At about 7 months of age, which food is appropriate to introduce?

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Introducing complementary foods around 7 months focuses on meeting growing iron needs with a smooth, safe texture. The best option is a smooth, iron-rich protein like pureed chicken. It provides heme iron and high-quality protein critical for development, and when finely pureed it’s easy for a baby at this stage to handle without choking. You can offer a small amount to start and gradually increase as the baby tolerates it, perhaps mixing with iron-fortified cereal or vegetables to vary flavor and texture.

Other foods aren’t suitable at this age for safety and nutritional reasons. Cow’s milk isn’t recommended as a main drink until after 12 months because it isn’t a reliable iron source and can irritate the gut or interfere with iron absorption. Honey should be avoided under one year due to the risk of infant botulism. Whole nuts pose a serious choking hazard and aren’t appropriate for early infancy.