Six months is when most Indian babies meet their first food that isn't milk. It's a milestone that arrives with a great deal of advice, much of it contradictory. This guide covers what to actually start with, how much, in what order, and what to watch for.
Is your baby ready?
Age is a guide, not a test. The WHO recommends exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months and introducing solids at around six months alongside continued breastfeeding. But readiness shows up in behaviour:
- Sits with support and holds the head steady
- Has lost the tongue-thrust reflex that pushes food back out
- Watches you eat with interest and reaches for food
- Opens the mouth when a spoon approaches
If most of these aren't there yet, waiting a week or two is fine. If your baby was premature, your paediatrician will usually adjust the timing.
What to start with
One single grain, cooked thin. In most Indian homes that means ragi, rice or oats. Ragi is the traditional first food across South India, and there's good reason for it β it carries more calcium than almost any other grain and is gentle on a new digestive system.
Start with one grain and stay with it for three days before introducing anything else. This is the three-day rule, and its whole purpose is traceability: if there's a rash, unusual fussiness, vomiting or a change in stool, you know exactly which food to suspect.
Nothing else in the bowl for now. No salt, no sugar, and no honey at all before one year.
How much, and when
Far less than most parents expect. Start with one to two teaspoons, once a day, at a time when your baby is alert but not ravenous β mid-morning tends to work well. Milk is still the main source of nutrition at this stage; solids are practice.
Over the first month, work up to two or three tablespoons, twice a day. By eight months, three small meals is typical. Let your baby's appetite lead β turning the head away, closing the mouth or losing interest all mean done.
A realistic first fortnight
Days 1β3: Ragi porridge, 1β2 tsp once a day, thin consistency.
Days 4β6: Same ragi, slightly thicker, 2β3 tsp.
Days 7β9: Introduce a second single grain β rice or oats. Keep ragi in the rotation.
Days 10β12: Add a simple mashed fruit or vegetable β banana, apple, or well-cooked carrot, again one at a time.
Days 13β14: You now have three or four accepted foods. Start rotating them.
Expect refusals. A baby rejecting a food on first offer is normal and not a verdict β it can take eight to ten exposures before something is accepted.
About allergens
Current guidance has moved away from delaying allergenic foods. Introducing them early, one at a time, from around six months is now generally recommended rather than avoided β this includes peanut, egg and dairy. The one-at-a-time rule matters even more here.
If there's a strong family history of food allergy, discuss the plan with your paediatrician before you start.
What to avoid before one year
- Honey β risk of infant botulism
- Added salt β a baby's kidneys can't process it
- Added sugar β sets up a preference that's hard to unlearn
- Cow's milk as a main drink β small amounts in cooking are fine; as a drink, wait until twelve months
- Whole nuts, grapes and popcorn β choking hazards; ground nuts are fine
Homemade or packaged?
Both work. Homemade gives you total control; a well-made packaged porridge gives you consistency and saves the daily grinding and roasting, which matters more than people admit at six months of broken sleep.
If you go packaged, check for a short ingredient list, no added sugar or salt, certified organic grain where possible, and whether the grain has been sprouted β sprouting breaks down phytic acid, which otherwise binds the iron and calcium and carries it straight through.
Our Stage 1 single-grain porridges are made for exactly this window, and the 50g trial packs let you test a few before committing. For what comes after, see our guide to baby food by stage.
Frequently asked questions
Can I start solids at five months?
Some paediatricians advise starting between four and six months in specific cases. Don't bring it forward without that advice.
How thin should the first porridge be?
Pourable β closer to a thick milk than a paste. Thicken gradually over the first two weeks.
My baby spits everything out. Is something wrong?
Usually not. The tongue-thrust reflex takes time to fade. If it persists past a few weeks, mention it at your next check-up.
Should I stop breastfeeding once solids start?
No. The WHO recommends continued breastfeeding alongside solids to two years and beyond. Solids complement milk at this stage rather than replacing it.