Fish fingers and waffles

[MrTrebus]

So my DD doesn't use cutlery yet. Starting to get there but generally just wants finger food as she doesn't want us to feed her like a baby!

She ends up eating a lot of chicken, potatoes, waffles, peas, green beans, fish fingers etc finger food but I really need ideas for meals I can make and cook because I feel like otherwise she's going to end up eating crap. So what the hell do I feed a non cutlery using, finger food loving toddler (17 months) help a mother out.....

My DS used to eat everything with his fingers (or as we called them, his "portable cutlery") even soup! he loved eating spag bol in particular.

This was usually the result. He also liked to tip his bowl onto his head when he was finished - it wasn't always empty...

Pretty well anything you like can be finger food (bar the obvious very wet things like soup or stew). Just get a few of those bibs with sleeves, or strip your DD down to her vest for meals.

Now I want fish fingers and waffles!

Provide cutlery, she won't learn to use it without practice. I used to spear the first bit of whatever onto the fork and then as and when ds would let me during the meal. To start with I use to go through several spoons and forks each mealtime.

My youngest was a bit resistant to cutlery and would eat anything with her fingers 🙄

You can turn loads into 'fritters'. Nigella has a lovely recipe for courgette and feta ones. Spinach and ricotta rolls/spanakopita are long standing winners with my daughters, and the spinach balls from Carluccio's courgette pasta recipe.

Other good 'finger meals' would be meatballs, falafels, sausage rolls, pakora, samosa etc. If you make your own then you can vary what goes in 😀

Provide cutlery, she won't learn to use it without practice. I used to spear the first bit of whatever onto the fork and then as and when ds would let me during the meal. To start with I use to go through several spoons and forks each mealtime.

This ^

meatballs with sauce in a little dish for dipping in.
same with pasta with cheese sauce on side.
roasted veggies
wraps cuts into slices and you can put all sort of yummy and healthy filling in them
toastie.
toast
boiled egg
friatas
omeltte in muffin tins so thye can be handles
pocket pies
pasties
sausage rolls
fish cakes
rosti
we do a plain sans sauce pasta whci his really nice because its hot so its ixes and take up the flavour.its just pot of pasta with chicken thighs chopped in lots of tomatos and celery.its really nice warm or cold
all veggies are giners food
currued spiced calugiflower and brcoli florets I nthe oven
mince in wraps or puttas
new pottos or small potato cut into chunks
cheese and bacon potato hash.
samosas
potato tots
wonton parcels
nut or vegie brugers
savoury and sweet scones
muffins sweet and savoury
chicken strips.
potstickers
but id try not to get her used to adapting food to finger foods because at this age she could be using cutlery or deff gettingfamiliar with the holding and practicing of them.so before anything id keep trying with the cutlery.havnig them placed on the plate with food on.feeding mummy the spoon/fork then feeding herself.cutting mum a bit then one for her.
spearing some sausages with a fork and serving it to her with this already done so she can see it and pick it up have a look and feel etc.
get her to pick her own cutlery.

French toast
Mini pittas (filled with mince or chicken)
Hummus crisps from Holland and Barrett filled with mince and veggies

www.hollandandbarrett.com/shop/product/eat-real-sea-salt-hummus-chips-60032946

Link not working, but they are by Real Eat and are like mini crispy pockets.

Thanks for the ideas. To be clear we are teaching her with cutlery and they also do at nursery but for now she wants to use her fingers which I think is pretty normal. Just looking for ideas thanks to everyone that has given some great ones!