When can I start to combine foods?

Can my baby have more than one food at a time? Can they have a meal with foods combined? 

The answer, YES! For most foods, the combination of different foods and flavours is completely fine and actually very beneficial to your baby! Combining foods will provide your baby with a more varied and balanced diet, which is more likely to meet their nutrient needs. It also is exposing them to different flavours and diversifying their palate! You can really start combining foods for your baby whenever you wish, after they have shown that they are digesting some low-allergenic foods fine without any reaction or digestive troubles! So, for example, I would do a slow introduction of foods for the first couple of weeks, introducing one food at a time, and then you can start to combine!

The only foods I would recommend a slower more mindful introduction to are the top 9 allergen foods:

Cow milk, egg (yolk and white), wheat, soy, sesame, fish, shellfish, peanuts and tree nuts. 

Other foods that would be good to slowly introduce are foods containing gluten, citrus fruits & strawberries.

If there is a family history of any other allergen causing food, then I would also be mindful of this food!

Read more about introducing allergens here

If your baby does have trouble digesting even foods considered low allergenic, if they have eczema, asthma or a family history of food allergies then I would err on the side of caution and follow a slower more mindful approach to introducing new foods, as they could be at higher risk of developing allergies.