Ministero della Salute
Starting weaning and serving food safely
We use the Ministry's guidance for when to begin, how soft food should be and how to cut common choking hazards. It is also our starting point for advice on cow's milk.
Read the sourceOur sources
Parents should be able to see where feeding advice comes from. These are the six sources we check when we write a recipe, age note or safety warning.
Starting weaning and serving food safely
We use the Ministry's guidance for when to begin, how soft food should be and how to cut common choking hazards. It is also our starting point for advice on cow's milk.
Read the sourceItalian paediatric guidance
SIP helps us check the age guidance and our approach to introducing allergens, including for babies who may be at higher risk.
Read the sourceAllergens, textures and iron
We use its 2017 paper when we write about introducing allergens, moving on to lumpier textures and offering iron-rich foods.
Read the sourceHow meals change with age
WHO guidance helps us decide how many meals to show at each age and how textures should progress as a baby grows.
Read the sourceFood contaminants
We check EFSA when a recipe involves nitrate-rich vegetables or fish that may contain more methylmercury.
Read the sourceWhich fish need extra care
Its fish-specific advice is why we treat swordfish, shark, pike and large tuna differently from lower-mercury fish such as hake.
Read the sourceNot every organisation gives the same number. Daily cow's-milk amounts after 12 months are one example. When recommendations differ, we show the range and name the sources instead of pretending there is one universal answer.
See the cow’s-milk guidanceYou will not find fixed gram portions in Primi Bocconi. The Italian guidance leaves those decisions to the child, family and paediatrician. We would rather leave room for appetite than add a made-up number that looks official.
Browse the feeding answersWe check the age, texture, cut and allergen notes before a recipe goes live. We also check that it contains no added salt or sugar and no honey before 12 months.
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