Finger fruits for babies are the kinds of fruit that come with a prickly skin or a prickly surface. These are fresh fruits and they are deemed to be safe when they make their way through pores, skin, accidental cuts on your baby’s body, and your baby’s mouth. Your baby will definitely love these finger fruits because they taste good plus they provide the necessary fibers.
The Best Finger Foods for Baby
Is the infant ready to eat by himself? Here are ten suggestions for healthy, wholesome baby finger foods to add to his menu, along with some pointers to get him started.
A baby’s introduction to finger foods can be both thrilling and terrifying. Some parents get the willies as they hover over the high chair because to the filth, probable allergies, and potential choking concerns. Although you should always proceed with caution, there are many wonderful baby finger food options that will make mealtimes enjoyable and nourishing while allowing your developing kid to learn the crucial skill of self-feeding.
When Can Babies Eat Finger Foods?
According to William Dietz, MD, PhD, director of the Sumner M. Redstone Global Center for Prevention and Wellness at the Milken Institute School of Public Health at the George Washington University in Washington, DC, and co-editor of the American Pediatric Association’s (AAP) Nutrition: What Every Parent Needs to Know, there is no set age at which infants can begin eating finger foods.
According to Dietz, “the first indicator you should look for is that the infant is interested” rather than focusing on the child’s age. So how can you determine when a baby is starting to show interest? Your child may be ready when she reaches for the food while you’re feeding her, grabs the bowl or spoon, puts it in her mouth, and fusses when she sees you eat (because she wants in!). According to Dietz, babies typically want to feed themselves. That was a typical drive.
According to Susan M. McCormack, MA, a senior speech language pathologist at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and a board-certified specialist in swallowing and swallowing difficulties, being able to sit independently is another sign that infants are physically prepared to attempt finger foods. If they are able to sit upright in the high chair, they could be prepared to experiment with finger foods.
Some books advise delaying the introduction of infant finger foods until your child has mastered the pincer grasp, which is the capacity to pick up small things with the thumb and forefinger. However, according to Dietz, this is not entirely required. According to him, when kids first learn to feed themselves, they lack a pincer grasp. Therefore, they are putting their entire hand in their mouth. And that’s all right.
If you’re waiting for your baby to start getting teeth before introducing solid foods, reconsider. Baby’s can learn to chew and eat solid foods without teeth, according to McCormack. If you’ve ever had a baby tooth erupt on your finger, you can get a sense of how powerful those muscular small gums are at masticating soft solids.
Baby Finger Food Safety
Experts believe that it is ideal to start with small, easily dissolved pieces of soft food when selecting the finest finger foods for baby, whether you start at 6 months or 9 months.
You can expand when your baby gets older and feels more ease eating finger foods, according to McCormack. “A baby can better “chew” things that break apart, including bits of fruits and vegetables, as he learns better tongue patterns to regulate food pieces and more mature chewing. Additionally, a 1-year-old can bite off food portions that a 6-month-old cannot.
Dietz advises against offering babies large, sticky, or difficult-to-dissolve finger foods since they pose a risk of choking. Hot dogs, carrots, nuts, grapes, popcorn, candies, and globs of peanut butter are among the foods he advises avoiding.
When choosing the finest finger foods for infants, keep in mind that many adult foods, especially snacks, can be extremely salty. According to Dietz, “parents frequently alter foods to suit their tastes, and their tastes may contain higher amounts of sodium than a baby’s taste.” When making food for a baby, try to avoid adding salt. If you’re cooking for the family, you may always add it separately to your portion.
How to Introduce New Finger Foods for Baby
Breast milk and formula will still be babies’ primary sources of nutrients when they first begin eating with their fingers, followed by purees. Initially, you should continue to feed your child with a spoon, but Dietz advises that you should also let them to feed themselves. While you are feeding her with spoonfuls, place some finger food on her high chair tray and let her try to eat it. You should go ahead and assist her if she becomes extremely irritable.
The most crucial thing is to listen to your child’s signs and “allow your kid be the guide,” advises McCormack. If he doesn’t reply favorably, back off and try again later. But bear in mind that when babies try anything new, their faces frequently wrinkle up, giving the impression that they don’t enjoy it, advises Dietz. Before they become accustomed to a cuisine, it may take up to 20 occasions. Parents shouldn’t compel children to eat, but Dietz advises that parents should keep making the offer.
Additionally, McCormack advises introducing finger foods gradually by serving thicker purees with a little texture. To assist your baby get used to the new textures in her mouth, she advises alternating bites of a silky puree with a somewhat thicker or mashed meal.
