When introducing solid foods, what should the initial amount be?

• A. Begin with one tablespoon of food
• B. Mix foods together
• C. Eliminate a refused food from the diet
• D. Introduce each new food 4–7 days apart

Answer: (A)

Starting solid foods should begin with a very small amount to gauge tolerance and reduce choking risk. The initial amount commonly recommended is about one tablespoon of a smooth, single-ingredient food offered on a spoon. This small amount lets you observe how the infant handles swallowing solids, any gag reflex response, and overall acceptance, without overwhelming the baby. As tolerance is shown, you can gradually increase the amount over days.

Mixing foods together makes it harder to identify which ingredient might cause a reaction and can complicate texture development early on. If the baby refuses a food, it’s not necessary to eliminate it completely right away; many infants need multiple exposures to accept new flavors and textures. Introducing each new food 4–7 days apart is a practice used to monitor for allergies, but it doesn’t address how much to start with.