strongly to new flavors or textures that feel unfamiliar or overwhelming. When introducing vegetables, she likes to start with milder or sweeter flavors rather than bitter or earthy ones.

“Vegetables like carrots, butternut squash, zucchini, and spinach have gentler flavors compared to stronger-tasting veggies like beets, mushrooms, or brussels sprouts,” she explained. “That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t offer the more bitter or earthy veggies, just don’t focus on them first.”

Are there any time-saving hacks you recommend for meal prep?

“Dinnertime is often the hardest part of the day because everyone’s tired, cranky, hangry, and parents are juggling a lot,” explained Rimmon.

She has recommended trying heat-and-eat meals made with veggies and wholesome, real-food ingredients — such as those offered at Little Spoon.

“Whether you have one child or five, I always recommend keeping convenient, nutritious options stocked in your fridge or freezer to take some of the pressure off and save time.”

This article was written by Miska Salemann, New York Post Commerce Journalist. As a Gen Z first-time mother of one, Miska tests baby, maternity and postpartum products ranging from stylish new kids clothes to long-trusted diaper brands with her daughter. She evaluates baby- and mom-approved products for practicality and quality, and consults medical and parenting experts to weigh in on safe ingredients, usage and more. Before arriving at the Post, she covered the lifestyle and consumer verticals for the U.S. Sun.