Also keep in mind that this is a messy process. It will be a while (like, years) until your child manages to get more food in his mouth than on the floor, so parents may wish to place newspaper or an easy-to-clean vinyl tablecloth on the floor, suggests Dietz.
Last but not least, never let your child eat alone, and watch out for choking symptoms. Even though it might be tempting to wait until your child is older to introduce finger foods, McCormack notes that doing so will benefit your baby in many ways, including the “development of independence, fine motor skills, and self-feeding skills, as well as the development of oral patterns to support texture progression.” Whether you introduce finger foods to your kid at 6 or 9 months, simply go with his lead and let him have fun.
Best Finger Foods for Baby
When considering baby finger food, choose items that are soft, tiny, and easily chewed. The greatest finger meals for babies, including those for babies without teeth, are included here as a place to start. The same finger foods are suitable for babies as young as six months old, but as they gain confidence, you may start giving them slightly larger pieces that they can bite off themselves. If you continue to choose these healthy options, you’ll be setting your child up for success with healthy eating.
1. Puffs and dry cereal. Puffs and O-shaped dry cereal are some of the most popular first finger foods for good reason: They let baby practice the pincer grasp by picking up one at a time. And as McCormack explains, they also “mix well with saliva and are easy for the infant to manage in their mouth without choking.”
2. Teething biscuits and lightly toasted bread. Teething biscuits and small pieces of lightly toasted bread are another great starter finger food, since they soften quickly. Just note that some breads can turn gummy and stick in baby’s mouth; lightly toast the bread and cut into very small pieces to avoid a choking hazard. As baby gets older (around 9 to 12 months), you can offer slightly larger pieces or serve bread topped with mashed banana or avocado, or a super-thin layer of hummus or peanut butter.
3. Scrambled eggs. Doctors used to advise waiting to introduce eggs, but the AAP now recommends early exposure to potentially allergenic foods. Which is great news, since scrambled eggs are an ideal early finger food! Keep your love of runny yolks to yourself for now, however, and cook those eggs thoroughly, cut into small pieces and avoid adding salt.
4. Soft fruit. Very ripe fruit is naturally soft, making them some of the best finger foods for babies. Ripe banana, peach, watermelon, raspberries, blueberries and cantaloupe cut into small pieces are all great finger food options.
5. Avocado. A rich source of omega-3 fatty acids—which can help boost baby’s brain development—avocados are, like puffs, often one the first baby finger foods, even when your little one has no teeth. Be warned: Avocado can get messy fast, but it’s well worth it (and can result in some hilarious pics for the baby album).
6. Pasta. Though recipes often recommend cooking pasta al dente, when it comes to feeding baby, you’ll want to slightly overcook it so it’s nice and soft. To start, try small pasta shapes like orzo or mini shells, or cut up fusilli or penne. Initially serve it plain, but as baby is introduced to more foods you can toss the pasta in a little butter, olive oil or low-sodium tomato sauce.
7. Tofu. Whether cooked or uncooked, tofu is a wonderful plant-based source of protein and a perfect finger food for babies. Opt for firm tofu, which is still quite soft, as opposed to soft or silken tofu, which will likely fall apart in baby’s hand and frustrate her.
8. Cooked vegetables. Though it will be a while before baby can hit the crudités platter, cooked vegetables make excellent baby finger foods. To get the most nutrients out of your vegetables, steam or roast them until soft, and, of course, cut them into small pieces. Try sweet potato, carrot, broccoli, cauliflower or beets (opt for yellow beets for less mess) to start. As baby gets bigger, you can offer steamed carrot sticks or peeled, roasted sweet potato wedges.
9. Cheese. If baby has shown no signs of a dairy allergy, then it’s perfectly safe to introduce soft cubes of cheese as early as 6 months. Opt for small bites of a pasteurized cheese that’s soft but not overly sticky or stinky, like Monterey Jack or cheddar.
10. Beans. Looking for more protein-rich, vegetarian baby finger foods? Try beans. Opt for canned, low-sodium beans for convenience, or soak and cook dry beans yourself to save money (they’ll freeze well too!). When first introducing beans, smash them just a bit between your fingers before serving to baby.
Best Finger Foods for Babies
You can introduce finger meals now that your baby is able to take up food and put it in his mouth on his own.
It’s probably time to pull out the Cheerios and other delectable bite-sized finger foods once your child realizes he can put food in his mouth. Use this handy guide to get suggestions about what to feed your beautiful eater.
