Finger Foods

Anyone start these yet? (I haven't read the Monday updates....will do once Jack goes to sleep...so this may have already been addressed)

I am wondering if it is too early to start our little ones on finger foods. If anyone is doing this now...what are you starting with? I am afraid of a choking incident. Maybe those melty-o things are a good first start. I ahve also read things like soft bread and crackers are good too but I am too chicken to try anything. I like the foods that just slide right down. I think Jack is ready for finger foods it mom that is nervous. Any info?

[kele1129]

We use the Gerber Graduates puffs in banana flavor and Phin does ok with them. He prefers his mesh teether though.

[toes33107]

We use the puffs as well.  Brock likes the sweet  potato ones.  I bought the banana ones, and he was not a fan!  He doesn't pick them up and put them in his mouth.  We do that for him, but we do put them on his tray so he tries.  It is hilarious to watch cuz they get stuck on his tongue or the roof of his mouth and he just sticks his tongue in and out quickly...so cute!  I am too afraid to try Cheerios cuz the  puffs dissolve really quickly so they're safe.  We haven't tried anything else yet.  I haven't even gone to Stage 2 foods yet.  He doesn't eat a whole lot at a sitting.

[Jules31981]

We also do the banana puffs, we started a few weeks ago, we put them on her tongue and held the firdt few so she could try them out, but then we realized they melted so quickly we just left them and she is trying to get them herslef, so make it into her mouth others stick to her hand and she has no idea and others the dog eats.  Oh well she is learning right.  I have also given her the end of an itlaian loaf of bread that has been toasted she loved it.  ONly small bits would break off and she really enjoyed gumming the whole thing!!!  Good during teething, helps to break the gums when you are just at that point!!!!

[Irish741]

Thanks ladies! I also just read thru the weekly updates. I am looking forward to starting Jack on some melty-o foods. :)

[AmyC311]

Blake is a pro at finger foods. I use to be scared but I would sit there and supervise and I realized she has it. Here is what she eats:

Gerber Yogurt Melts-She really loves these. They took awhile for her to master but now she has them down pat.

Gerber Cheetos-They aren't really called that but that is what they look like. I hate how they smell and make her smell though so I am not buying them again. She LOVED them though.

Baby Mum-Mums Rice Husks-I LOVE these. I can only find them in Walmart though. They are big but they dissolve super fast like those puffs. I give them to her while we drive now because she gets fussy and I just reach back there and give them to her. They are big enough that if she drops it she can find it again. These are a huge hit. If she even sees the wrapper for these she loses it.

Puffs-we have tried all variety. She really likes these but they are messy because she drops them everywhere. She is getting better though with practice. I started with these in the beginning, putting them in the mesh thingie. After awhile I tried them by themselves and then that is what started the whole finger food craze for Blake!

Cheerios-These are the cheerios that they sell in the little container in the baby food aisle. They disolve faster than normal cheerios.

I am telling you, the girl loves her finger foods. I was a nervous wreck at first but honestly she does really well with it. It takes practice though. I felt like I needed to get her comfortable with them because she goes to mother's day out and I was worried she would accidentally get some other baby's finger foods and not know how to eat them and choke. :(

[ovaz129]

We are doing Cheerios and the ones similar to them that are Target Brand... they are shaped like the letter "A" and are sweet potato flavor.  We also do teething biscuits, but I don't know if those count as finger foods!  haha

I am not too sure how anal you are about ingredients, but I am a little rediculous :)  I won't be buying the Target brand sweet potato things anymore because the 2nd or 3rd ingredient is sugar!  What?  Sugar?  In baby snacks?  I don't know... I feel like that isn't quite a necessary or healthy ingredient.  So, I am nixing these once she finishes the tube.

[AmyC311]

hahaha yeah...I started off like that but then I gave it up. I feel like those snacks (the puffs) are a treat and I rarely give them to her because they are so messy. I love the big snacks like the mum mums...which I don't think have any sugar (or very much if they do..) Blake has actually tried cake and ice cream so I probably should watch what sugar she eats because the girl loves it! :)

[ovaz129]

Amy... isn't that crazy though?  I didn't read the back before I bought them and when I saw they were sticking to her fingers I was thinking "What is in these things?"  I couldn't believe it though.  I give them to her after she eats her dinner every night, so once she is done with them, I think I will give something else a shot.  I give her plain Cheerios and those are good... so I may just do that from now on.  I just couldn't believe it.  I am a food nerd :)  haha

[evthing4reason]

Carter hasn't been into self feeding at all...won't use the mesh feeder or his sippy cut. Today I did give him a MUM MUM rice husk and he seemed to enjoy it. I was going to buy the puffs but they said in more then one place not to give to children under 12 months (maybe its a canadain thing)
off topic a little we just got a new feeding guide (remember here we are not supose to start solids until 6 months but we did at 4 months) and it said you don't have to wait in between giving new foods because if they are to have a reaction it would happen within a few hours, and to start giving cow's milk at 9 months (previously 12 months)

Oh and my mom gave him pumpkin pie and whipped cream (i was cringing holding my breath) at Thanksgiving and he LOVED it, she couldn't even eat hers in front of him because he wanted it, that's what gramma's are for!

[Whitneylauren]

All Mark eats are finger foods now- he refuses to take pureed foods. He also wants to only eat what has come off of a plate I am eating from. I steam all of his food and cut it up in small pieces so he can pick them up and feed himself.

[Irish741]

Wow thanks ladies! I guess I am kind of behind in my finger foods. I can tell Jack is ready but I just get nrevous everytime I am in the store to buy something. The packages keep saying they need to be crawling with bellies off the floor and we haven't quite hit that mark yet but his little pincher finers needs something to do now. I'll have to try something and let you know how it goes.

I too am picky about what Jack eats. I made a pact that for the first year he will only eat organic...so far so good.Not sure if I can keep it up though. I found this brand called Happy Bellies. They have those melty puffs so I'll try that first. I'll have to keep in mind about the surgar content...thanks for the heads up. :)

[ovaz129]

Irish... I was totally with you about 2 weeks ago :)  I asked a similar question... I am a nervous Nancy when it comes to these things.

I just started giving her diced banana yesterday and she is fine with it.  But yeah... I am still scared :)  I think it is a "first time mom" thing ;)

[Whitneylauren]

I just got a great suggestion from a friend of mine. Take a graham cracker and put it in a ziploc bag with half a banana. Crunch them up together and serve to baby. The cracker makes it easier for baby to pick up the banana and is a fun "treat."

[ovaz129]

Ooo... I like that!  I am going to try that tonight as her "dessert" :)  

[kele1129]

Last night I gave Phin a piece of ziti and he loved it. Held it and just gummed pieces off and ate them up! It was so cool.