What finger foods can i give my 7 month old baby

Giving Baby Finger Foods at 7-8 Months

Written by Rebecca Felsenthal Stewart

Month 7, Week 3

Once your baby is a pro at eating soft mashed foods, they may be ready to move on to finger foods around 8 months. They have the dexterity to pick the food up and release it or mash it, and will become more efficient and independent as they master the pincer grip around 9 months. At that point they'll be able to use their thumb and forefinger to pick up the small chunks of food.

Your baby may grab at everything on your plate, but follow these guidelines for healthy and safe feedings.

Start with menu items like pieces of soft cheese; small pieces of pasta or bread; finely chopped soft vegetables; and fruits like bananas, avocado, and ripe peaches or nectarines. These foods should require minimal chewing, as your baby may not yet have teeth. Do NOT let them have hot dogs, raw vegetables, nuts, meats, hard candy, or sticky textures such as nut butters that have increased choking risks at this stage.
Introduce new foods one at a time in case there are any concers about allergies.
Chop all foods into soft, bite-sized pieces, 1/2 inch or smaller.
Watch out for choking hazards: Avoid round, firm foods like carrots, grapes, and hot dogs and skip anything like raw veggies and peanuts. Raisins and popcorn are dangerous for babies.
Keep up your formula or breastfeeding schedule, but as your baby eats more solids, they’ll naturally start to take less milk. Your baby needs to start eating more solids and drinking less milk for the nutritional value at this stage.

Your Baby's Development This Week

Your baby is getting stronger and may even be moving around, whether they are sliding around on their belly in reverse, scooting on their behind, or actually crawling forward. If you haven’t childproofed your house already, don’t wait any longer!

You may notice these growing signs of motor development:

Your baby is probably now able to sit on their own for several minutes, without using their hands for support and they may be able to get up into a sitting position all by themselves.
While you offer them support, they should be able to bounce up and down, and possibly even pull up to a stand.
Their little hands are increasingly agile -- they are getting better at passing a toy back and forth from one to the other.

You might wonder about:

Their vision. Your baby should be able to see nearly as far as an adult by now and can track moving objects with their eyes.
Stranger anxiety. You’re not imagining it: They may fear new people and situations. So give them time to warm up and reassure them if they are upset.
What they can understand. Your baby might comprehend more than you realize, so it’s important to keep talking to them about everything you’re doing and try to be consistent about the words you use for familiar objects.

Month 7 Week 3 Tips

If food allergies run in the family, talk to your pediatrician about introducing highly allergenic foods like peanuts and eggs.
Fried foods are not good choices for babies. If you offer them at all, do so rarely.
Avoid feeding your baby juice unless it is fresh-squeezed.
By now, your baby’s diet should include grains, fruits, vegetables, and meats, and they should be eating two to three meals a day.
In addition to rice, barley, or oat cereal, you can introduce grain products your baby can grab, such as toast, crackers, and dry cereal. Avoid any colorful, sugary cereals.
Sit baby in their high-chair for feeding time. If they eat finger foods while crawling around, they are more likely to choke.
You’re not done with breast feeding or bottle feeding. Your baby is starting the transition, but breast milk and formula are still key.
Pureeing or mashing vegetables may make them easier for your baby to eat when they are first transitioning from a liquid diet to solids.

Best Early Finger Foods for Baby (With Tips, Visuals, and Recipes)

Use this list of safe, nutritious, and easy to eat finger foods for baby to help you know exactly what (and how) to offer at meals and snacks. Plus, find the best first finger foods, troubleshooting tips, and visuals of foods broken down by food group to keep things easy!

Finger Foods for Baby

After baby starts solids and is ready to move onto finger foods, you may feel a little confused by exactly what to serve and how to serve it. Which is totally normal because it can be scary to let baby feed themselves this way and we may not have any experience doing this—or we may have totally forgotten from our last kiddo!

This list of finger foods for baby will cover some great first finger foods to start with, then set you up with plenty of healthy options from each food group.

TIP: Find more info on starting solids here and the best foods to start with if doing baby led weaning or purees with baby.

