Typical Age

Feeding Capabilities

Type of Feeding

Suggested Foods

• Cuddles
• Roots for nipple
• Sucks
• Swallows

• Nipple-feeding

• Breast milk or iron fortified formula

• Begins to sit
• Follows food with eyes
• Opens mouth for spoon
• Moves semi-solids to back of tongue
• Swallows semi-solids

• Spoon-feeding of semi-solid food

• Iron-fortified baby rice or barley cereal mixed with breast milk or formula
• Pureed vegetables and fruits

• Move tongue to sides of mouth
• Positions food in mouth
• Delays swallow
• Munches: chews up and down
• Palms food
• Scrapes food into mouth

• Spoon-feeding and finger-feeding of thicker, lumpier food

• Puree foods
• Fork mashed fruits and vegetables
• Mashed potatoes
• Soft, diced fruits
• Sticky rice
• Chopped noodles and other pasta

• Bites off food
• Chews with rotary movement
• Moves food side-to-side in mouth, pausing in the middle
• Curves lips around cup
• Uses thumb and forefinger to finger-feed

• Finger-feeding of lumpy food, pieces of soft food

• Drinking from a cup

• Cut-up cooked vegetables
• Diced cooked or canned fruits (in juice)
• Grated fresh fruit
• Tender ground meats
• Casseroles
• Toast
• Dry cereal (e.g. Cheerios)

and beyond

• Becomes more skilful with hands
• Finger-feeds
• Improves chewing
• Improves cup-drinking
• Is interested in food
• Becomes more sociable at family table

• Finger-feeding of table foods
• Drinking from a cup

• Pieces of soft, cooked foods from the family table
• Tender meats cut/chopped finely across the grain
• Pieces of soft, raw food
• (Like bananas or peaches)
• Dry cereal
• Toast and crackers
• Cheese, eggs, legumes