Free Printable First Foods & Allergen Introduction Tracker
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A printable tracker for first foods and allergen introduction. Free, nothing to sign up for. Print it, stick it inside a kitchen cupboard, and tick foods off as you go.
Last updated: 1 August 2026 · Free to use, print and share. Health visitors, dietitians and antenatal groups are welcome to print and distribute this.
Before you start
Most health bodies, including the AAP and NHS, advise starting solids at around six months alongside continued milk feeds. Readiness is judged by the baby rather than the calendar: sitting with support, steady head control, loss of the tongue-thrust reflex, and genuine interest in food.
If your baby is high risk, the advice is earlier — not later
This is the point most often misunderstood, and getting it backwards has consequences.
US guidance from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases identifies infants with severe eczema, egg allergy, or both as high risk for peanut allergy. For those infants the recommendation is to introduce peanut at 4 to 6 months — earlier than general weaning — after evaluation by a clinician, who may arrange skin prick or peanut-specific IgE testing first.
The evidence behind this is strong. The LEAP trial found that regular peanut consumption beginning early in life reduced the risk of developing peanut allergy by 81% in high-risk infants.
So: if your baby has moderate to severe eczema, an existing food allergy, or a strong family history of allergy, speak to your paediatrician promptly — not to delay allergens, but because supervised early introduction may be what is advised. Delaying on your own is the thing to avoid.
The nine common allergens
Current guidance in most countries favours early and regular introduction rather than delay. Introduce one new allergen at a time, in the morning, when your baby is well, and keep it in the diet regularly once tolerated — regular exposure is what maintains tolerance.
| Allergen | Easy first form | Date introduced | Reaction? | Kept in diet |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Peanut | Smooth peanut butter thinned with water or milk | |||
| Egg | Well-cooked scrambled or hard-boiled, mashed | |||
| Cow's milk | Full-fat yoghurt or cheese (not as a drink under 12 months) | |||
| Wheat | Toast fingers, pasta, cereal | |||
| Soy | Tofu, soy yoghurt | |||
| Tree nuts | Smooth almond or cashew butter, thinned | |||
| Fish | Well-cooked flaked white fish or salmon, bones checked | |||
| Shellfish | Well-cooked, finely chopped | |||
| Sesame | Tahini thinned with water or yoghurt |
Never give whole nuts or spoonfuls of thick nut butter — both are choking hazards. Always thin nut butters and spread them thinly. If you are unsure whether your baby is gagging or choking, read gagging vs choking before you start solids.
What a reaction looks like
Mild — a few hives around the mouth, mild redness, a small amount of vomiting. Stop the food and speak to your doctor before trying again.
Severe — call 911 immediately — swelling of the lips, tongue or throat, difficulty breathing, wheezing, widespread hives, persistent vomiting, floppiness or unusual pallor. This is anaphylaxis and it is a medical emergency.
First foods tracker
Variety matters more than volume. Aim for a wide range of plants across the week rather than large amounts of a few foods.
| Category | Examples to tick off |
|---|---|
| Iron-rich | Meat, lentils, beans, fortified cereal, tofu, egg |
| Vegetables | Broccoli, carrot, sweet potato, courgette, pepper, peas, spinach |
| Fruit | Banana, pear, apple, berries, melon, avocado, mango |
| Grains | Oats, rice, pasta, bread, quinoa |
| Protein | Chicken, fish, beef, lentils, chickpeas, tofu |
| Dairy | Full-fat yoghurt, cheese |
| Healthy fats | Avocado, olive oil, nut butters, oily fish |
Iron matters from around six months, when a baby's own stores begin to run down. It is the single nutrient most worth paying attention to early.
Foods to avoid in the first year
- Honey — risk of infant botulism under 12 months
- Whole nuts, whole grapes, raw hard vegetables, popcorn — choking hazards
- Added salt — infant kidneys cannot process it
- Added sugar — no benefit, and it shapes preference
- Cow's milk as a main drink — fine in food, not as a drink before 12 months
- Unpasteurised cheese and undercooked egg
- Rice drinks — not suitable under five years
Gagging is not choking
Gagging is a normal, noisy, protective reflex and your baby is usually fine. Choking is silent, with no effective cough and no sound. Knowing the difference before you start is the single most useful piece of preparation, and a paediatric first aid course is worth more than any tracker. Our full comparison is here: baby gagging vs choking.
Want the fuller version?
This tracker is free and always will be. For the full walkthrough of readiness, textures, portions and progression, see our Weaning Guide: Starting Solids With Confidence, or the Baby Gut Health Guide for how first foods shape the microbiome. Browse all baby feeding and weaning guides.
Also free: our printable wake windows chart and room-by-room babyproofing checklist.
Sources
- NIAID — Addendum Guidelines for the Prevention of Peanut Allergy in the United States
- American Academy of Pediatrics — HealthyChildren.org, Starting Solid Foods
- NHS Start for Life — Weaning
- American Academy of Pediatrics — Choking Prevention
Educational only and not a substitute for advice from your paediatrician, health visitor or a registered dietitian. If your baby has moderate to severe eczema, an existing food allergy or a family history of food allergy, speak to a clinician before introducing allergens — supervised early introduction may be recommended.