First Year Finger Foods

Please reply with the finger foods that were successful for your "babies." I will gather the info and then make a sticky for a resource for all the FY Mommas.

Thanks for your help!

 

QUOTE(DATJMom @ Sep 28 2008, 08:57 AM) [snapback]1001221[/snapback]
Please reply with the finger foods that were sucessful for your "babies." I will gather the info and then make a sticky for a resource for all the FY Mommas.

Thanks for you help!


Sounds like a great idea! I could have used this over the last year! Here's what we've done-and been successful with!

Cheerios
Gerber Puffs
pasta-ALL kinds
mac-n-cheese
cheese-sliced, shredded, crumbled
peas
carrots
beans
potatoes-mashed too(thank to dh!)
goldfish
graham crackers
chicken
turkey
ham
scrambled eggs
nutrigrain bars(big favorite)
waffles
pancakes
french toast
grilled cheese
cheese quesadilla
fish sticks

Essentially-anything we were eating! It would be a great idea if it could be organized into bkfst foods, lunch, and dinner, and even snacks. But that might be too time consuming!

 

We are still new to finger foods, but here are a few ideas:

Kidney beans
Any kind of beans
corn
cut up fruit - pears, bananas, peaches, kiwi, watermelon
small rice cakes (cracker size)
puffed wheat cereal
rice cakes crumbled up small like cheerio size
small pieces of cooked ground beef
Bran Flakes

 

Also try:
Kix Cereal
Canned Fruit (peaches, pears, etc.)
Green beans - cooked til mushy
Chunks of sweet potato
chunks of regular potato
cut up melon - cantaloupe/honey dew
Blueberries
Avocado pieces
Nilla Wafers
Ginger Snaps

 

This is a great idea!! I also think it would be great if there was some sort of age sorting along with the foods. My two are 8 months and I'm having a heck of a time trying to figure out what to start them with!
Thanks for doing this!
Brigette

 

Yes, ages would be great! Mine are 7.5 mo. and one gags while the other one sort of looks at me funny until the Gerber Graduate puff melts in her mouth. Do I wait? Don't I have to introduce finger foods eventually?

 

It would be fantastic if MOMs would list what age along with which foods. My boys are 7 months, and I don't know what's "right" for them yet.

Thanks! GREAT topic!

 

My girls are 9.5 months right now...

cheerios
puffs
gerber yogurt puffs
gerber wagon wells
baby goldfish
cheese tiny pieces
graham crackers
grapes cut up
canned fruit cut up (pears, peaches)
bananas - mushed or cut up into small pieces (friend told me she heard you can roll the pieces in rice cereal to help make it easier to pick up)
macaroni and cheese I usually cut it in half
spaghetti cut up
cooked peas

that is all I can think of right now

 

At Wal Mart I found MUMS. They disolve eaisly and the boys love them. They come in plain rice and veggie flavors.

 

Brown rice puffs. They're cheap (about $1.00 a bag, for about a lb.), they dissolve quickly, and they're small. I think they would make a great first finger food.

 

QUOTE(Twin Lakes @ Oct 17 2008, 08:57 PM) [snapback]1030925[/snapback]
It would be fantastic if MOMs would list what age along with which foods. My boys are 7 months, and I don't know what's "right" for them yet.

Thanks! GREAT topic!


here ya go a sample plan
Introducing Finger Foods
April 1st, 2008

Try these tips and recipes as you teach your baby to feed himself

by: Cheryl Tallman and Joan Ahlers
Finger Foods

* Introduce finger foods at 8 or 9 months and do it one at a time, slowly adding new ones for your baby to try.
* Start with finger foods your baby likes in puréed form before introducing new tastes.
* Finger foods should be soft enough for your child to gum.
* A few raw finger foods to try include banana, avocado and grated cheese.
* Finger foods such as apple slices or asparagus spears should be cooked first so your child can manage them.


Self-feeding is an exciting developmental milestone for both mom and baby, but serving the wrong size or texture of food can put your little one at risk of choking. A few simple tips can help you take the fear out of introducing finger foods.
How to start
You can begin introducing finger foods when your baby is between eight and nine months old. Your infant will have few, if any, teeth at this age so it's crucial that the texture is soft so he can "gum" the foods (some foods will need to be cooked first).

Your baby should always be seated-and supervised-when eating to prevent him from choking. Start by giving him puréed food for most of the meal, then gradually transition to more finger foods over a six- to eight-month period. Start with finger foods your baby likes in puréed form before introducing new tastes. And don't be in a rush-introduce finger foods one at a time and slowly add new ones as he starts to get the hang of things.

