To be totally confused about finger foods

[soontobeamum1982]

Talk to me about good first finger foods! We began weaning a week ago but my baby hates all homemade purees and will only actually eat fruity Ella's Kitchen ones (which I have only used twice and do not want to encourage). I think she'd probably do better with a more baby led approach but I am terrified about choking.

What are good first finger foods to offer that can't cause any issues. She already has two teeth at six months so things like cucumber, which most babies just suck and gum, I'm worried she could bite off in a big chunk and choke.

One baby said rice cakes with avocado on, but rice cakes seem quite hard as well.

What worked best for your babies when they were starting out? I need ideas! I think I'm going to take the leap today.

Beans & mash

Toast was the first finger food we used but she had been having pureed food for a couple of months by then. But it worked well as it kind of melts

I was so worried about choking I started with puree. I then introduced finger foods and honestly don't know why I worried- most of it gets mashed / crunched up in his fist, then chucked on the floor. He does sometimes manage to bite bits off but they invariably get spat back out again. It's actually quite frustrating! I do still give puree as otherwise he would get nothing down him. Softer foods like banana and cooked pasta tend to be more successful going in ime but every baby is different so just try different stuff out and see what happens.

Highly recommend Gill Rapley’s book Baby Led Weaning. It’s a wonderful book and very reassuring - choking is actually really uncommon. My DD is 14 months old and used to gag lots in the beginning, but never actually choked. We started with steamed vegetables, sticks of cucumber etc, and soon after started giving her exactly what we were eating.

I give a mix of purees and finger food. DS likes to feed himself with the spoon but his aim is not great yet, so we each have a spoon. Avocado turns to mush when he grabs it so no worry of choking there. Also sweet potato wedges, steamed carrots, the middle seedy bit of the cucumber. He is 6.5 months and I haven't tried any fruit on him yet but as long as you cut up grapes, cherry tomatoes etc you can give them most things.

At that age my dd started to rally enjoy gnawing on corn on the cob, also had toast finger, slices of avacado, banana, rice cakes. We made porridge a few times, egg muffins were good too. You can make pancakes by mashing a banana with an age then frying with a little spray oil in dollops.

I love the banana and egg pancake idea!

We did BLW so never gave any purees and DC managed regular food really well. Try things like sweet potato wedges, well cooked pasta (fusilli is easy to pick up), toast fingers with peanut butter and mashed banana, any kind of softish fruit (finger shapes of mango, pear, banana), broccoli and cauliflower florets, pancakes, strips of crumpet with butter, bread soaked in soup, well cooked carrot, fish cakes...

She won't be able to pick up cut grapes or cherry tomatoes yet anyway so no danger with them :)