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Weaning

Find weaning advice from other Mumsnetters on our Weaning forum. Use our child development calendar for more information.

Original poster

Non-messy snack ideas :)

23 replies

ChocOrange05 · 25/08/2009 15:35

Hi all

DS (9.5mo) has just started to cut down on his 3pm BF so I am giving him one breast and then a snack. This snack is usually in the house while he plays on the carpet or in the pram and I don't want to be cleaning up around him even more (as well as 3 meals a day!) so I have been giving him raisins a lot. I have tried dried apricots which get too sticky and are lovely in the carpet, rice cakes which mush well into the carpet, biscuits which have wonderful crumbs and blueberries which stain his clothes well.

So short of sticking him in the highchair with a bib on until he's learnt to not smear snacks over the carpet, his clothes, his face, the furniture, his toys (you get the picture) or me DS is going to be subjected to a lot of raisins if you ladies don't rescue him .

Thanks!

OP posts:
Habbibu · 25/08/2009 15:38

Cheese, little pancakes, bits of fresh fruit, such as pear (also messy but easy to clean up). Or learn to embrace the mess (my approach)

Original poster
ChocOrange05 · 25/08/2009 17:29

I embrace the mess on my wooden floors, just not the carpet or three change of clothes a day

OP posts:
SoupDragon · 25/08/2009 17:30

PMSL at the use of "non-messy" and "weaning" in the same context

Original poster
ChocOrange05 · 25/08/2009 18:00

I love the weaning mess 3 times a day and embrace it then but twice more - surely there are more solid and less sticky solutions??

Hmmm, maybe I should call the Dragons Den!!

OP posts:
DontQuoteMeMisogynistBastardDM · 25/08/2009 18:06

I was wondering this - all I have so far is white grapes....

greensnail · 25/08/2009 20:00

bread sticks don't create too much mess here. Its what i give as a snack when i've had enough of cleaning up.

cyteen · 25/08/2009 20:40

Home made fruit loaf doesn't crumble too much and the sticky dried fruit is relatively well contained.

dinkystinky · 25/08/2009 20:58

Home made rusks or breadsticks. Some dry cheerios (practice that pincer grip) - though do crumble beautifully. Sticks of cheese are good too.

greensnail · 25/08/2009 21:03

oh and mini shredded wheat things (we have sainbury's own) dd loves them, and no mess!

MrsBadger · 25/08/2009 21:19

I confess to confining food to highchair (or garden / kitchen floor / pushchair / cafe / other people's houses, just not my carpet)

this still holds true and dd is 2

Original poster
ChocOrange05 · 25/08/2009 21:19

Thanks for ideas

Oh, I like dry cheerios, do they have much sugar in?

DS had mini shredded wheat for breakfast today for the first time so I have some of those in the house.

How do you make homemade rusks dinkystinky? I made some sugar free biscuits last week but they are ridiculously crumbly so no way they are getting near the carpet!!

OP posts:
dinkystinky · 26/08/2009 16:37

Cheerios do have sugar in - but the way I see it, they also have wholegrains and its not like the little one eats tonnes of them so its ok for the little one to have them.

Homemade rusks are an Annabel Karmel recipe - wholemeal or granary or rye bread cut into three strips and brushed with 1/8 teaspoon marmite melted in 1 teaspoon boiling water and baked in oven at 180 degrees c for 15 minutes. You can add grated cheese if you like. They last for about 3 days in a container.

Original poster
ChocOrange05 · 26/08/2009 18:53

Oh, thanks dinky I have the Annabel Karmel book but we have been BLW and feeding DS leftovers so haven't even looked at it, I will def take a look.

I will inspect the cheerio packet for sugar content, I know all cereals have sugar in but I am trying to give him the ones with the least so if there is an alternative I'll use that.

greensnail shredded wheat still stick nicely to the carpet!! But not as bad as other things so I can cope!

OP posts:
greensnail · 26/08/2009 19:50

Ah, it just disapears in this house so therefore doesn't stick to the carpet!

I sometimes sit dd in the middle of a large muslin for snacks - then when she's done I can just shake muslin over bin and stick in the wash if needed. A second muslin tied around the neck is much quicker than a bib I find for a quick snack if its a messy one.

Original poster
ChocOrange05 · 26/08/2009 23:36

Ah, I like that muslin idea, except DS now likes multi-tasking eating and crawling (well, humping floor with tummy!)

OP posts:
Alibabaandthe40nappies · 26/08/2009 23:40

I put down a tablecloth which catches most of the mess and then just gets picked up and shaken outside/washed depending on the level of dirt! I also have a handheld Dyson which is a godsend at clearing up the mess.

mumtojohn · 27/08/2009 07:18

Handheld Dyson; that sounds like a fab idea! In the meantime, I like the tablecloth option too. I have also been looking for non messy finger food ideas (John tends to scrunch food in his hands and actually wipe rice cakes etc against the carpet) so this has been v helpful.

BertieBotts · 27/08/2009 09:08

I tend to let DS have the crumbly things and hoover up as soon as possible afterwards. He doesn't ever sit still unless strapped into something so snacks need to be easily cleaned up. Non-squishy fruit like raisins as you have found, or apple sliced very thin so it's not a choking risk, rice cakes aren't too bad (get plain adult sized ones rather than the baby ones with apple flavour or whatever as they are stickier) breadsticks, crackers, toast, biscuits... cheese would definitely not work in this house as DS tends to chew and spit out as soon as it melts! Cereal like rice crispies or those mini wheats, he likes the fruit ones. If they get bitten in half they can stick to the carpet though.

Honestly though I just bought some carpet cleaning stuff and I hoover as soon as I get the chance (biscuit crumbs can't do that much damage) - could do with getting a handheld hoover actually - and try to pick squichy things up as quickly as possible and avoid mega staining things like blueberries and banana. If there are stains I use the carpet cleaning liquid, sometimes have to use a little nailbrush as well (though it doesn't say to do this on the bottle) and it's ok. Our carpet has survived

Original poster
ChocOrange05 · 27/08/2009 09:30

So the conclusion is.... we're in for a messy time!! Thanks for all those ideas Bertie - I especially like the thinly sliced apple one.

A handheld dyson sounds like a great idea alibaba.

OP posts:
Original poster
ChocOrange05 · 27/08/2009 15:30

To my fellow non messy snack seekers

Organix have just started doing boxes of dried fruit - I have just got some raisin and chopped apple ones mainly for the apple pieces as they make a change from just raisins. It says not suitable until 12m but I'm giving it to DS as he's already having raisins.

OP posts:
greensnail · 27/08/2009 20:37

Oh, and I also have a little handheld carpet sweeper which is fantastic. You can stick it in the changing bag as well for messy moments at other people's houses. I remember my parents having one which they used to bring to the pub with us to clear up after we'd had crisps! Mine came from the 90p shop

mumtojohn · 27/08/2009 20:46

So, greensnail, they are cheap to buy? Sounds like a good investment.

greensnail · 27/08/2009 21:04

Yes, you don't see them in shops very much, but mine came from 90p shop, so probably worth checking those sort of discount shops.

Its like this but mine was cheaper

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