FINGER FOOD

[Janus]

My daughter, 10 months, has never been a good eater (pretty dreadful actually) and we have just been referred to a paedatric dietrican as she is just about to drop off the weight chart. She is now refusing all vegetables (have tried potato, sweet potato, carrot, sweetcorn, peas, courgette, brocolli).
She seems to like finger food but I'm running out of ideas (as it still can't be vegetables) and am mixing around ham slices, cheese triangles, bread, tomatoes, cucumber as the savory things she'll eat. She'll also eat many types of fruit so everything is rounded off by fruit and a yogurt or fromage frais.
Can anyone suggest any other finger food to try as she must be getting bored of ham now!!! I am sure there's loads more but I'm beginning to come up against a brick wall every time I think of food for her (but am trying to smile, eat with her, not get stressed, etc, to encourage her!!). Any ideas would be hugely appreciated.
Thanks.
Jane

Pitta bread? goes down very well with mine. Chips (!) of course. What about breadsticks with cream cheese or houmous dip? messy but nice.What about breaded fish goujons, to be honest I give just about everything except jars as finger food to my youngest. Keep smiling, my middle one is a tiny thing too and it is a worry, I feel tempted to let her eat everything she wants (crisps at 9am) because I want her to grow, shes 3 next month and only just in 2-3clothes. Will she eat the veg as finger food? maybe with a dip? hope this helps!

How about gypsy toast or eggy bread as it's called in our house? Omelette mix with bread dipped in and fried.

Have you tried cooking veg, liquidising and mixing with pasta?

If she needs to put on weight then she needs (correct me if I'm wrong everyone) refined carbohydrates. ie junk food, doughnuts, milk shake, chocolate, chips.

She shouldn't be losing weight because she isn't eating veg.

Hi Jane,
something to try might be pieces of veggie burger or sausage ( don't actually taste like vegetables do they! ), potato waffle pieces or oven chips ( did someone say that already?). My Mum struggled ( and still does) with feeding my now 7 year old sister but it seemed that she just doesn't like strong tasting food or funny textures of any description, where as some babies (mine included) like having different tasting experiences so will try anything at least once... Try not to worry as my little sis is fine now and perfectly healthy! Her favourites used to be cold well cooked pasta shapes, not in a sauce just plain, like twists or shells - pasta's good for bulking up and she could have it as a finger food. On a similar track things like plain cous cous or rice seemed to go down well, finished with a chunk of cheese or ham, then pudding....I know it's not a 'meal' as such but as long as her body's getting the various nutrients protein, carbs, fat etc.it doesn't matter which order they arrive in!
Hope that helps too...

Jane Have you tried pasta? My daughter loves it, especially tagliatelli & spaghetti althought tubes are ok. Fish fingers are good as is toast. She will have marmite on toast but only at the childminders!
Can babies have eggy bread?

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She clearly doesn't mind salty food (my son would eat an entire cured pig if left on his own with it, so we get through a bit of ham too) so have you thought of trying sushi? M & S do "sushi lite" which means no adventurous raw fish, but lots of sticky rice, some smoked salmon and cucumber, etc. Mmmm.
Bloss, what's baba ganouj, it sounds very interesting...

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Dips are a good idea, some of the stronger ones, you can mix some natural yogurt in with them. Try different breads, soldiers, pitta, toasted, different crisps to dip in etc. My son doesnt like sausages, but does like the veggy ones (eith Organix or Linda Mc - I cant quite remember). Have you tried cereal? Mine loved cheerios and weetos in a little bowl when he was younger. Hope things get easier. I would be interested to hear how your referral with the dietician goes.

Doe she like other kinds of meat? I don't eat meat and nor does my son, but he did go through a stage of liking "Billy Bear" which is pork and ham, so it will taste slightly different for her. It has a face on it, which is why he wanted it!! Sometimes Somerfield and Asda sell "Noddy" meat as well, if she can eat that. It certainly isn't expensive either, about 50p a quarter and you get 6 slices. You can freeze it as well.

Fish fingers and chicken fingers as well.

