Ideas for finger foods for a 6 month old

[katesterb]

My ds is 6 months old and is desperatly wants to feed him self. Any ideas for for finger foods. I am scared he will choke as most finger food stuff in the shops say 7 months old. Can he have the chewing reflex now or does he have to be older. He is loving puree'd food and has not so puree'd stuff with bits in and i have let him suck on cucumber but books i have looked say start finger foods at 7 to 8 months. Please help as i want to enourage him to eat and not be fussy.

[Flisspaps]

Basically you can give him anything other than whole nuts, whole grapes and honey from the age of 6 months (honey is fine after 12 months)

Have a look at this site or the Gill Rapley Baby Led Weaning book for ideas on what you can give as finger food if you are following a puree weaning plan :)

He doesn't need teeth to be able to eat - it's amazing how much damage a baby can do to a piece of food with just their gums! If you are worried about choking then it might be good to either read up on what to do or to take a basic paediatric first aid course.

[lilham]

I just give what we are eating in a baby friendly form. For example tonight we have the crust of a baguette, a wedge of tomato, and a piece of pasta. My DD who is 6mo shows a lot of enthusiasm for finger foods. She's not too impressed by purees.

[Beaurevage]

We've been weaning out DS (6mo) for about a month now and have started on the finger foods. He loves them! So far - a piece of steamed broccoli (sp?) crusty part of the bread, steamed apple slice, Organix 7-month biscuit . In the beginning he would gag (not choke) on the bit but over the last day or so he's really figured out how to chew. It's amazing to watch!

[JiltedJohnsJulie]

Can see no reason why your DS would choke, but if you are worried about it make sure you know what to do if he does. There is some info here and a book here, your local St Johns Ambulance or Childrens Centre may run First Aid courses which are worth going on.

Basically your DS can have whatever you eat. My sounds very much like your DS and her first experience with food was when she took and ate a ham sandwich, they really can eat without teeth .

The site that Fliss recommends is excellent, full of tips on how to get started with finger foods and recipes to try.

He can eat what you eat more or less. Just put something on the floor to catch the mess, a bib on him and stick it on his tray. Wilkos sell some cheap little tupperware pots for taking food out and about too.

[CubiksRube]

DS is now 7.5 months and we've been doing finger foods for a while. He will eat anything in a gluttonous sort of a way, but seems that he genuinely likes ...

broccoli florets; asparagus (the thick ones, he just whirls the thin ones round like a baton); sweet potato cut into wedges, parsnip; any sort of veg with a bit of hummus (it's the hummus, I know ... ; sausages; a chicken leg (marinated is better for DS); chunky fish like mackeral or haddock so he can have big bits of it to chew on; sundried tomatoes; mango ... he'll also eat anything carb-based i.e. bread sticks, ryvita, toast etc.

Lots of ideas there! I just wander round the supermarket and choose interesting things. It's amazing what they'll eat - DS soldiered away at hot jerk chicken and eats odd things like quinoia (messily) so just give them whatever you're having!

[lilham]

How do you cook the sweet potatoes? I have tried steaming them but they go too soft. I found food needs a bit of stiffness so doesn't turn into mush instantly. DD is 6mo so lots of finger foods defeats her

[JiltedJohnsJulie]

lilham I made potato wedges with them. That way we could all eat the same thing. Were a little soft but DD managed fine.

[lilham]

Oh thank you. Now you mention it, ofc it has to be roasted. I guess we will all have to eat the roast veg