Pork Meatballs in Vegetable Sauce

Cook pork fully until no pink remains. Blend it into a smooth puree or shred it very finely, then moisten it with breast milk, formula, broth, or a vegetable puree so it isn't dry. Pork brings protein and zinc, useful nutrients at this age. Serving it alongside a vitamin-C food, like a little tomato or pepper puree, helps with iron absorption. Add no salt.

Lightly toast bread so it holds together, then cut it into finger-width strips your baby can grip. Toasting helps it firm up instead of turning gummy in the mouth. Most bread contains wheat, so introduce it on its own and watch for a reaction. Choose lower-salt bread when you can.

Hard-cook the egg until both white and yolk are solid, then mash it smooth, or offer a well-set scramble or a soft omelet. A small amount, about a third of an egg, is plenty for a first taste.

Garlic adds depth to early meals without any salt. Finely mince or mash a small amount and cook it soft into purees, mashed vegetables, beans, or sauces. It is a seasoning rather than a finger food, so a little stirred through a dish is all a baby needs. Skip raw garlic and whole cloves at this stage.

Onion is usually a flavor base rather than a food on its own at this age. Cook it down until very soft and blend it into purées, mashes, or sauces. Raw onion is sharp and firm, so keep it out for now.

Cook carrots until very soft, so a fork slides through with no resistance. Steam, boil, or roast, then serve as a smooth purée or a soft mash. For self-feeding, offer soft-cooked finger-length batons. Raw carrot belongs only as fine shreds. Skip added salt.

Trim and wash leeks well (grit hides between the layers), then cook them until very soft (steam, simmer, or sweat in a little oil) and finely chop or blend them into a puree, mash, or sauce. The long fibers can be stringy, so cook them down and chop small rather than serving raw or in long strips.

Wheat is one of the common food allergens, so it helps to offer it on its own first, in a small amount, and watch over the next couple of days before adding other new foods. Good early forms are a thick iron-fortified wheat cereal, soft well-cooked pasta, or lightly toasted bread cut into finger-width strips. Keep everything soft and moist, with no added salt or sugar.

Stir a small drizzle of olive oil into a smooth purée or soft mash to add calories and richness. Use it as a cooking fat for vegetables or grains, or fold a little into the finished food just before serving.