Article: Produce is at its most nutritious and flavorful when it's perfectly ripe. Since you won't be adding sugar and salt to the food, it's important to choose ripe produce - otherwise, it will taste bland. Look for produce that is brightly colored and ripe without being too soft or bruised. Follow individual guides for each type of fruit and vegetable to determine when specific items are ripe. Farmer's markets are great places to find fresh produce at its peak, since they tend to stock only fruits and vegetables that are in season. You can use frozen or canned fruits and vegetables, but it's better to use fresh whenever possible. Frozen and canned fruits and vegetables often have additives to help preserve them. Read the label carefully if you decide to buy frozen or canned vegetables. Many fresh fruits and vegetables are treated with pesticides and other chemicals before they are harvested. If possible, shop in the organic section of your supermarket so you can be sure the food you make for your baby is chemical-free. Some fruits and vegetables are more apt to become contaminated by fruits and vegetables than others. For example, apples are treated with more pesticides than any other produce, so you may want to go out of your way to buy organic apples. Avocados, on the other hand, aren't treated with as many pesticides. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/e\/e6\/Make-Baby-Food-Step-2Bullet1.jpg\/v4-459px-Make-Baby-Food-Step-2Bullet1.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/e\/e6\/Make-Baby-Food-Step-2Bullet1.jpg\/aid1330600-v4-728px-Make-Baby-Food-Step-2Bullet1.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":306,"bigWidth":"728","bigHeight":"485","licensing":"<div class="mw-parser-output"><p>License: <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-nc-sa\/3.0\/">Creative Commons<\/a><br>
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<\/p><\/div>"} Some babies are ready to start eating solid food as early as 4 months old, while others aren't quite ready that early. Talk to your pediatrician about starting your child on solid foods. When your baby is ready, the transition should be slow; introduce just a few foods at once. Babies transitioning from a diet of breast milk or formula-only can have pureed fruits and vegetables, like banana, squash, sweet potatoes, and apples. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/a\/a9\/Make-Sure-You-Are-Giving-Your-Guinea-Pigs-the-Right-Food-Step-3.jpg\/v4-459px-Make-Sure-You-Are-Giving-Your-Guinea-Pigs-the-Right-Food-Step-3.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/a\/a9\/Make-Sure-You-Are-Giving-Your-Guinea-Pigs-the-Right-Food-Step-3.jpg\/aid1330600-v4-728px-Make-Sure-You-Are-Giving-Your-Guinea-Pigs-the-Right-Food-Step-3.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":306,"bigWidth":"728","bigHeight":"485","licensing":"<div class="mw-parser-output"><p>License: <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-nc-sa\/3.0\/">Creative Commons<\/a><br>
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<\/p><\/div>"} Babies who have eaten some solid foods and are between the ages of 4 and 8 months can have pureed or strained vegetables and fruits, meats, legumes, and cereals. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/9\/92\/Make-Baby-Food-Step-3Bullet2.jpg\/v4-459px-Make-Baby-Food-Step-3Bullet2.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/9\/92\/Make-Baby-Food-Step-3Bullet2.jpg\/aid1330600-v4-728px-Make-Baby-Food-Step-3Bullet2.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":306,"bigWidth":"728","bigHeight":"485","licensing":"<div class="mw-parser-output"><p>License: <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-nc-sa\/3.0\/">Creative Commons<\/a><br>
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<\/p><\/div>"} Talk to your doctor about when to introduce mashed foods and finger foods to your baby's diet. It's important to do so only after the baby has developed certain skills. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/7\/74\/Make-Baby-Food-Step-3Bullet3.jpg\/v4-459px-Make-Baby-Food-Step-3Bullet3.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/7\/74\/Make-Baby-Food-Step-3Bullet3.jpg\/aid1330600-v4-728px-Make-Baby-Food-Step-3Bullet3.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":306,"bigWidth":"728","bigHeight":"485","licensing":"<div class="mw-parser-output"><p>License: <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-nc-sa\/3.0\/">Creative Commons<\/a><br>
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<\/p><\/div>"} Babies under one year of age should not be fed certain foods, since they can cause allergies and other illnesses. Never feed a baby these types of foods until after he or she has reached one year of age: Dairy products made from unpasteurized milk Honey Outdated canned food Home-canned food Food from dented cans

What is a summary?
Use fresh produce at peak ripeness. Choose organic produce when possible. Know which foods your baby can eat. Know which foods babies shouldn't consume.