All About Finger Food

Your baby's solid food journey is exciting, especially when your baby is graduating from mushy foods to finger foods! This is a huge step for your baby's development and you probably have concerns about when is the right time to start finger foods and how to tell if your little one is ready. Worry not, in this post, we will discuss these questions and more so you are well-prepped for this exciting transition!

First and foremost, what is finger food? Finger food is any bite-sized, easy-to-eat piece of food that your baby can easily pick up and eat. Eating finger food is fun for your baby as it helps them develop fine motor skills and coordination as well as teaches independence.

 

When can your baby eat finger food?

You may start giving your baby finger foods when they can sit independently and bring their hand to the mouth. This usually occurs when your baby is around 8 to 9 months old but it can happen sooner or later than this time as every baby is different.

At this age, you may also notice that your baby is developing their pincer grasp — the ability to pick up small objects between the thumb and forefinger — and may be making chewing motions. These two are great signs that your little one is ready for finger foods.

 

How to introduce finger foods safely to your baby?

Your little babe may want to grab anything and everything that is on your plate at this point, but here are some guidelines for safe feedings.

• start with soft foods such as pieces of cheese, small pieces of pasta or bread
• introduce new foods one at a time in case there are allergy concerns
• chop all foods into soft, bite-sized pieces — half an inch or smaller
• watch out for choking hazards like round and firm foods (carrots, peanuts, popcorn, hotdogs, grapes, and more)

Don't worry if your baby won't eat the finger foods at first as they might need some time to get used to the new texture. You may have to try a few times before your baby accepts new foods, so, keep putting the finger food on the high chair tray and let them try to feed themselves in between the spoon-feeding.

Another tip to help ease the transition between purees and finger foods is giving your baby the flavours that they are already familiar with. If they like banana puree, you can try giving them pieces of soft, ripe banana or well-cooked pieces of sweet potato if they have devoured sweet potato puree previously.

 

Best first finger foods for your baby

There are many great options for starting finger foods. Still unsure what finger foods to start with? Here is a list of favourites!

• well-cooked pastas
• scrambled eggs
• small cubes of tofu
• steamed apples or carrots
• small chunks of soft cheese
• soft, ripe fruits like bananas, mangos (peeled), berries
• steamed vegetables such as zucchini, potato, sweet potato
• whole-grain breastfast cereals (without nuts, clusters, or chunks)

Ensure all of the foods are cut into small pieces. You do not want your little one eating a piece that is too big to swallow. More importantly, do keep your eye on them while they eat.

Here are some finger foods that you can get on Babydash.

Organix Melty Carrot Puffs

 

Apple Monkey Organic Germinated Brown Rice Puff

 

Baebis Organic Rice Stick

 

Erio Organic Multigrain Puffs