Starting Solids: The Essential Guide for Parents

Little spoon

Little spoon is a revolution in baby weaning because it’s the only brand offering single-ingredient pouches that are simply cooked and blended — ideal for getting started. Everything is organic, French, carefully sourced, and the selection is huuuuge!
It’s easy to introduce baby to all fruits and vegetables (even those out of season, since the pouches keep for about 8 months). We love the slightly niche flavors: fig, corn, parsnip, cherries… There’s truly something for every taste. The single-ingredient, smooth texture makes introducing solids stress-free — even when you’re on the go!
Bonus: Little spoon has since expanded its range and now offers pouches that support baby throughout their learning journey with varied textures, proteins, starches, dairy blends, and more.
Double bonus: Recipe ideas to delight your child’s taste buds at every age!

https://www.littlespoon.com/

A Good High Chair

A high chair is an essential piece of equipment, and it should be chosen carefully. It must provide good support so baby is comfortable throughout their learning journey. If it grows with your child, even better!
Second criterion: it needs to be easy to clean… No need to draw you a picture — baby will gradually explore with their little hands and food will end up everywhere.
At Charlie, we offer the TOBO adjustable high chair.

Bibs (Lots of Them!)

You may already have bibs for bottle-feeding, but once you start introducing solids, you’ll quickly see their full potential! The options are endless: long-sleeved bibs, bibs with a small catch pocket to save food from falling off the corner of the mouth, and even bibs that double as trays!
Whatever you choose, they allow baby to move freely while giving you peace of mind about their clothes.

Let Baby Explore with Their Hands

You’ll quickly notice that baby puts their hands in their plate — and that’s a very good sign! It’s exploration, and it starts with touch before taste. This curiosity should be encouraged rather than discouraged.
Baby wants to play, squish food between their fingers, suck on it — that’s completely normal.

A Baby Food Processor

Well known to parents, these appliances are absolutely fantastic. They steam, blend to the right consistency for each age, defrost, and sometimes even sterilize… They do everything except peel the vegetables!
They’re indispensable because they save time and are often compact. Easy to clean and space-saving, their steam cooking preserves all the nutrients in fruits and vegetables. Ideal for starting solids. You can also equip yourself with small glass jars or freezer containers — meals ready for the whole week!

A Dash of Patience

You’ll need plenty of calm when starting meals with baby, as they will explore at their own pace. You may also need to offer a food several times before knowing whether they like it or not.
Children aren’t all the same — some are very curious, others less interested in food. In any case, baby grows, develops, changes — and nothing is set in stone!

A Pinch of Letting Go

And goodness knows you’ll need it in almost every way… Let go of quantities: baby has a natural satiety hormone — trust them. Not interested? Don’t force it; offer it again another time.
And yes, they will probably get food everywhere: on the floor, on themselves, maybe even on you. That’s normal — it’s part of the process. Stay calm! Baby explores tastes little by little, and over time they will refine their tiny taste buds.

And Good Humor!

Some accessories are less essential and depend on personal preference. For example: food pacifiers, silicone (or other) cutlery, floor mats to avoid scrubbing the kitchen… It’s up to you!
Whatever happens, introducing solids is a joyful milestone for both baby and you — and these memories will last forever. Enjoy it!