My 11-month-old only eats puree — how do I move to chunky food?

The most common mistake in transitioning 11-month-olds from puree to chunky is jumping straight to big pieces. Babies typically reject the new texture because they're not used to it.

Here's how to move forward: First, make the puree much thicker — fork-mashed texture with slight lumps. Then move to soft, crumbly foods that fall apart in your baby's hand (steamed soft carrot sticks, ripe pear slices, very soft broccoli). Let your baby hold and explore these; grab-and-bite reflex plus chewing skill develop over time. Your baby might just squeeze or drop them at first — that's completely normal and part of learning. Try putting one in their hand while you're also offering it.

The American Academy of Pediatrics generally recommends starting finger foods around 8-10 months; 11 months isn't behind. But if after 2-3 weeks your baby is still refusing all chunky or finger foods, they're gagging every attempt, or weight gain is slowing, check with a pediatrician or child nutrition specialist.