Simple, Nutritious & Beginner-Friendly Recipes Explained by a Lactation & IYCF Professional

When your baby starts solids at 6 months, you don’t need complicated ingredients or gourmet-style meals.
Your little one needs soft, wholesome, homemade foods that support growth, gut health, and brain development.

As a PharmD, Lactation Professional & IYCF expert, I always say:

Start simple. Start with one ingredient. Let your baby explore flavours slowly.

Here is a collection of easy, safe, age-appropriate baby food recipes you can cook with the ingredients already in your kitchen.

🥄 Age 6–7 Months: Simple Single-Ingredient Purees & Mashes

These early recipes should be:
✔ soft
✔ mashed or pureed
✔ smooth in texture
✔ without salt, sugar, and honey

🍠 1. Sweet Potato Mash (Beginner-Friendly)

Ingredients:

• 1 small sweet potato
• A few teaspoons of breastmilk (optional)

Method:

1. Steam or boil the sweet potato until soft.
2. Peel and mash well.
3. Add a little breastmilk for a smoother texture.

Why it’s great:
Gentle on tummy, naturally sweet, vitamin-rich.

🍌 2. Banana Mash

Ingredients:

• ½ ripe banana

Method:

1. Mash the banana with a fork.
2. Serve immediately.

Why it’s great:
Quick, no cooking, high in energy & potassium.

🍎 3. Apple Puree

Ingredients:

• 1 apple
• Water as needed

Method:

1. Peel, core, and chop apple.
2. Steam until soft.
3. Blend or mash to smooth puree.

Why it’s great:
Helps digestion, gentle on stomach.

🎃 4. Pumpkin Puree

Ingredients:

• ½ cup pumpkin pieces

Method:

1. Steam pumpkin.
2. Mash into a smooth puree.

Why it’s great:
Naturally sweet, vitamin A-rich.

🌾 5. Basic Rice Cereal (Homemade)

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons rice
• Water
• Breastmilk (optional)

Method:

1. Cook rice in extra water.
2. Mash well or grind into puree.
3. Add breastmilk for creaminess.

Why it’s great:
Soft, easy to digest, good starter grain.

🥣 Age 7–8 Months: Mixed Foods, Khichdi & Soft Textures

Now you can start mixing foods and introducing thicker textures.

🍛 6. Moong Dal Khichdi (No Salt)

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp rice
• 1 tbsp yellow moong dal
• Water
• ½ tsp ghee (optional)

Method:

1. Wash rice + dal.
2. Cook together until very soft.
3. Mash well.
4. Add a drop of ghee.

Why it’s great:
Balanced meal =  iron + protein + carbs.

🥕 7. Carrot–Potato Mash

Ingredients:

• 1 small potato
• ½ carrot

Method:

1. Steam both.
2. Mash together until smooth.

Why it’s great:
Iron, carbs, fibre easy and nutritious.

🥚 8. Egg Yolk Mash

Ingredients:

• 1 egg

Method:

1. Hard boil egg.
2. Separate yolk.
3. Mash with warm water or breastmilk.

Why it’s great:
Iron + healthy fats for brain development.

🫘 9. Mashed Rajma (Kidney Beans)

Ingredients:

• ¼ cup rajma
• Water

Method:

1. Soak rajma 8 hours.
2. Cook until extremely soft.
3. Mash well.

Why it’s great:
High iron, protein-rich plant food.

🥥 10. Ragi Porridge (Homemade, No Sugar)

Ingredients:

• 1 tbsp ragi flour
• Water
• Breastmilk (optional)

Method:

1. Mix ragi flour with water (no lumps).
2. Cook on low flame until thick.
3. Cool and add breastmilk.

Why it’s great:
Iron-rich, strong bones.

🥑 Age 9–12 Months: Soft Finger Foods & Family Meals

This stage is for exploration of textures.

🍲 11. Soft Idli / Dosa Pieces

Cut into thin strips or tiny pieces.

Why it’s great:
Easy to self-feed, mild taste.

🍽 12. Vegetable Upma (Mild)

Ingredients:

• Suji
• Water
• Finely grated carrot/pumpkin
• Ghee

Method:
Cook suji with vegetables and water until very soft.

Why it’s great:
Balanced and filling.

🥥 13. Coconut Rice Soft Mash

Ingredients:

• Cooked rice
• Tiny amount of fresh grated coconut

Mash together until soft.

🍗 14. Chicken Soup / Shredded Chicken (For Non-Veg Families)

Method:

1. Pressure cook chicken with water.
2. Mash/shred finely.
3. Mix into mashed rice.

Why it’s great:
High-quality protein & iron.

🍠 15. Finger Foods (Soft)

• Steamed carrot sticks
• Steamed apple wedges
• Soft banana strips
• Boiled sweet potato pieces
• Soft dosa strips

Why it’s great:
Encourages chewing + independence.

❌ Foods to Avoid for All Ages (Under 1 Year)

• salt
• sugar
• honey
• cow’s milk (as drink)
• dry fruits whole (choking)
• whole nuts
• juices
• biscuits
• packaged baby foods
• tea/coffee
• fried foods

💛 A Gentle Note to Mothers

Your baby doesn’t need variety every day.
Your baby doesn’t need fancy combinations.
Your baby needs simple, soft, nourishing homemade meals, fed with love and patience.

You’re doing an amazing job one bowl at a time.