One of the most common questions about feeding young babies is what to offer first. Typically, the first foods include cereals, single fruits, and single vegetables. It's important to wait a few days between new foods; you'll want to make sure your baby does not develop any sort of allergic reaction before offering more foods that are new. Cereals are the least likely to spark an allergic reaction, so they're usually a safe first food.

Be sure to avoid anything with wheat and eggs for the first six months, as both are common allergens. Avoid egg whites until an infant is one year old. Honey should also be avoided until your baby is at least a year old, because it can contain a dangerous botulism spore. If your family has any history of allergy to nuts, avoid peanuts or any products with tree nuts until your child is at least three years old. Without a family history of peanut or tree nut allergies, it's relatively safe to introduce nut butters from about twelve months on. Experts usually recommend that parents avoid nuts and other “allergic”foods if their baby has any of these risk factors:

• The infant already has an allergy to another food

• The infant has other “allergic” type disorders, such as eczema, asthma, or hay fever

• The infant has family members with food allergies, eczema, allergies, or asthma

Remember that the goal of feeding in the first year is mostly about getting your baby used to different tastes and textures. Breastmilk or formula will still provide most of the calories and other nutrients to your baby's diet through the first year.