8 month old baby only wants jar food...Please help!!

[skal]

Despite trying all the Annabel Karmel recipes, my 8mo completely rejects home cooked food and would only eat Ella's Kitchen pouches and Heinz jars. Any advice would be highly appreciated, I am in desperate need.

I have already tried BLW - but he doesnt want to eat anything other than cheese sticks and orange slices. Rest of the stuff is not at all welcome on the highchair tray or else it will be completely mashed and thrown away here and there.

Um, I would say persist with the finger foods rather than giving in to giving jarred purees as this is what he will be ultimately eating and at 8 months he is not too young to be eating mainly finger foods. Cheese sticks and orange slices are not a bad combo! I like the River Cottage book for babies and toddlers and the recipes are a bit healthier than AK (everything of hers is fried, no?). Their tastes change over time, don't worry, the important thing is to keep offering him a variety.

Hmmmmm..... We had the same problem with my DS. I think its a texture thing. The shop bought purées are SO smooth, far smoother than anything you can replicate at home, and I think my DS was just a lazy little bugger who preferred not to chew!!! We first of all mixed the Ella's pouches with home cooked stuff (sweet potato and risotto were faves) and then went cold turkey. To start with make sure they see the pouch being squirted on the other stuff as this seemed to convince my DS to trust my cooking . We had a few battles of will but I just stopped offering alternatives and trusting that if he was really hungry he'd eat what was on offer. He now hasn't had an Ella's for over 2 weeks so there is hope!! HTH good luck

Try alternating spoonfuls of each! Or mixing the two gradually.

Rule number one (I've discovered) of weaning/feeding babies is not to fret about it. My DD rejected (and still does) anything home made, occasionally I could mix my food with the jar/pouch but she'd get wise to it after a few mouthfuls.

I'd suggest sticking with what you know he'll eat (unless cost is an issue) and try offering something home made/finger food/what you're having when you have the energy and patience. And be prepared for it all to be rejected! It's ok to offer alternatives at this age, I don't think they get wise to it until later.

Unfortunately there's no miracle answer (believe me I've looked for one). As long as your DS is getting milk and something resembling a solid diet that's fine. Keep offering different things but don't force him to eat anything - it's counterproductive - babies are remarkably good at balancing their own diets.

Just read this back. How worn down do I sound!

Maybe he's not ready for food yet. Stick to milk and try again in a couple of weeks.

Unless cost is an issue then stick just with the jars and keep trying finger foods on the side.
Your baby won't eat jars forever so you can just let them go at their pace and they'll move on when they are ready.
I used to despair at mealtimes because my DD wasn't interested in anything until about 9/10 months and it was all I could do to get a rice cake and a spoon of puree into her. Now at 2 yo she'll have a go at anything you offer her.
When I think of all the time I wasted fretting about it seems so silly :)

My DTs are 8 mo and I have never cooked anything specifically for them. They eat the same as us, I just cook without salt and will pull their portion out before adding chilies if it's a spicy meal. I used to purée it or mash, now I just either let them feed themselves with their hands or I feed them little bits.

Perhaps AK recipes are too bland, my DTs favourite meals are surprising - sardines on toast, pasta with tomato sauce and meatballs, roast lamb, steak, cod and chips etc. . I use lots of garlic, onion, herbs and low salt stock to flavour the food.

Or perhaps the texture is too lumpy for your LO, I was surprised when I saw a 'stage 2' pouch at how smooth it was when my two have been on lumpy food for weeks.

Try passing your purees through a sieve?

How about just not giving jarred food? If you never give any, then there's isn't a problem with him only wanting jarred isn't it?

And cheese sticks and oranges aren't bad. They need to get used to our adult food, not that super smooth ready-made food, unless that's what you are wanting. It doesn't matter how much he eats at all. Even mushing and throwing it away gets him touching them.

My freezer is full of freshly prepared purees that my DS completely refuses. i gave him the pouches when we were out and about and he ate them all so I have just switched to using those for the time being as the puree stage is really short anyway.

I offer him fresh finger food, and anything suitable I am eating at every meal and now he is 7 months he is getting really good at feeding himself. It was getting soul destroying doing all that cooking for it to just be rejected and this way we are both much happier.

The baby is clearly 'ready' for food - he's eating jars of food at 8mo FGS!

Cheese sticks and oranges ARE bad by themselves. Where is the iron for a start?

I'm starting to get wound up with BLW experts in this section. A soon as that terrible cue-word 'puree' is mentioned you can guarantee replies along the lines of 'as long as he's playing with it - it's the experience that counts'. I'm just waiting for that old corker 'food under 1 just for fun'.

Sorry OP - not helpful. Just second the posters that say carry on with what you're doing and offer plenty of finger food. I find my DS will feed himself better at snack times. Ripe fruits go down well, so perhaps try the peaches in season at the moment?