New flavors and textures to eat…and wear. Introducing your baby to solid food is definitely a tale of epic proportions. Thank heaven for bibs!
While most babies are ready to transition between four and six months you should keep your eyes open for the signals:
• Your baby is using a pincer grip to hold things
• Your baby can sit well in a high chair
• Your baby’s birth weight has approximately doubled
• Your baby seems hungry, even after having what you consider a good amount of breast milk or formula
• Your baby seems curious about what you are putting into your mouth
If your baby seems to be on that path, congratulations! chances are positive that it’s time to introduce finger foods! Introducing solid foods is an exciting part of your baby’s development, and sets the stage for their eating habits they’ll have throughout their lives.
A healthy start
The first foods you offer your baby have to pull double duty; they should be prepared in a way that makes them safe and easy to eat, but also pack a nutritional punch to fuel baby’s growing body. These new and old favorites are nutritional powerhouses, and great for little ones learning the ropes of feeding themselves.
Bananas: When it comes to fruits, few are as perfect for babies as bananas. They’re loaded with carbohydrates, vitamins, and potassium, and soft enough for babies to mash between the gums before they have teeth. Plus their sweet taste makes them popular with even the pickiest of eaters. Prep tip: Aside from mashing them into a delicious paste, make sure the banana is ripe enough to be easily mashed in baby’s mouth, should you decide on very small finger food-style bites.
Avocado: Can you say superfood? Avocados have the highest nutritional content of any fruit (surprise, they’re not vegetables at all!) and are filled with good fats and protein to sustain baby’s development. The soft, creamy texture of a ripe avocado is perfect for tiny mouths to chew. Prep tip: When buying avocados, check that they’re ripe enough for baby to eat by popping off the button-like stem; a ripe avocado will be yellowish green underneath. Brown is a sign that it’s overripe and too mushy to hold and eat.
Carrots: We all know carrots are great for eye health. But the beta-carotene also converts into vitamin A, which helps support growth and bolster a healthy immune system. Prep tip: Make sure any carrots you serve are well cooked, easily mashable, and diced into small pieces. Never serve a baby uncooked carrots. Can you imagine eating carrots if you also have no teeth?
On the go
Life with little ones can get hectic. When taking the time to cook and prepare foods for a sit-down meal isn’t an option, these standbys can be prepped ahead of time and easily transported for (relatively) mess-free on-the-go eating.
Cheerios: Cheerios are a tried-and-true classic when it comes to finger foods. They’re small, they melt in the mouth, and they can withstand being tossed around purses, diaper bags, and cars without taking too much damage. Just toss them into a plastic container for crush-proof storage and they’ll be ready for snack time at a moment’s notice, wherever you are.
Pasta: Well-cooked spiral shaped pasta, cut into small pieces, can make a great on the go snack. It can be prepped ahead of time and can keep in the fridge for up to three days (although the fresher, the better). If you’re planning on making a meal of it, cook up some veggies—like peas or finely diced carrots or sweet potato—and toss them in for added nutritional value.
Cheese: Softer cheeses like mozzarella and non-sharp cheddar cut into tiny pieces are a calcium-packed option for a fast, mess-free snack. Avoid super-soft cheeses like brie, as these can contain bacteria that can cause food poisoning.
Packaged perfection
When feeding time strikes and you’re out and about, pre-packaged finger foods can come to your rescue. If you’re worried about giving your baby processed or packaged foods, look for these organic products that can save you time and still deliver nutritional benefits.
Little Duck Organics Tiny Fruit: These freeze dried diced fruit combos are gluten free, 100% organic, and free of added sugar. They’re naturally sweet and come in flavors like strawberry mango and blueberry apple, sure to please little fruit fans everywhere. Available locally at Whole Foods.
Happy Puffs: These melt-in-your-mouth snack puffs, made from 100 percent fruits and vegetables, are free of artificial flavors and preservatives, and fortified with vitamins and minerals. They come in a variety of flavors, but superfoods like sweet potato, purple carrot and blueberry, and greens are some of the standouts. Available locally at Lunds, Target, and Walmart.
Plum Organics Little Crèmes: These creamy drops are made of rice milk and organic fruits and veggies, so they’re dairy-free and easy to digest for tiny tummies. They’re available in nutrient packed flavor combos like super reds (pomegranate, beet and berry), super purples (acai, blackberry and purple carrot), and super greens (kale, apple and sweet potato). Available locally at Target.
Personalized purées
Thinking about stepping into the kitchen and making your own baby food? Homemade baby food makes a lot of sense; you can customize it to your baby’s tastes or nutritional needs, it’s cost effective, and you’ll always know exactly what’s in it. Check out these products that make creating your own baby food a snap.
Freshfoods Freezer Tray
Who says that making your own baby food has to be time consuming? Make a batch of baby food ahead of time and freeze up to nine portions in this lidded tray. It’s made of flexible BPA-free silicon, so popping out a portion when it’s time is eat is easy.
Available online at Amazon.com; about $9.
Magic Bullet Turbo Steamer
This happy looking little gizmo is a food prep powerhouse. It comes with various inserts for steaming vegetables, cooking eggs, and defrosting frozen portions of baby food in minutes. Plus there’s a special sterilizing tray for sanitizing pacifiers, toys, and bottles.
Available locally at Target; about $60
Infantino Fresh Squeezed Baby Food System
This line of products is a must-have for the on-the-go baby food making pro. Make your own food in the Peppy Purée, and use the Squeeze Station to store in easy-squeeze pouches. Check out the spoon attachment for easy feedings straight from the pouch. Available at Babies R Us and Target.
About $25 for the Squeeze Station, $20 for the Peppy Purée, and $4 for a 2-pack of spoon attachments.
Checklist
Here are a few foods you should never feed to a child less than a year old:
√ Honey (risk of infant botulism)
√ Raw vegetables (choking hazard)
√ Nuts (choking hazard, possible allergies)
√ Grapes and other large pieces of fresh fruit (choking hazard)
√ Caffeine
√ Unpasteurized cheese, milk, egg whites (food poisoning, tummy upset)
√ Fish (high mercury, allergies)
√ Sticky stuff like peanut butter or marshmallows (choking hazard)
