Solid Starts for Babies: How to Introduce Solid Food and Raise a Happy Eater

by Solid Starts

The definitive guide to introducing real food to babies—from the board-certified pediatric feeding pros trusted by millions of parents around the world.

Led by a multidisciplinary team of licensed pediatric feeding professionals, Solid Starts has emerged as the go-to resource for modern families searching for a research-based approach to solid food introduction to babies. In their debut book, they debunk the myth that “baby food” is necessary and show how, from the moment that baby is ready to begin the transition from breast or bottle to solid food, baby can enjoy almost any food—the same food that you want to eat—with some basic safety modifications. In this book, they share:

How to cultivate curiosity, build trust at the table, and get out of the way at mealtime so babies can do what they were born to do: eat.
How the early introduction to many flavors and textures before age one builds baby's palate and familiarity with food before the opinionated toddler years.
Why food need not be pureed and why six-month-old babies are developmentally capable of eating real food.
Why allowing baby to grab, hold, and eat food on their own maximizes sensory motor learning, fosters problem-solving skills, and can actually decrease the risk of choking.
The nutritional, developmental, and psychological benefits to sharing the same food that you like to eat with baby.
Techniques and guidance for sharing family meals with baby during each development window, from four months of age through early toddlerhood.
The latest evidence on choking, safety, food allergens, nutrition, food shapes and sizes, and how recommendations are rapidly changing.



With practical, research-backed strategies, Solid Starts for Babies helps parents nurture confidence and sets up families for mealtime joy.

Genres: Parenting, Nonfiction

384 pages, Hardcover

Published April 1, 2025

About the author

Solid Starts is a multidisciplinary group of experienced pediatric healthcare professionals who are also parents. Together they offer combined decades of professional experience building bridges between the latest pediatric research and the daily needs of children and their caregivers. Their book team includes pediatric gastroenterologist Dr. Rachel Ruiz, pediatric allergist and immunologist Dr. Sakina Bajowala, pediatric occupational therapists and infant feeding and swallowing specialists Kary Rappaport and Kimberly Grenawitzke, board-certified pediatric dietitian and nutritionist Venus S. Kalami, and Solid Starts founder Jenny Best.

Reviews

[Madison · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is basically Baby-Led Weaning without all the stupid shit about preventing your baby from becoming a fat adult. I also liked that they're not completely opposed to spoons and purees as an entry-point for nervous parents. My one gripe is that they end a lot of paragraphs encouraging readers to subscribe to their $20/month app for more info, which makes the book feel like an ad rather than a useful resource in its own right.

[Taylor Gable]

Great resource as an SLP in early intervention. Read to become more familiar with the early stages of feeding - no I’m not pregnant LOL!

[Evelyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wouldn't say I was nervous about starting baby led-weaning with Oliver - I was lucky to observe it firsthand with my niece - but this book helped reaffirm that adventure with credible research and strategies. If you're a parent who's nervous about starting solids with your kiddo, READ THIS. The science behind BLW is fascinating, and it's been so fun seeing everything on the page confirmed as Oliver explores new foods.

[Elizabeth Strickland · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve been following Solid Starts for almost 4 years now and followed all of their recommendations with my first child (who is an incredible eater!). I was thrilled about the publication of their book at around the same time my son started his solids journey. The information was so helpful, clear, and took so much pressure off. Our feeding journey has been so different this time around, and I’ve loved the extra support from this book. Highly, highly recommend!

[Alexandra Luttrell-Freeman · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have 2 Solid Starts Graduates. I fully credit Solid Starts with my two fantastic eaters and for my sanity through the toddler refusals. Every bit of knowledge that was so pivotal and more is in this book. It’s written in a way that is easy to consume. I’m excited to live in the new future they’re spearheading where all parents have access to expert tools and research on introducing solids. A future where meals are not the battle field, but an exploration! Definitely adding this book to any future baby shower gifts!

[Abigail · Rating 4 out of 5]

I bought this book specifically so I wouldn't have to pay for the yearly subscription to their app, only to have chapters end with "for more info check out our app!!" There definitely was a lot of useful information about nutrition and allergens, and I was glad to see how well researched it all was, but it didn't help much with what I wanted it for. The app is pretty good though 🤷🏼‍♀️

[MaKayla Elrod · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a pediatric feeding therapist, this is seriously a work of art for parents!!! So easy to read and understand. I’m a huge fan of the Solid Starts crew and the path they have paved in the pediatric feeding world!