Janus - My son developed exactly the same problem around 9 -10 months and would hardly eat a thing going for days just eating grapes. Like you I began to get desperate and dreaded meal times. Tom also lost weight and was about to be referred to a doctor when on the advice of a health visitor I cut right back on the amount of milk he was having to just 2 feeds a day. I was still breast feeding and my son was demanding around 5 - 6 feeds in a 24 hour period. It worked immediately and my son now eats loads. I give him lots of calcium enriched foods in case he's not getting the full quota of milk. I'm afraid I haven't got any tips for food to give your daughter, I tried all kinds of tasty little morsals and Tom still wouldn't eat. It's easier said than done but try not to worry! I hope your daughter will start eating soon

Thanks everyone.
Have tried pitta but she won't do it! Similar with fish fingers, omlette - but haven't tried eggy bread, pasta with or without sauce - but have only tried the pasta stars/shapes things so will try penne etc, cheese sauce (her face was incredible on that one!!). But I have some things to work on here, I suspect hommus may go down with her and the M&S sushi as she loves smoked salmon (expensive taste!!), will try the fish goujons too as she will sometimes eat fish fingers if I pull off the batter for her!! I can't believe how fussy she is as both her parents will eat anything, absolutely anything and I often try her on whatever we're eating but she seems to like squeezing it and then throwing it on the floor. I'm currently sweeping up at least twice a day as it's like a war zone around her highchair!!
Heigh-ho, off to boil an egg as just thought she may do that!!
Thanks again.

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Have you tried avocado and banana (good for weight gain and full of goodness), baby organix banana porridge, lamb with potato and brocolli. All favourites of my son who is breastfeed and has had all and sundry worrying about his weight, but eating the above has turned him into a little chub and now above the bottom shaded line on the dreaded charts. I know they are not all finger foods but might improve appetite.

Mine used to like toast fingers. Now one, she prefers them hot buttered (with salty butter I'm afraid). By "hot" I mean that the butter melts in; toast stays surprisingly hot inside so be careful. French bread or fluffy white bread used to go down well at 10 months too. Anything new actually! - still the same now. (Red shiney jam on the toast makes it new again!) Pasta twirls are fun 'cos they bounce about. And she loves the pasta hoops in Tesco's minestrone soup - she can stick her finger in them and they're quite a challenge to pick up - she'll even eat some of the carrot and potato cubes as well. (Again it's very salty .. but so long as she's drinking plenty of water I know her kidneys will survive, it's just her arteries I have to worry about isn't it?!) Little cheese biscuits and small cheese straws which at least add some protein to the carbohydrates. Little sausages or big sausages skinned and cut up small - you may prefer to get these direct from a butcher, 'cos who knows what's in those bright pink cocktail sausages sold in packets! Yes I agree "junk food" is quite a good guide - carbohydrates and fats (so full fat yoghurt) are all needed by growing bodies but I'm not sure sugars are necessary/good (- am I right on that one??!). Just getting a few proteins and vitamins in as well would feel good wouldn't it?! Sorry to hear about the brocolli - mine still loves the funny flowery bobbles, it's the one thing that's stayed in favour for a lone time. Have you tried spinach - mine seems to like it quite a lot, and peas were a novelty for a while. "Colour and variety" as we're always being told, seems to help. And one piece at a time - really really helps. If you present her with twelve pasta twirls in one go they become a game and mostly go on the floor. And scrambled egg is pretty messy as a finger food but it is possible to cook it into pieces without making it hard or dry! Sometimes mine will eat nearly the whole bowl and sometimes it all goes on the floor - difficult to tell... Chicken lightly cooked so that it's not dry (but on the other hand cooked through of course ...!) cut up against the grain so she doesn't actually have to cut it with too few teeth but can mash it with her gums. Peeled grapes - juicy and sweet! Banana - great for carbohydrates if she likes them. Good luck - signed The World's Worst Cook!

