Foods for Self-Feeding Baby

My daughter is 9 mo old and she is really into feeding herself.  She will not eat baby food off a spoon if I feed it to her.  She only wants foods that she can pick up and feed herself.  She is very good at chewing food and moving it around.  My question is what kind of foods should I feed her.  I am running out of ideas on what to feed her or how to feed it to her.  Any advice would be great.  She eats the little Gerber disovable bites that are like cereal and she will eat toast cut up.  I was just looking for advice on foods and how to prepare.  Thanks!!

[jenstam]

We've given our little guy small, cut up carrots, peas and green beans. Bananas, peaches, avocado...anything that is soft and cut small. Also, tiny chunks of meats and noodles and bread. He also loves rice. For the most part he still gets baby food but he loves his cheerios! He has no teeth yet but does a good job of swishing things around and chomping on them enough to swallow them without choking.

[mkseym]

I know this is probably stupid but how do you prepare your carrots, peas, etc.  This is my first child and I don't really know anything!!  It seems every new stage leaves you asking more questions.  Thanks

[jenstam]

I sometimes just keep out a few and cut them up after cooking without using the butter and/or salt and pepper. But sometimes he just gets what's on our plate (Shh...)! It just depends on what we're having. Have you tried giving your daughter the spoon herself and letting her make a big mess while trying to figure out how to feed herself? We have. HUGE MESS!!! He did get the spoon in a couple of times though. When I tried to help him he got very angry! (:

[mkseym]

I have thought about trying to give her the spoon herself but really dread the mess.  I guess that is part of the fun of being a baby though, making huge messes & playing with food.  I will try that tonight.  Thank you so much for your help.

[jenstam]

Yeah, he had it all over in his hair, all over his clothes, all over the floor, high chair, etc, etc...he went straight into the bath tub. Being a baby is all about exploration though, and sometimes you just need to suck it up and grin about it (:

[Jenny100]

My son loves the little Gerber mini-fruits. They are freeze dried and VERY tiny so theres no chance of choking. They re-hydrate in the saliva very quickly.They are VERY good.... I snitch a few when I give them to him...:)

[ma2isiah]

I feed Maddie also 9 months...
cut up avocados banana and mango pieces, peeled grapes
i steam carrots, peas, green beans, potatos, squash
canned pears and peaches (in juice)
cheerios, kix cereal, gerber baby toast
and she loves yo baby yogurt, she also doesn't like to be fed baby food, but loves the yogurt enough to accept the spoon :)
I am going to try chicken in the crock pot and maybe meatballs, but haven't introduced meat yet.

[surprisebaby]

Excellent question.  Although this is my 3rd child... this is my 1st child who has had difficulties eating.  (Gag reflex)  She is almost 17 months and we still feed her baby food.  Sometimes she likes it, sometimes ... not so much, We are trying to give her finger foods she can manage, so far she  loves spaghetti noodles (without the sauce)  toast with butter and Kraft Dinner, bananas, apples.  She does pretty good with a spoon, but not enough goes in to consider it a "MEAL" unless we feed her.
I am gonna steam some carrots for her tomorrow.
Excellent ideas!  
Please Keep them coming!  Thanks

[mkseym]

There have been so many wonderful ideas here.  I really appreciate the insight.  No one knows the tricks like other moms!!  I tried giving her some of my baked potato last night and some peas.  I swear she is in a stage right now where she refuses to eat absolutely anything except the Gerber little cereal things.  I guess at least she is eating something.  I will just keep trying new things.  I was thinking of using some sweet potato puree and mixing it in with pancake batter and giving her that.  She was such a good eater before and now horrible!  I know that she is teething right now so I am sure that has something to do with it.  She just throws a fit about eating right now!!  At least I know she has some spunk!!  Thanks!