Free First Foods Tracker: Our Australian 100 Foods Before 1 Checklist
Starting solids comes with a lot of small questions. Did they have egg on Tuesday or was that last week? Have we tried lamb yet? Was the rash after the tahini or the strawberries? A first foods tracker answers those questions, so you don't have to rely on a tired memory.
Below is our free, Australian take on the "100 foods before 1" checklist. It's grouped by food type, with the common allergens in their own section. Each food has a simple way to serve it from around six months, and there's room to tick off three tries. Most trackers stop at a list of names. Ours includes serving ideas, an allergen log and a reaction log, so you can actually use it at the table.
To keep a copy, print this page or save it to your phone.
Rather tick foods off on the fridge? Our Baby First 100 Foods Magnetic Meal Planner is a wipeable fridge magnet with 100 first foods, the common allergens highlighted and a simple check-off system, so you can see at a glance what your baby has tried. It comes as a printed magnet or a digital download.
Why bother tracking first foods?
You don't have to track anything to raise a good eater. Still, a tracker helps in three practical ways:
- Variety. It's easy to end up on a loop of banana, pumpkin and porridge. A list shows you the gaps.
- Allergens. Australian allergy experts recommend introducing the common allergens in the first year and then keeping them in the diet. That's much easier when they're written down.
- Reactions. If something doesn't agree with your baby, you'll know exactly what they ate, when, and how it was prepared. That's useful information for your GP or child health nurse.
In our house, main meals happen at the table with no exceptions. That routine made tracking simple, because every new food was offered in the same spot and noted straight after. If you're still setting up a rhythm, our week-by-week plan for the first month of solids shows how to fit it all in.
Is "100 foods before 1" an official guideline?
No. It's a goal that grew out of parent communities, not a health recommendation. Australian guidance focuses on starting solids at around six months when your baby shows signs of readiness, offering iron-rich foods first, introducing the common allergens before 12 months, and building up to a wide variety of textures and flavours.
Treat 100 as a fun target that keeps variety front of mind. If you reach 60, that's still a lot of variety, and your baby is doing well.
How to use this tracker
- Tick a box each time you offer a food, not only when your baby eats it. Exposure counts, even if most of it ends up on the floor.
- Aim for three tries per food. Many babies need 10 or more tries before they accept a new taste, so three is a starting point. A grimace on day one doesn't mean they dislike it.
- Introduce one new allergen at a time. That way, if there's a reaction, you'll know what caused it.
- Offer iron-rich foods every day. Beef, lamb, chicken, fish, eggs, legumes and iron-fortified cereal are all good options from around six months.
- Serve foods soft and safe. Every serving idea below is designed for a baby starting at around six months. Adjust textures as your baby's skills develop.
Section 1: Common allergens (foods 1 to 15)
The Australasian Society of Clinical Immunology and Allergy (ASCIA) recommends giving common allergy foods in the first year of life, including smooth peanut butter, cooked egg, dairy, wheat, soy, sesame, tree nuts, fish and shellfish. Once a food is tolerated, keep it in the diet regularly. ASCIA suggests about twice a week. You can read their full advice on how to introduce solid foods to babies.
| # | Allergen food | Serve it as | Date first tried | Any reaction? | Kept up 2x a week |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Peanut | Smooth peanut butter thinned with water, stirred into porridge | โ No โ Yes | โ | |
| 2 | Egg | Well-cooked: scrambled, omelette strips or hard-boiled and mashed | โ No โ Yes | โ | |
| 3 | Cow's milk (yoghurt) | Plain full-fat yoghurt on a preloaded spoon | โ No โ Yes | โ | |
| 4 | Cow's milk (cheese) | Grated cheddar melted into veggies or pasta | โ No โ Yes | โ | |
| 5 | Wheat | Wheat biscuit cereal softened in breast milk or formula | โ No โ Yes | โ | |
| 6 | Soy | Soft tofu strips or mashed tofu | โ No โ Yes | โ | |
| 7 | Sesame | Tahini swirled through yoghurt or porridge | โ No โ Yes | โ | |
| 8 | Cashew | Smooth cashew butter thinned and stirred into porridge | โ No โ Yes | โ | |
| 9 | Almond | Smooth almond butter or almond meal in porridge | โ No โ Yes | โ | |
| 10 | Walnut | Finely ground walnut stirred into yoghurt | โ No โ Yes | โ | |
| 11 | Hazelnut | Hazelnut meal mixed into porridge or pancakes | โ No โ Yes | โ | |
| 12 | Salmon | Baked and flaked, bones removed | โ No โ Yes | โ | |
| 13 | White fish | Barramundi or similar, steamed and flaked | โ No โ Yes | โ | |
| 14 | Sardines | Tinned in spring water, no added salt, mashed | โ No โ Yes | โ | |
| 15 | Prawns | Cooked and finely chopped into risotto or fritters | โ No โ Yes | โ |
If your baby has severe eczema or an existing food allergy, talk to your GP before introducing allergy foods. They may want to plan the process with you.