Healthy Baby Food

I love sharing these ideas for baby food since they are easy to prepare and serve and because I know how hard it can be to continue to come up with flavorful and healthy meals and snacks for our little ones. Let me tell you, I’m on my third kiddo and it can be such a challenge to feed him during the chaos of parenting the rest of my crew! These foods are wholesome and nutritious—perfect for your baby.

TIP: I’m a big fan of SpoonfulONE, a company that offers the most complete way to introduce food allergens to our kids. They make mix-ins, puffs, and crackers that are yummy and easy for babies and toddlers to eat. Learn more about their pediatrician-approved baby foods here. (sponsored link)

Best First Finger Foods

When baby is around 9 months, you’ll notice that they’re able to pick up smaller pieces of food with two fingers. This is known as the “pincer grasp” and is a sign that they’re ready to start finger foods. To be clear, when I say “finger foods” I mean small pieces of food that a baby (or toddler) can feed themselves.

Here are some of my favorite ones to start with that are all super soft, safe to eat, and easy to pick up.

Scrambled egg, broken up into small pieces
Roasted sweet potato mashed and broken up into small pieces
Fresh raspberries, broken up into smaller pieces
Oatmeal, cooked according to package directions and allowed to cool
Tofu, diced and sauteed lightly or steamed
Ground beef, chicken, or turkey, broken up into small pieces or lightly mashed meatballs
Shredded cheese or crumbled goat cheese
Mashed sweet potato, in little pieces
Peanut butter puffs

TIP: You can serve the tofu, ground meat, or meatballs in veggie puree from a pouch or a simple marinara sauce for extra moisture and flavor. Learn more about how and why to introduce peanut butter.

Finger Foods for Baby: Fruits and Veggies

Some of my favorite early fruits and veggies to serve babies are:

Mashed roasted sweet potato, broken up into small pieces
Warmed frozen peas, slightly mashed if desired
Roasted Zucchini
Diced Roasted Sweet Potato or Butternut Squash
Fresh blueberries, cut in half or quarters
Fresh raspberries, broken into small pieces
Banana, broken into small segments (they are less slippery this way versus slicing them)
Avocado, diced and mashed slightly (be sure it’s ripe and very soft)

TIP: A good rule of thumb is to serve pieces of food that are about the size of a pea to start and soft enough that they are easy to squish between your fingers. This will be easy for baby to pick up and eat and will also reduce chances of choking.

Finger Food Ideas: Carbohydrates

Offering complex carbohydrates can provide fiber, a variety of textures, B vitamins, and more. Try these with your baby.

Spinach pancakes (moisten with applesauce or plain yogurt if needed; this recipe is particularly moist and great for babies)
Oatmeal, cooked according to package directions and allowed to cool
Baby Puffs
Peanut Butter Puffs
Rice (it’s easiest if it’s in little clumps so baby can pick it up; this Coconut Rice or this Cheesy Rice are both good options)
Baby Banana Muffin
O cereal (soften in nondairy unsweetened milk or yogurt as needed)
Baked Oatmeal, diced

Finger Food Ideas: Proteins

Offering proteins will continue to expose baby to a range of nutrients. These are my go-tos for babies newer to finger foods—and toddlers too.

Shredded cheese (thicker cuts are a little easier to pick up)
Tofu, diced and sauteed lightly or steamed
Flaked cooked wild salmon
Lightly mashed meatballs
Shredded chicken, cut up finely (we love this Butter Chicken to share with baby)
Ground beef, turkey, or chicken, broken into smaller pieces
Lightly mashed beans
Scrambled eggs, broken up into small pieces
Diced egg muffins

I’d love to hear any questions you may have, or if you have foods that your babies enjoy that I didn’t include here.

Chime in below in the comments!

