Breastmilk or iron-fortified infant formula: maintain your baby's primary form of liquid nutrition at least throughout the first year.

Iron-fortified rice cereal: a common first food because it isn't likely to be allergenic, and contains the additional iron that breastfed babies will need starting at around 6 months. Also, try whole-grain oatmeal and barley cereal.

Single puréed vegetables: squash, green beans, sweet potatoes. Choose vegetables with a mild flavor and serve them individually. Don't offer combined vegetable-and-meat meals until your baby has proven not to be allergic to any of the components.

Single puréed or mashed fruits: apple, peach, banana.

If you have a family history of food allergies, you may want to delay starting solid foods to at least 6 months and perhaps as long as 9 months. Look for signs of readiness, such as them watching you eat and trying to grab bits of food from you.

Also, be sure to serve cereals with a spoon and never in a baby bottle. Mix with either breastmilk, water, or formula. Make the mixture initially very thin; then make it thicker (by adding less liquid) as your baby gets older and more confident with spoon-feeding. Expose your baby to warm and cold cereal.