When can you give babies finger foods?
Your baby will likely be prepared to start solids between 4 and 6 months, whether you want to use purees to introduce new foods to your infant or the baby-led weaning method (providing gummable foods in long, thick pieces). Your baby can begin feeding himself with some assistance at around 7 or 8 months, and once he masters this skill, his mealtime abilities will continue to advance.
Naturally, you should always wait until your child’s pediatrician gives the all-clear before introducing meals and finger foods.
Best finger foods for babies
Which finger foods should you give your infant first? There should be no need to chew at this early stage, so look for a consistency that may be gummed before swallowing or that will dissolve readily in the mouth (whether or not your little one has been visited by the tooth fairy).
Start introducing finger foods that have been well-received in pureed form, serving them up in manageable cubes or chunks — pea-size for tougher things, marble-size for softer foods — if you have already introduced meals in the form of purees (as opposed to baby-led weaning). Serve items with milder textures at start (such steamed carrots, overripe bananas, or avocados), and gradually build up the texture.
Bread or crackers
Even infants who are unable to grasp objects with their fingers can hold a biscuit or a piece of toast in their hands and suck on it until it turns into a gooey mess. Finding breads and crackers that dissolve into mush rather than lumps in his mouth and are simpler to swallow is the trick.
You can then put little slices of lightly toasted bread on his high-chair tray once he has mastered the pincer grasp. Additionally, get him accustomed to whole grains from the beginning to save yourself some difficulty when he develops into a pickier toddler.
Oat circle cereal
Every mom keeps a box of Cheerios in her cupboard (and a baggie of them in her purse) for a reason: they’re the ideal size and texture for developing young fingers and gums. However, you can think beyond the box and give your infant wheat or rice puffs as well.
Another benefit is that you might be able to sit down and enjoy a bowl of cereal yourself because your baby will be so preoccupied practicing her new skill (“Look at me eating all by myself!”). Honey-flavored cereals are among the ones to avoid for the time being; babies under one year olds shouldn’t consume honey, even if it is baked into something.
Cheese
What’s not to love about cheese? It’s kid-friendly, high in protein, and rich with calcium and other elements that help build bones. Start your infant started with a pasteurized variety that has a moderate flavor, such as mozzarella or a mild cheddar that has been shredded or thinly sliced. (Unpasteurized cheese shouldn’t be consumed by children.)
When he gets used to the flavor and texture, you can expand his palate by serving kid-favorites like bits of grilled cheese and quesadillas as well as havarti and Swiss.
To avoid listeria, a bacterium that can cause food poisoning, avoid soft cheeses like brie or feta for the time being. Also, avoid string cheese and cheese sticks unless you cut or break them into tiny pieces. He might perhaps bite off more than he can chew.
Fruit
Give your infant crushed blueberries or tiny bits of soft fruits like bananas or extremely ripe, peeled, and skinned pears to turn her into a fruit fiend. (Try first sprinkling the slippery banana chunks with broken Cheerios to make it easier to pick them up.) Your baby’s sweet tooth (or gums) may also enjoy ripe mangoes, peaches, apricots, kiwis, honeydew, and cantaloupe; just be sure to remove any skin beforehand.
However, not all fruit is suitable for infants. Apple slices should be avoided right now, even if they are skinless. Same goes for any other fruit with a tougher texture or that is still unripe and could clog the windpipe.
Veggies
Any vegetable that has been introduced to solid foods can be made baby-proof by boiling it to a very tender state. For your child’s culinary pleasure, you may transform broccoli and cauliflower florets into little trees by simply cutting off the stalks.
When cooked until soft, very little pieces of sweet potatoes, carrots, peas (cut in half or smashed), and butternut squash make delectable sides for your darling. They’re also packed with nutrients like beta-carotene. Avocados are another another delicacy that are loaded with healthy fats that develop young bodies and brains.
Skip any stringy, raw, hard, or choke-prone vegetables for the time being, such as raw carrots and celery (like grape tomatoes).
Fish
Fish is the almost-perfect food. It’s packed with protein, calcium and iron, and loaded with heart-healthy omega-3s. Studies show it can boost brain power, too.
Serve up flakes of firm, white-fleshed fish like cod, sole or flounder — baked, poached or broiled — and let your baby dive in. These fish are easier to digest and lowest in mercury. Avoid higher-mercury ones like swordfish, tilefish, king mackerel and shark. Remember shellfish is a common allergen, so consult the pediatrician before introducing shrimp, crab or lobster.