Prep Time 5 minutes

Cook Time 5 minutes

Total Time 10 minutes

Author Amy Palanjian

Cuisine American

Course Baby Food

Calories 124kcal

Servings 1

First Finger Foods (choose 1-3 per meal)

▢ 1 Scrambled egg (broken up into small pieces)
▢ 1/4 cup Roasted sweet potato, mashed and broken up into small pieces
▢ 1/4 cup Fresh raspberries (broken up into smaller pieces)
▢ 1/4 cup Oatmeal (cooked according to package directions and allowed to cool)
▢ 2 tbsp Tofu (diced and sauteed lightly or steamed)
▢ 2 tbsp ground beef, chicken, or turkey, broken up into small pieces or lightly mashed meatballs
▢ 2 tbsp shredded cheese or crumbled goat cheese
▢ 1/4 cup Mashed sweet potato (broken into little pieces)
▢ 1/4 cup Peanut butter puffs

Fruits and Veggies

▢ 1/4 cup mashed roasted sweet potato (broken up into small pieces)
▢ 1/4 cup warmed frozen peas
▢ 1/4 cup Roasted Zucchini
▢ 1/4 cup diced Roasted Sweet Potato or Butternut Squash
▢ 1/4 cup blueberries (cut in half or quarters)
▢ 1/4 cup raspberries (broken into small pieces)
▢ 1/4 cup banana slices (broken into small segments—they are less slippery this way versus slicing them)
▢ 2 tbsp avocado (diced and mashed slightly—be sure it's ripe and very soft)

Whole Grains and Carbohydrates

▢ 1 Spinach pancakes (moisten with applesauce or plain yogurt if needed; this recipe is particularly moist and great for babies)
▢ 1/4 cup Oatmeal (cooked according to package directions and allowed to cool)
▢ 1/4 cup Baby Puffs
▢ 1/4 cup Peanut Butter Puffs
▢ 1/4 cup fully cooked rice (it's easiest if it's in little clumps so baby can pick it up; this Coconut Rice or this Cheesy Rice are both good options)
▢ 1 Baby Banana Muffin
▢ 1/4 cup O cereal (soften in nondairy unsweetened milk or yogurt as needed)
▢ 1/4 cup Baked Oatmeal (diced or regular oatmeal broken into little pieces)

Dairy

▢ 2 tbsp Shredded cheese (such as mozzarella)
▢ 2 tbsp Tofu (diced and sauteed lightly or steamed)
▢ 2 tbsp flaked cooked wild salmon
▢ 1 lightly mashed meatballs
▢ 2 tbsp finely shredded chicken (we love this Butter Chicken to share with baby)
▢ 2 tbsp ground beef, turkey, or chicken (broken into smaller pieces)
▢ 2 tbsp lightly mashed beans
▢ 1 Scrambled egg (broken up into small pieces)
▢ 1 Diced Egg muffins

For each meal or snack, choose 2-3 foods from a mix of food groups. Aim to include some fat in most meals and protein in many too.
Prepare the food, cutting into small pieces and/or mashing as needed to make the food easy to eat.
Start with small portions and allow more as baby indicates according to their hunger.

Store leftovers in an airtight container for 3-5 days in the fridge.
Many foods you cook for your family will work as baby finger foods—just be sure they are easy to squish between your fingers and the pieces are small and easy to chew.
Babies very normally make a lot of faces when they eat, so don't assume they don't like something just because they scrunch their nose!
Flavors and textures can take time to learn to eat, so continue offering foods in small portions even if baby hasn't liked them in the past—and make sure they taste good to you!

Calories: 124kcal, Carbohydrates: 14g, Protein: 7g, Fat: 4g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 2g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 164mg, Sodium: 81mg, Potassium: 344mg, Fiber: 4g, Sugar: 5g, Vitamin A: 9857IU, Vitamin C: 18mg, Calcium: 51mg, Iron: 1mg

Tried this recipe?Rate in the comments and tag @yummytoddlerfood on IG!

What foods should not be given to a child under one year old - an article from the "Correct Approach" section on Food.

Before full-fledged complementary foods - only milk

In the first six months of a baby's life, parents, as a rule, do not have questions about what to feed him. If 30-40 years ago, children were given apple juice and yolk from the age of three months, today experts have come to the conclusion that in the first year of life, the child’s gastrointestinal tract is still being formed, and therefore breast milk is the only optimal food. Or special mixtures if breastfeeding is not possible for any reason.

With the start of complementary foods, around 4-6 months, vegetables, fruits, cereals, and then sour-milk products, meat, and fish appear in the baby's menu. And if parents prefer food, then there are many other products, because the baby can grab everything from the adult’s plate that it will show food interest.