[Brittin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such good timing this book coming out a couple months before we start solids! Really grateful for clear, thoughtful and evidence-based information to guide our BLW journey.

Audiobook: 8h 54m

[Sarah Sailer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really helpful! Sure we’ll consult this over the next months and years!

[Valerie Yi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Incredibly helpful!

[emyrose8 · Rating 5 out of 5]

A solid guide for parents introducing their babies to solid foods (pun intended). Great info, helpful tips.

[S_ R · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was my educational read for the season. Loved it 👍🏻 lived it 👍🏻 recommend solid starts app to all my mom friends

[Morgan Wright · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gave me a lot of confidence starting solids as a first time mom!

[Friendly Bookworm · Rating 3 out of 5]

Generally interesting content but don’t like the structure and writing style - very repetitive.

Also the theory is nice and all but this did not work for us in practice

[Lovelymisanthrope]

I picked up this book because I was enjoying the app and thought the book would provide more insight into starting solids.
“Solid Starts” is a practical guide on how to start solid foods with your baby. The book covers everything from what to do to prepare for solids around four months, all the way to how to troubleshoot with a picky eater during the toddler years. Additionally, there is great data and information about preventing choking, navigating food allergies, and so much more.
After reading this book, I feel so much more confident in starting solids with my daughter. This milestone can feel intimidating because there are so many different ways to approach solids. Solid Starts uses data and real life testimonials to empower parents and caregivers to feed their children.
I felt like this book covered everything I needed it to and more. I love how it is structured and organized. Each chapter tackles a specific topic and at the end of each chapter there are key takeaways from the chapter. This allows you to quickly review what you learned before moving on. Additionally, all of the chapters felt independent from one another, so if you had one specific concern or question, you could certainly just read that chapter.
This book does explore baby-led weaning more than anything, but I do think everyone could learn something from this book, no matter what approach to solids you are doing.
I highly recommend this book go anyone who feels intimidated by starting solids.

[Amy Stohs · Rating 4 out of 5]

I did this on audio because that was available from the library right away, but it would be better in print for reference since there are several lists and outlines for schedules. This is a great book on just how to do solids with your baby. It is not hard core baby led weaning like some spout (purees are evil; you could make your child obese if you feed them wrong in the first year). It just makes sense. The research explains. My complaint is that they repeatedly state how you don’t have to change anything from what you’re making to feed your baby! Just give your baby what you’re having! This is incredibly misleading and also counter to SO much of their advice. Some foods are only safe as purees to start. You have to monitor spice. You need to limit sugar. Cuts are incredibly important. Make sure to introduce some things early on and allergens only one ingredient at a time. The number of things that you can actually just make one and done and share with your infant is super limited. I wish they were more honest that the modifications required for most things will mean that you need to make somewhat separate things - overlapping ingredients perhaps, but separate. This doesn’t seem that far off from common sense although the authors are espousing that this is revolutionary. I don’t think it is.

[Jenny GB · Rating 3 out of 5]

Did Solid Starts really need a book? Probably not, but they did their best to provide the most critical information alongside a lot of padding by talking about other developmental issues and a ton of repetitive pages about why they suggest this way of feeding. I do like the emphasis on inclusion of a lot of ways to feed and doing what’s right for you and your family. Unfortunately, the most useful part of Solid Starts is the food database and that’s only vaguely touched on here. I really suggest downloading the app and using the descriptions and visuals of how to serve different foods. That database was definitely the most useful piece of information in my experience feeding my kids. I think this book will give good for parents that are extra anxious about stating solids and need a lot more information before they are willing to get started.

[Scarlett Trotman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Solid Starts for Babies: How to Introduce Solid Food and Raise a Happy Eater is an incredibly helpful and informative guide, and I gave it 5 stars. I’ll be referring back to it over the coming months as we navigate introducing solid foods to my little one.

I’m especially grateful for this book because my firstborn was raised on purees, and it gave me the confidence to embrace baby-led weaning with finger foods this time around. The guidance is practical, clear, and easy to follow, and it really takes the stress out of what can feel like a daunting stage of parenting.

A fantastic resource for any parent looking to start solids with confidence and set their baby up as a happy, adventurous eater.

