Salmon, Rice, Peas and Bell pepper

Prep

Cook salmon through until it flakes easily and is opaque throughout, never raw or seared. Run your fingers through it to remove every pin bone and the skin, then flake it finely or mash it into a smooth purée. Mix with breast milk, formula, or a vegetable purée to loosen the texture. As a Big-9 allergen, introduce it on its own and wait a few days before adding another new food. Choose salmon (a low-mercury fish) and skip the highest-mercury fish entirely. Add no salt.

Cut

Soft pea-size flakes, checked by hand for bones, or a smooth mash. Skin removed.

Prep

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.

Cut

Serve as a thick, sticky mash or blended into a purée. No cutting needed.

Prep

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.

Cut

Burst or flatten each pea, or serve as a smooth thick mash.

Prep

Raw bell pepper is firm and the skin is tough, so cook it until very soft for the first months. Roast or steam strips until a fork slides through with no resistance, then peel off the skin. Serve warm as finger-length pieces a hand can hold, or blend into a smooth purée. Remove the seeds and white core.

Cut

Soft-cooked finger-length strips, or smooth purée. Skin peeled off, seeds and core removed.