Section 2: Meat and poultry (foods 16 to 23)
These are your iron heavy hitters. Slow cooking makes them soft enough for little gums.
| # | Food | Serve it as | Try 1 | Try 2 | Try 3 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 16 | Beef mince | Bolognese or soft meatballs | โ | โ | โ |
| 17 | Beef strips | Slow-cooked until they fall apart, finger-length pieces | โ | โ | โ |
| 18 | Lamb shoulder | Slow-cooked and shredded | โ | โ | โ |
| 19 | Lamb mince | Soft koftas with a little mint | โ | โ | โ |
| 20 | Chicken thigh | Cooked through, in strips or shredded (stays moist) | โ | โ | โ |
| 21 | Chicken breast | Poached and shredded into sauce | โ | โ | โ |
| 22 | Chicken mince | Soft meatballs or patties | โ | โ | โ |
| 23 | Roast lamb | Cooked tender, sliced thin and shredded | โ | โ | โ |
Section 3: Legumes (foods 24 to 30)
Cheap, iron-rich and easy to mash. Always flatten whole legumes, because round, firm foods are a choking risk.
| # | Food | Serve it as | Try 1 | Try 2 | Try 3 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 24 | Red lentils | Mild dahl | โ | โ | โ |
| 25 | Brown lentils | Mixed through bolognese | โ | โ | โ |
| 26 | Chickpeas | Squashed flat with a fork | โ | โ | โ |
| 27 | Black beans | Mashed into a dip or patty | โ | โ | โ |
| 28 | Cannellini beans | Mashed on toast fingers | โ | โ | โ |
| 29 | Butter beans | Squashed, in a soft stew | โ | โ | โ |
| 30 | Kidney beans | Mashed into a mild beef and bean mince | โ | โ | โ |
Section 4: Vegetables (foods 31 to 56)
| # | Food | Serve it as | Try 1 | Try 2 | Try 3 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 31 | Pumpkin | Roasted soft wedges or mashed | โ | โ | โ |
| 32 | Sweet potato | Roasted soft wedges | โ | โ | โ |
| 33 | Potato | Mashed or soft roasted chunks | โ | โ | โ |
| 34 | Carrot | Steamed until soft, in sticks | โ | โ | โ |
| 35 | Broccoli | Steamed florets with a stalk "handle" | โ | โ | โ |
| 36 | Cauliflower | Steamed florets | โ | โ | โ |
| 37 | Zucchini | Steamed sticks or grated into fritters | โ | โ | โ |
| 38 | Peas | Squashed or mashed | โ | โ | โ |
| 39 | Green beans | Steamed soft, served whole | โ | โ | โ |
| 40 | Baby spinach | Wilted into sauces or omelettes | โ | โ | โ |
| 41 | Kale | Finely chopped into pasta sauce | โ | โ | โ |
| 42 | Red capsicum | Roasted strips, skin removed | โ | โ | โ |
| 43 | Tomato | Ripe and soft; cherry tomatoes quartered | โ | โ | โ |
| 44 | Sweetcorn | Cob to gnaw on, or kernels blended | โ | โ | โ |
| 45 | Beetroot | Roasted soft wedges (expect pink nappies) | โ | โ | โ |
| 46 | Parsnip | Roasted soft sticks | โ | โ | โ |
| 47 | Asparagus | Steamed soft spears | โ | โ | โ |
| 48 | Mushroom | Cooked and finely chopped | โ | โ | โ |
| 49 | Cucumber | Grated into yoghurt | โ | โ | โ |
| 50 | Eggplant | Roasted soft strips | โ | โ | โ |
| 51 | Brussels sprouts | Steamed soft and quartered | โ | โ | โ |
| 52 | Cabbage | Finely shredded and cooked | โ | โ | โ |
| 53 | Onion | Cooked soft in sauces | โ | โ | โ |
| 54 | Leek | Cooked soft in soups | โ | โ | โ |
| 55 | Bok choy | Steamed and chopped | โ | โ | โ |
| 56 | Silverbeet | Chopped into a frittata | โ | โ | โ |
Section 5: Fruit (foods 57 to 78)
Hard raw fruit, like apple, is a choking risk for babies. Cook it or grate it until your baby is older.
