Finger foods, what do i give an 8.5mth old?

[muffincake]

My dd is 8.5 mths old, i would like to give her some finger foods but i am stuck as to what to give her. If i give her mini sandwiches, what should i put in them?

I've never had much luck with mini sandwiches. DS will do toast though, with cashew nut or pumpkin seed butter, and loves broccoli steamed so he can gum the tops off. Banana also good, and if you can't be arsed Organix do some nice finger food snack type things...

I have given her the organix finger food biscuits, they were ok but more of a snack. I read that i should give her chopped fruit and veg, but i am scared she may throw it on the floor and not eat it, then i will worry that she hasn't had anything to eat.

I was quite keen on the whole BLW thing, but I rarely gave him finger food as an entire meal. Try giving her bits along side a regular meal and then at least you won't be worried about her going hungry. DS just likes to have something in his hand while I'm feeding him to make him feel more involved and he's getting more independant by the day. Probably best to just relax about it all too, I was really worried he'd choke or something but so far so good!

Philadelphia's probably good on mini sandwiches, thinking about it. And just any old veg steamed so its soft enough to eat.

It's my hv thats worrying me. She seems to think my dd is behind because she isn't eating finger foods. She has me worried.

buy a cheap fabric type shower curtain or 5, spread under her highchair, and when food gets chucked on floor - which it undoubtedly will - you can just plonk it in front of her again or even better just sit her on curtain and she can find it again herself when she drops it.

The shower curtain can go in washing mc when necessary. Most of the supermarkets do them for a few quid. And then later you can use them for messy play, under blanket in garden etc..

In hindsight I was far too nervous about giving my dd finger foods and I think it has made her less adventurous, my ds is 9mths and I've learnt my lesson, he gets whatever is to hand eg - soft fruit, steamed veg, marmite toast, sandwiches, cooked pasta spirals, ricecakes, dried fruit....

What do you fill the sandwiches with?

cream cheese, tuna mayonnaise, marmite (Yes I love marmite!)...

To be honest if you've always been spoon feeding her up to now I wouldn't try to switch to just fingerfood overnight - I still give my ds both. I'm sure the hv wasn't suggesting you should only be giving fingerfood

It is important that lots of the food you spoon feed her is getting pretty lumpy by now. I just give some food at each meal and all snacks as finger food, eg breakfast today my ds fed himself some toast while I sorted out DD, then I fed him porridge mixed with lumpy puree fruit, then he fed himself some banana.

I'm no expert, but I feel it is a crucial age to try as many new tastes and textures as poss. Be brave!

It has taken me 10 months to realise that HVs should be taken with a pinch of salt at all times and a lot of them talk total arse. Try not to let them worry you (mine always do but then I go away and talk to normal people and it makes me feel much better!)

try gnocci. have you had it before? it's in the supermarket next to pasta. it's basically little potato dumplings. you can give it to your baby with maybe cheese grated on top or pesto stirred through. it's very nice, you can have some and so can she. don't worry if she doesn't eat it, you eat it!

you may find some useful ideas on www.babyledweaning.com

Not all food presented will go in, but if you sit her in front of finger foods often enough and give her plenty of time, more and more will go in as she gets used to it.