Introducing your baby to solid foods can be a real roller coaster. Not only do you need confidence and creativity but a whole load of patience too. Prepare to find avocado in all kinds of places for the foreseeable future!
Whether you’re wondering how to prepare foods, introduce allergens or support your baby at meal times, add these accounts to your IG favourites asap to help make the transition into the weaning world a smooth journey for both you and your little one.
1. Rebeccawilsonfood
When Rebecca Wilson Food, formerly known as ‘What Mummy Makes’, began weaning her daughter Nina onto solid food at 6 months she wanted to cook once for herself and her daughter to save time, but struggled to find recipes that were suitable for both herself and her daughter. After extensive research into what foods babies can and can’t have, Rebecca discovered that with some imagination and creativity, it was possible to cook meals that babies and adults could enjoy together. She applied her personal love of cooking to creating recipes for her and her little one which brought some variety and spark to their weaning journey. Soon, she started sharing her recipe ideas and weaning journey (the highs and lows) on her Instagram channel. Very quickly the audience grew, with more and more people inspired to try Rebecca’s method of cooking for their family just once. From broccoli bites to carrot cake porridge and courgette fritters, Rebecca’s got plenty of fun and creative baby-led weaning recipes for when you’re in need of a little inspo.
2. Babyledfeeding
Aileen started her Instagram account as a place to help parents navigate baby-led weaning (BLW) and share healthy recipes she made for her youngest little boy Oscar. She’s since become the author of two best-selling cookbooks and retrained as a Nutritional Health Coach so you can guarantee you’ll have plenty of certified guidance to both inspire and inform you throughout the weaning journey. Whether it’s how to give your baby berries safely or the tell-tale signs your baby is ready to start weaning, you’ll have access to a range of quick and easy recipe ideas (strawberry cheesecake pinwheels? Don’t mind if we do) as well as handy tips to help you and your little one breeze through the weaning phase.
3. Baby_led_eating
Introducing solids can be fun and exciting but it can also be downright terrifying – the fear of choking is real amongst all parents, but with her honest and accessible BLW advice, Hannah helps demystify the process, giving you the confidence to give it a go whilst ensuring you’re fully clued up on what to expect. The good, the bad and the messy! Don’t miss her highlights for FAQs and friendly advice on all the weaning basics.
4. Myfirstmeals
Cooking for little ones needn’t be tricky or intimidating after all. Using 5 ingredients or less, Grace Mortimer, creator of @_myfirstmeals, is your go-to for time-saving weaning recipes with maximum flavour and minimal fuss. From baby-friendly salads to pea and cream cheese pancakes, whipping up scrumptious breakfasts, quick snacks, tasty lunches and hearty dinners has never been easier with Grace on hand, even for those of us who rarely excel in the kitchen. Pre-order her book here for over 100 fast and fun recipes for children.
5. Solidstarts
Nervous about introducing blueberries to your little one? The team of paediatric feeding experts, swallowing specialists, allergists, lactation consultants and passionate parents over at Solid Starts will put your mind at ease with quality information you can trust. Their account answers all the questions that keep you up at night, including how to cut grapes, techniques for how to prevent and reverse picky eating and how to decrease choking risks when transitioning from puree to finger food. Their approach is based on a method called baby-led weaning, offering parents a way to bypass the idea of spoon-feeding entirely by letting your little one self-feed.
6. Westartedoutnormal
Busy mums in search of simple, fuss-free baby-led weaning recipes, Sinead Tummon, owner of Instagram account @westartedoutnormal, has you covered. When she first started weaning her 6-month-old, she found the majority of information on weaning was confusing and convoluted, so she set about helping other parents to simplify the process by adapting meals that she and her husband were eating anyway and sharing them on her account. Not all heroes wear capes, some wear head-to-toe avocado.
7. Yummy_little_belly
When Romina started weaning her daughter Grace, she felt overwhelmed by the dos and don’ts of how to serve food to a baby. Having spoken with other mums and doing some research online, she noticed that this is common and a very challenging time for parents, so in 2020, she started Yummy Little Belly, a place where she shares all the dishes she makes for her little one. Expect to find her serving up plenty of easy meat-free recipes for tiny tums, including hulk crackers, strawberry peanut butter fritters and pink porridge. Grub’s up!
8. Ellaskitchenuk
Ella’s Kitchen takes the stress out of weaning and puts the fun into mealtimes. Featuring top tips for leftovers, weaning checklists and age-appropriate recipes for tiny tummies as well as sensory play tips to help your little one learn to love mealtimes, Ella’s account is every parent’s best friend. Check out their website for weaning guides, planners and fun activities to guide you through every stage of your little one’s journey.