| # | Food | Serve it as | Try 1 | Try 2 | Try 3 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 57 | Avocado | Ripe wedges or mashed | โ | โ | โ |
| 58 | Banana | Half a banana with some peel left on as a handle | โ | โ | โ |
| 59 | Apple | Stewed soft or finely grated | โ | โ | โ |
| 60 | Pear | Very ripe or steamed soft | โ | โ | โ |
| 61 | Mango | Cheek with skin on to gnaw, or soft strips | โ | โ | โ |
| 62 | Peach | Ripe slices, skin off | โ | โ | โ |
| 63 | Nectarine | Ripe slices, skin off | โ | โ | โ |
| 64 | Plum | Ripe slices, skin off | โ | โ | โ |
| 65 | Apricot | Ripe halves, skin off | โ | โ | โ |
| 66 | Strawberries | Mashed, or large whole berries to gnaw | โ | โ | โ |
| 67 | Blueberries | Squashed flat | โ | โ | โ |
| 68 | Raspberries | Squashed | โ | โ | โ |
| 69 | Blackberries | Halved and squashed | โ | โ | โ |
| 70 | Watermelon | Seedless finger strips | โ | โ | โ |
| 71 | Rockmelon | Very ripe finger strips | โ | โ | โ |
| 72 | Kiwifruit | Peeled, in soft strips | โ | โ | โ |
| 73 | Mandarin | Segments with membrane removed, cut small | โ | โ | โ |
| 74 | Grapes | Quartered lengthways | โ | โ | โ |
| 75 | Pineapple | Ripe, finely chopped | โ | โ | โ |
| 76 | Papaya | Ripe soft strips | โ | โ | โ |
| 77 | Prunes | Pureed or finely chopped (handy for constipation) | โ | โ | โ |
| 78 | Figs | Fresh, ripe and quartered | โ | โ | โ |
Section 6: Grains and starches (foods 79 to 90)
| # | Food | Serve it as | Try 1 | Try 2 | Try 3 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 79 | Oats | Porridge or baked oat fingers | โ | โ | โ |
| 80 | Iron-fortified infant cereal | Mixed with breast milk or formula | โ | โ | โ |
| 81 | Rice | Soft risotto or rice balls | โ | โ | โ |
| 82 | Quinoa | Cooked soft, in fritters | โ | โ | โ |
| 83 | Pearl barley | Soft-cooked in a casserole | โ | โ | โ |
| 84 | Polenta | Soft, or set and cut into fingers | โ | โ | โ |
| 85 | Buckwheat | Small, soft pancakes | โ | โ | โ |
| 86 | Millet | Porridge | โ | โ | โ |
| 87 | Couscous | Stirred into sauce or fritters | โ | โ | โ |
| 88 | Pasta | Well-cooked spirals with sauce | โ | โ | โ |
| 89 | Wholemeal toast | Fingers with a thin spread | โ | โ | โ |
| 90 | Rice noodles | Soft-cooked and cut short | โ | โ | โ |
Section 7: Herbs and spices (foods 91 to 100)
Babies don't need bland food. Herbs and mild spices add flavour without salt, and they get your baby used to family meals.
| # | Food | Serve it as | Try 1 | Try 2 | Try 3 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 91 | Cinnamon | A pinch on porridge or stewed apple | โ | โ | โ |
| 92 | Cumin | In lentils or beef mince | โ | โ | โ |
| 93 | Mild paprika | Rubbed on chicken before cooking | โ | โ | โ |
| 94 | Turmeric | In dahl | โ | โ | โ |
| 95 | Garlic | Cooked into sauces | โ | โ | โ |
| 96 | Ginger | Grated into a stir-fry or stewed pear | โ | โ | โ |
| 97 | Basil | In tomato pasta sauce | โ | โ | โ |
| 98 | Parsley | Chopped into meatballs | โ | โ | โ |
| 99 | Mint | Stirred into yoghurt or with lamb | โ | โ | โ |
| 100 | Oregano | In bolognese | โ | โ | โ |
Prefer to track it on the fridge?