Finger foods that are great raw include:

* Banana
* Avocado
* Tofu
* Semi-hard cheeses, such as Jack and Colby (introduce at 12 months)
* "O" shaped cereal
* Puffed rice cereal


Finger foods that need to be cooked include:

* Apple slices
* Pear slices
* Whole asparagus spears
* Carrots
* Zucchini
* Broccoli
* Sweet potato
* Whole green beans


Try these simple finger food recipes to get you started:
Cinnamon Apple Slices

Your baby will like the sweet juicy flavor and the challenge of picking these up will help develop his fine motor skills.

Directions: Wash, peel and core a golden delicious apple. Cut the apple into slices about ¼-inch thick. Place the slices in a plastic bag and sprinkle a little cinnamon overtop. Close the bag and shake it so the cinnamon is distributed evenly over the slices. Place the slices in a microwave-safe dish and cook for 3 minutes. They are done if a fork slides into them easily. Cool completely before serving.
Storage: Will last 4 days in the refrigerator, or 2 months in the freezer.
Age to introduce: About 9 months
Dusted Tofu Cubes

These nutritious little cubes are fun to pick up and taste good too. For variety, try banana instead of tofu.

Ingredients:
1/4 teaspoon flax seed, finely ground
1-2 tablespoons of Cheerios (or other cereal) OR 2-3 graham crackers
5-6 1/2-inch cubes of firm tofu

Directions: Place ground flax seed and cereal or graham crackers in a bag and crush into crumbs. Add tofu and shake lightly to coat the cubes with the crumb mixture. Serve immediately.
Age to introduce: 12 months (without flaxseeds, 8-10 months)
Sweet Potato Cubes

The natural sweetness of sweet potatoes (and their bright orange color) makes them a favorite among babies.

Directions: Wash, peel and dice a sweet potato into small cubes about ½-inch in size. Place the cubes in a microwave-safe dish, cover, and cook for 5 to 7 minutes. Let them stand for five minutes. You'll know they're done if you can easily mash a cube with a fork.

Add a little spice: Sprinkle a dash of cinnamon, nutmeg or ground ginger on the sweet potato cubes before you cook them for added flavor.
Storage: Cubes will stay fresh 4 days in the refrigerator or 2 months in the freezer.
Age to introduce: About 9 months

 

orzo pasta with green peas (can sprinkle with parmesan cheese)
homemade fruit juice gelatin cubes

(Just a couple of ideas since everything seems so well-covered by the PPs!)

 

Annabel Karmel might have some recipes worth trying!

 

My DS first finger foods foods were:
cheerios
pancakes (cut into bite size pieces)
Grilled cheese (cut into bite size pieces)
Chicken
Turkey
Mac and Cheese
cheese ravioli
beef ravioli
Puff cerial
eggs
carrots (mixed in with rice or mash potatos)
broccli (chopped)

 

I've started making the boys cinnamon apples (thanks to a TS post) and I WISH I knew about it at about 9 months. I cut up an apple into small pieces (you would need to take the skin off) and cook it in a pan with about one tablespoon of butter then add cinnamon to taste. They are ready when the apples are soft. You can always cook longer if you have a younger child.

One of the problems with putting an age on the foods is that it is really different for everyone. I trusted my pedi when it came to making that decision. She took things very slowly with my preemies and I appreciated that.

 

http://www.wholesomebabyfood.com/index.htm

A good link regarding food for babies (and recipe ideas). Beth

 

LOL!!!! I have the SAME duo!!! LOL!! My son is the one that gags, my daughter gives me that look as if she's studying the mechanism that enables the puff to dissolve.

Recently I found that my son doesn't care for avocado... It totally triggers the gag reflex soon as it hits his tongue... I'm gonna go with the "make em try it 12 times" rule... If he still doesn't like it, I'll try again in a few months... it's too good of a food to give up. Unfortunately my mom thought it was abnormal that I didn't like chocolate as a kid... she made me try it and try it and try it... and now, well... I'm hooked like the rest of women everywhere... So it's gotta work for avocado, right?

 

I served as many whole unprocessed foods as possible.

Some things off the top of my head that were a hit with us were:

tofu
beans
lentils
soft veggies & fruits - cut small
hard veggies & fruit - GRATED (so easy to eat)

Cherrios/Nutrios
puffed wheat

 

A twin mom on here suggested "frozen veggies" why I hadn't thought of it I don't know. Great when I was pg and trying to feed the girls something healthy. Zap in the microwave.

My now 3rd child eats anything. I rip up bread small, bits of hamburger, grapes cut up small, anything as long it isn't on a spoon. she hates to be fed. 360 degrees of the twins.