Weaning Food Portion Size
You might be excited to start weaning your baby, but are probably also wondering how much should you feed them and how often. Our simple weaning guide gives you the information you need to get started.
Overeating in adulthood is a direct result of being fed too much during weaning.
Weaning portion sizes are important because the amount of food your baby eats during weaning can have an impact on his relationship with food in later life. Our simple weaning guide provides helpful information on what to feed your baby, and how much.
Weaning food portion sizes and your baby
Your baby will have fluctuating appetites. He will go through stages of eating a lot, and then not eating very much at all. Portion sizes also depend on the size of your baby. For example, if he is taller than average, he might eat more than average. The same applies if he is smaller than average.
Weaning Portion Size Guide
| Stage | Number of meals | Approx. Portion size | Textures |
| Stage 1 – First tastes | 1 | 1-2 teaspoons | Very runny |
| First 1-2 weeks (New foods should be introduced slowly, 3-5 days apart) |
2 | 6 teaspoons | Smooth puree |
| Moving on | 2-3 | 5-10 teaspoons | Slightly thicker puree with no lumps |
| Stage 2 (6-9 months) | 3 | 2-4 teaspoons | Minced/mashed with soft lumps and soft finger foods |
| Stage 3 (9-12 months) | 3 meals plus 2 snacks | 4-6 teaspoons | Lumpy foods, chopped foods and harder pieces of finger food |
Weaning foods to eat, and how much – month-by-month
The following portion sizes will help you organise and manage your baby’s meal plan. The foods mentioned below are part of a healthy weaning diet and are included in our weaning recipes for babies.
Keep an eye out for whether your baby exhibits any signs of being allergic to any of this new food, such as skin rashes, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting or swelling of the lips or tongue. If so, it is strongly recommended to consult your doctor immediately.
Carbohydrates: such as bread, cereals, potatoes and other starchy foods – try to serve these portion size ranges in every meal.
| Food Type | Portion size range |
| Bread slices (fresh or toasted) | ½ – 1 medium slice |
| Porridge | 5 – 8 tablespoons |
| Pasta (cooked) | 2 – 5 tablespoons |
| Mashed potato | 1 – 4 tablespoons |
| Rice – boiled | 2 – 5 tablespoons |
Fruit and vegetables – 1-2 servings of the below options for each meal is ideal.
| Food Type | Portion size range |
| Apple | ¼ – ½ medium apple |
| Tangerine | ½ – 1 fruit |
| Carrot | 1 – 3 tablespoons / 2 – 6 carrot sticks |
| Peas | ½ – 2 tablespoons |
Dairy: such as cheese and yogurt – portion size ranges about 2 times each day.
| Food Type | Portion size range |
| Yoghurt | 1 average pot (125 ml) |
| Pasteurized cheese | 2-4 tablespoons |
Protein: such as fish, eggs and pulses – 2 times per day.
| Food Type | Portion size range |
| Fish such as tuna, salmon and sardines | ½ – 1½ tablespoons |
| Boiled / fried egg yolk | ½ – 1 fried egg yolk |
| Chickpeas / hummus | 1 – 2 tablespoons |
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