Fish, Rice, Tomato and Peas

Cook the fish all the way through, never raw or seared. Choose a low-mercury fish and remove every bone by running your fingers through the flesh. Flake it small and mash it smooth, or stir the flakes into a purée. Introduce it on its own and wait a few days before adding another new allergen.

Cook rice until soft and sticky and let it cool to warm. Serve it as a thick mash or mix it into a vegetable, meat, or fruit purée. Sticky or short-grain rice that clumps is easier for a baby to handle than loose dry grains.

Choose a ripe, soft tomato. Peel off the skin (it can bunch up and be hard to chew), scoop out the seedy core, and mash the flesh or stir it into a purée. If offering a piece to hold, give a soft finger-length strip of peeled flesh. Cherry and grape tomatoes are a round choking shape, so always quarter them lengthwise into small pieces and never serve them whole or halved.

Cook peas until very soft, then burst each one or mash to a thick purée. The small round, firm shape is the part to soften, so press every pea flat before serving. Skip salt.