Early introduction of solids to infant children may provide more oral and developmental benefits. There’s been much dispute on the timing of introducing solids as well the best “first” foods for infants. While pediatricians used to recommend rice cereal as baby’s first solid, new recommendations suggest a healthy mix of fruits, vegetables and even meats to get baby off to a good start. Experts say that rice cereal has no nutritional value and can be hard on a baby’s developing digestive system. Additionally, since it doesn’t require a baby to chew, they aren’t working their oral muscles at all. The nutritional, developmental and oral benefits to healthy solids far supersede the “old school” recommendation of rice cereal, and many pediatricians, as well as dentists, are now recommending these first solids for precisely those reasons.