With all fish, though, you have to be extra-vigilant about going through the pieces to search for and remove any bones. But it’s worth it!
Meatballs
Although your baby isn’t yet ready for steak, you can increase his intake of iron by offering him soft meatballs made from ground turkey or beef.
Cooking them in a sauce or broth as opposed to frying them alone will help to ensure that they are not extremely crispy and stiff for your baby’s delicate mouth. Then, after cutting the meatballs into really tiny pieces, arrange a couple on the tray and start the game.
Just keep in mind to monitor your young carnivore carefully and not overfeed him. He might be tempted to swallow it all at once or to defy gravity and toss the mound to the ground.
Tofu
Despite what you may have heard, research demonstrates that soy has no hormonal effects on newborns. Additionally, it would be a mistake to exclude tofu from your baby’s diet because it is a healthy source of fiber, protein, iron, and calcium.
Serve the extra-firm variety to make it simpler for young hands to pick up (and for you to rapidly cube). If the blandness of soy isn’t enough to win your infant over, cook some cubes in soup to improve the flavor.
Several things to be wary of are: Wait three to four days before introducing the following new meal to your infant in order to assess their reaction because soy can result in food allergies.
Pasta
Even though it will be years before your child can eat spaghetti with a fork, you can set her on the right path by serving the pasta. To help her acquire a taste for it, choose nutritious, whole-grain kinds. However, because they tend to be firmer, you should boil them a bit longer than conventional pasta.
If you chop it into into bite-sized pieces, nearly any form is suitable for babies. Wheels, shells, and bow ties might all be more appealing and manageable. If your child is obsessed with cheese, feed her mac and cheese or sprinkle some Parmesan on the noodles to improve the calcium content.
Little meat eaters will consume the ravioli pieces, sauce or no sauce (or you can stick to cheese ravioli if she prefers).
Egg yolks
You may have heard that throughout the first year of life, you should refrain from giving babies allergic foods, especially eggs. However, to prevent food allergies, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) advises introducing allergenic foods at a young age, between 4 and 11 months. And that’s excellent news because eggs are a good source of protein and other necessary elements.
The simplest approach to sneak some eggs into your baby’s diet once the doctor gives the all-clear is to hard boil them and then slice the yolks into tiny slivers. Additionally, soft scrambled eggs are a tasty finger meal.
French toast
Oh my gosh! What breakfast food could be more delectable than a few tender French toast cubes? By omitting the syrup and substituting whole-wheat bread, you can make it baby-friendly. However, you can add some cinnamon to the top (you shouldn’t compromise on spices for the benefit of your baby) and serve it with sliced blueberries or melon for sweetness.
Other breakfast (or anytime) possibilities are waffles, as long as you serve your child small, soft bits, and pancakes, particularly the multigrain version.
What are the best baby finger foods?
Feeding your child with finger foods is a fun method to promote coordination and help them learn how to bite, chew, and feed themselves. Foods for finger eating must be simple to pick up and grasp, free of pips, stones, and bones. The fun can start as soon as baby can pick things up with reasonable hand-eye coordination! Allow children to try with soft finger foods that can be “gummed” to the right consistency, such as bananas or peaches. Your baby will learn how to feed herself more quickly the more finger foods they try!
Choking hazards
Your kid may have teeth, but it doesn’t necessarily mean they can chew. Never leave your child alone while they are eating because sometimes babies can bite off a piece of food, try to swallow it whole, and choke on it. Additionally, they frequently store food in their mouths like a hamster, so make sure they have completely swallowed it before leaving the room.
What are the best baby finger foods?
Melt in the Mouth
- Banana
- Pear
- Blueberries
- Mango
- Peach
- Strawberries
- Avocado
- Steamed soft carrot, sweet potato or parsnip sticks
- Steamed broccoli florets or cauliflower florets
Bite and Dissolve
- Mini Sandwiches with soft fillings
- Fingers of Toast
- Cooked pasta shapes
- Soft ready to eat dried apricots
- Ripe melon
- Halved peeled grapes
- Hardboiled egg cut into quarters
- Cooked pasta shapes
- Miniature Rice Cakes
Bite and Chew
- Cucumber Sticks
- Oven baked potato or sweet potato wedges
- Small pieces of fish or fish goujons
- Small pieces of chicken
- Mini Meatballs made of minced beef, chicken or lamb
- Sticks of cheese or mini cheese
- Raw carrot
- Sticks of sweet pepper
- Sugar Snap peas
- Slices of Apple
- Dried apple rings