[Taylor Shelton · Rating 5 out of 5]

I can’t recommend this book enough (& I do recommend it to all my mom friends). It helped to not only encourage starting solids at 6mo when I was so hesitant and scared of the gagging and wanted to give into just doing purees, but I also felt empowered to introduce bolder food choices to my baby as she got more confident. She’s now 8.5mo and is a fantastic eater. She basically eats modified versions of our daily meals. Everyone is always so impressed. And I totally credit this book (& app) Here’s to hoping this continues through toddlerhood. 🤞🏼

bonus: Their app is great too (no need to pay for the subscription imo)

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great resource for first time parents! Having my second baby now I don’t feel like it was a ton of new information, but I will still reference the later chapters especially to be sure I’m offering appropriate foods. I’d say the book is ideal for parents new to the phase of feeding a baby especially- I love how much they impressed the importance of connection and making eating an enjoyable experience for all involved. Lots of facts to help parents feel knowledgeable and prepared for the daunting task of letting their babies learn to eat

[Nina RC · Rating 4 out of 5]

I started this book very overwhelmed and ended the book with such relief! I learned so much and now I feel more confident in this new journey I have begun with my daughter. Most of the knowledge and advice I had been given was antiquated; I was ready to learn a new approach regarding the introduction of solids for babies. I will say, the book could have been shorter, it is very repetitive but everything is so relevant that you don’t even mind hearing the same thing in some chapters. Forever grateful to all of the people that were involved in the creation of this book.

[Donna Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

Solid Starts for Babies is a very good guide book to use when introducing solid foods to your baby. I appreciated the reinforcement that children progress at different rates. The book does a wonderful job explaining how to look for signs of “readiness”. It included some detailed knowledge about choking to help a parent overcome that fear.

The book reinforces that self feeding is about exploration and learning so there will be some messy feeding sessions before the skill is mastered!

On a more practical note, I really liked the way the chapters were organized with bullet-point summaries at the end of each chapter. I recommend this book for parents and/or grandparents who want to safely guide their children or grandchildren into exploring and enjoying food around the “family table”. I was gifted this book in exchange for my honest review.

[Gabby C · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very thorough guide, docking a star for no explanation of what to do in case of a choking emergency. 100% I agree with the need to take a class, but to not even put a basic description and saying to see their website felt like a massive oversight. More of a minor gripe that the esophagus and trachea were referred to as food and breathing tubes while other complex medical terms (ghrelin) were used - why not use the anatomical terms??

[Nrcole · Rating 5 out of 5]

I didn’t read every chapter in here, just what was applicable to me. Reads like a textbook. I think this is a great resource for all parents. Learning about why giving chunks of solid food between 6-9 months is safer than waiting was very interesting. Do I think occasionally giving my baby purees is going to mess up her development? No. Although I do let her feed herself with purees. As with all parenting books, take what you need from it.

[Clara Warrick · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book I would recommend to anyone with a baby starting solids soon! Informative, practical, and science-based. Left me feeling more confident in feeding my baby and in trusting her body to safely do what it needs to do when eating. Considering buying a hard copy to refer back to when I need.

[Angelea · Rating 4 out of 5]

More like 3.75 stars
I enjoyed some of the chapters - like about the timelines of solid food introduction over the decades and on allergens. Overall, their app and pdf resources are more practically helpful than the book. Also, some ideas are contradicted by our pediatrician, which made me nervous to utilize all the suggestions.

[Jenna Centofante · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mentally, I wasn’t ready to have my son start solids at 6 months old. This gave me the confidence to understand what he needs and how to guide him along the way! I would highly encourage this book and the app for any parent’s toolbox!

[Laramie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really helpful book with more detail than the others I’ve read. Practical examples and all concepts were well explained. I do think the fact that they have an app means there’s maybe some info that’s located there instead of the book? But overall my favorite so far!

[Jilly Marie C · Rating 5 out of 5]

Audiobook listen! What a thought provoking and myth busting book about babies and feeding! I feel utterly tricked by the baby food industry and I’m so glad my love of feeding and swallowing led me to this book! 10/10!!!!! Will be reading again when I have a child.

[Elisabeth Word · Rating 3 out of 5]

Really just skimmed this one, since I already used a baby led weaning approach with my first. Still learned some interesting info though! A good guide I would recommend to anyone introducing food to their baby.