My son went through the exact same thing when he was 10 months - now a year old and eating well.
We ttried Annabel Carmels chickenand apple balls - just mince chicekn with grated apple - could add grated carrot to get veg in her. - then add egg and breadcrumbs or Matza meal - roll in a ball and fry in oil.
Also tuna or salmon balls work well cooked the same way.
scrambled egg pieces were popular

My son went through the exact same thing when he was 10 months - now a year old and eating well.
We ttried Annabel Carmels chickenand apple balls - just mince chicekn with grated apple - could add grated carrot to get veg in her. - then add egg and breadcrumbs or Matza meal - roll in a ball and fry in oil.
Also tuna or salmon balls work well cooked the same way.
scrambled egg pieces were popular

Hi again. Tried hummous - didn't like, bugger!! Seems to have gone off bread/toast/breadsticks, she hasn't got any teeth yet (guess I shouldn't worry at 10 months??) so I think she gets frustrated that she can't get through the bread stuff very easily.

Likes to pick up cornflakes and rice crispies and eats a few, no milk, just likes them "raw".

Tried baby sausages, didn't like. Have tried reducing milk feeds but she is now waking about 2 or 3 times in the night, so I guess she is hungry but hasn't increased her food intake. Tried rice pudding, didn't like. Tried banana porridge, she used to love this but is now refusing.

Hmmm, fun weekend!!!

Have managed to get a cancellation appointment with the dietrician today so she what she has to say and will try not to burst in to tears of sheer frustration.

Thanks again everyone, I'll let you know what the dietrician says but if she suggest sweet potato I am liable to have a breakdown!!
Jane

I'm sorry to hear that. I was a fussy baby myself, so I guess my parents were very frustrated!

I have never liked meat and I don't like cooked vegetables so much of what they tried to give me went on the floor!

Have you tried Bananbix? They are are bit crumbly when eaten dry but a baby should be able to pick them up.

My 3 year old has suddenly decided he doesn't like eating fruit, so I give him lots of fresh juice and those new Winder things from Kelloggs I think it is. They are 60% fruit and there is only about an ounce of fruit in a whole packet but it is better than nothing I suppose. That probably hasn't helped much but you might find your baby is a great little eater later on. Mine started well and is now getting fussy!!

Janus sorry to hear that things havn't improved. I can appreciate how desperate you most be feeling as it's soul destroying when you make lots of tasty recipies and the food just gets thrown on the floor. I remember trying to feed my son and the mess was unbelievable even though he hadn't eaten a thing. I resorted to all the wrong things that I knew he would eat like chocolate buttons and biscuits so at least he wasn't hungry. I'm sure a dietician would not recommend that to you but it doesn't seem to have harmed my son and now he eats normally. I did rely on vitamin drops so that at least my son was getting some vitamins. One thing that my son did eat even at his worst was kiwi fruit although you're probably sick of hearing suggestions. Good luck must go as my son has woken up!

Pamina, try a piece of peeled apple tied inside a bit of muslin. She can't bite off more than she can swallow, and it's easy to pick up off the floor when it inevitably gets thrown away.

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I was just going to begin a thread on when to start finger food, when I found this one.

My ds is 8 months and cant cope with finger food - exactly like you described Pamina - bites off a big bit and swallows without chewing, then chokes and gags loads.

All the other babies in my group of friends are coping really well. I know all babies go at their own pace, but Ive been told his speech wont develop properly if he is left on pureed food too long.

I just panic when he chokes and end up taking the food away. Am I just being over anxious? Pamina, you posted your message in October, how did you get over the problem?

Art, mellow out honey!

Have you:
A)got a competitive group of friends with babies? or
B)been reading too many baby books?

I'll bet 50p or so it's one or the other because I've been there! Again and again and again.

Sorry, I digress. Give him lots of finger foods and coarser purees and eventually he'll eat them. Honestly. And try not to panic too much if he gags- easier said than done, I know. And don't worry about future speech development... or you'll drive yourself mad!

Sorry if this sounds flippant. I'm laughing a bit but only because this sounds so like me...

I have just read this - whats this about speech not developing?

I am afraid that if I am having a paraniod about what he has eaten day then its soup, and it is so mushy - and I KNOW he can do better but if he likes it then ..... Scrummymummy - competitvie friends - now are'nt they just so helpful, one of mine told me only this week that mine did not have enough friends of his own age (13months) and that I could find myslef with an antisocial and difficult child - but thats another thread!!!

Art, I tried low sugar rusks - beacause as soon as they meet the saliva in the mouth they dissolve - only a thought, it can be so distressing to see the poor mites choke, and then you start to wonder - 'do I know the heimlick manouever' (spelling sorry)