A printed list works until it gets wet or lost under the takeaway menus. Our Baby First 100 Foods Magnetic Meal Planner is a wipeable magnet that stays on the fridge, where you plan and serve. It lists 100 first foods across fruit, vegetables, grains, proteins and more, highlights the common allergens, and uses a simple check-off system so you can see what your baby has tried and what's next. Wipe it clean and reuse it as you go. Choose the printed magnet or the digital download.
Setting up for solids from scratch? The Solids Intro Bundle pairs the magnetic planner with our Spill-Reducing Gyro Bowl.
Reaction log
Use this whenever something seems off, even if it's minor. Patterns are much easier to spot when they're written down.
| Date | Food | How it was served | Roughly how much | What you noticed | Next step |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Signs of a food reaction and when to get help
This is general information, not medical advice. If you're unsure about anything, call your GP, child health nurse or healthdirect on 1800 022 222.
Mild to moderate signs can include hives or welts, swelling of the lips, eyes or face, and vomiting. Stop giving the food and speak to your GP before you offer it again.
Signs of a severe reaction (anaphylaxis) include difficulty breathing or noisy breathing, swelling of the tongue, wheeze or persistent cough, and a baby who becomes pale and floppy. Call 000 straight away.
Raising Children Network's guide to introducing solids also covers safe textures and choking risks in more detail.
What to leave off the list before 12 months
These foods aren't on the tracker for good reason:
- Honey. It can cause infant botulism in babies under 12 months.
- Whole nuts. They're a choking risk until around five years. Use smooth nut butters or ground nuts instead.
- Raw or runny egg. Cook eggs until they're firm.
- Cow's milk as a main drink. It's fine in cooking, yoghurt and cheese, but breast milk or formula stays the main drink until 12 months.
- Added salt and sugar, including salty stock cubes and sweetened snacks.
- High-mercury fish such as shark (flake), swordfish and marlin.
- Juice. Offer water from a cup instead.
That last point is a good time to introduce a cup. Ivy started drinking water from her sippy cup at around six months, right alongside her first solids, and she's loved it ever since. If you're wondering about timing, here's our age-by-age guide to introducing a sippy cup.
Tips for actually getting through the list
- Pair a new food with a familiar one. Lentils next to pumpkin feel less risky to a suspicious baby.
- Batch cook and freeze. One slow-cooked lamb shoulder gives you several tries across the week.
- Serve family food, adapted. Pull your baby's portion out before you add salt or chilli.
- Don't chase the number. If your baby turns away three foods in a row, call it a day and try again tomorrow. A calm table matters more than a ticked box.
- Expect mess. Self-feeding is how babies learn, and a lot of first foods end up in hair and on necks. A full-coverage bib like our MAXI Coverall Bib saves a lot of washing. Our guide to the best bibs for toddlers in Australia compares the options.
For textures and finger food ideas as your baby grows, see toddler finger foods by age. Our self-feeding milestones by age guide shows what to expect as your baby grows into a toddler.
FAQ
How many foods should my baby try before they turn one?
There's no official number. Australian guidance focuses on variety, iron-rich foods and introducing common allergens before 12 months. "100 foods before 1" is a helpful goal for keeping variety up, but a baby who has tried 50 or 60 different foods has had a great start.
When should I introduce allergy foods like peanut and egg?
ASCIA recommends introducing common allergy foods, including smooth peanut butter and well-cooked egg, in the first year of life, once your baby has started solids at around six months. Introduce one allergen at a time. Once it's tolerated, keep offering it regularly, about twice a week. If your baby has severe eczema or a known allergy, talk to your GP first.
How long should I wait between new foods?
For common allergens, introduce one at a time so you can spot any reaction. For other foods there's no strict waiting period. Many families introduce a new food every day or two. Offering a new food early in the day can make it easier to notice anything unusual.
Does a food count if my baby only licks it or throws it?
Yes. Tick it off as a try. Touching, smelling and tasting are all part of learning to accept a new food. It can take 10 or more exposures before a baby actually eats something, so keep offering it.
What if my baby refuses most of the list?
That's very common, especially around teething or illness. Keep offering small amounts without pressure, and serve new foods next to ones your baby already enjoys. If refusal continues, your baby isn't gaining weight, or you're worried, talk to your child health nurse or GP.