It is worth remembering that complementary foods up to a year in no way replace feeding as such. Complementary foods are just an introduction to the world of adult food. Its task is the gradual adaptation of the digestive tract to food other than breast milk. In the child's body, an insufficient amount of enzymes is still produced to digest dishes from the general table.

On the one hand, now pediatric gastroenterologists insist that from the beginning of the introduction of complementary foods, a child can be introduced to all vegetables and fruits, and not just those that are typical for the region of residence. They cite numerous studies that have confirmed that introducing micro-portions of allergy-provoking foods (peanuts, shrimp, oranges) into the diet works like an inoculation against an undesirable reaction. However, this can be done if the history of the child and his relatives does not have pronounced allergic reactions, and only after consulting a specialist.

On the other hand, gastroenterologists name a number of products that have no place on the children's table until the child is one year old. Their use can lead to a number of negative consequences from indigestion to the development of diseases of the digestive and endocrine systems.

Products that should not be on the children's menu under the age of one

Salt

If you carefully study the composition of baby food jars, you will find that there is no salt. Because it is not found in its pure form in products and is rather an easy way to make it taste richer. But a small child is just getting acquainted with the world of tastes, and salt will only spoil the whole picture.

Salt puts a strain on the kidneys and the urinary system as a whole, which is undesirable for the body of a small person. Excess salt in meals can cause swelling and even dehydration in the baby. So salting food for children under one year is not worth it.

Sugar

Nature decreed that the taste buds on the tongue are mostly tuned to recognize the sweet taste. Breast milk is also sweet - it's an evolutionary survival mechanism.

However, there are enough sugars in fruits and even in some vegetables, and therefore it is not worth sweetening dishes in the hope that the child will eat them.

Pasta with sugar, carrot and apple salad with sugar - all these are relics of the Soviet past. The taste of food is good in itself, and sugar makes the child's fragile pancreas work hard to cope with the processing of glucose. This can lead to a malfunction of the endocrine system.

Cow's milk

Mother's breast milk adapts to the needs of the baby, becomes more nutritious as the baby grows, is easily digested, because the baby's digestive tract is tuned specifically for it.

Cow's milk contains a protein that can cause not only stomach upset, but also lactase deficiency and food intolerance.

Honey

Adults often replace sugar with it, because honey is much healthier. And indeed it is. However, treats are considered one of the strongest allergens, and even if the child does not have a predisposition to food allergies, it is not worth the risk.

In addition, honey, if real, often contains spores of the bacterium Clostridium botulinum. The immune system of an adult can easily cope with this scourge, but the body of a child is not. As a result, even a spoonful of honey can lead to the development of a dangerous disease - botulism.

Fruit juices

Fruit juices are present in almost all baby food lines, and fruit juice appears in the recommendations for the introduction of complementary foods without fail. It's just one thing when a drink is given to a child on a schedule and in strictly regulated quantities, and quite another when juice is perceived as a delicious substitute for water.

Fruit juice is a complete meal for a child. It contains much more sugar than several fruits at once.

Experts are increasingly advising to abandon the introduction of fruit juices and juice-containing drinks into the diet of children under one year old in favor of ordinary water.

The American Academy of Pediatrics, based on research, made a recommendation to avoid fruit juices in the diet of children under one year old. It is believed that their use provokes indigestion, and is also often the cause of overeating or, conversely, malnutrition.

Egg white

Eggs are one of the strongest allergens. Therefore, only egg yolk appears in the recommendations for complementary foods, but there is no protein. It is he who provokes an undesirable reaction. And often it can be cumulative. This means that nothing will happen to the child from 1-2 omelettes, and when the dish is eaten for the third or fourth time, the baby will give out an allergy that can develop into food intolerance.

These products contain gluten. Now more and more children are allergic to this protein, and therefore it is better not to risk it and wait until the child's immune system gets stronger and the body learns to produce enzymes that allow the processing of gluten.

Sweets

Chocolate, marmalade, lollipops, sweets - all this is associated with childhood. In fact, such a stereotype is created by adults.

Children crave sweets because nature intended them to, but they don't know the taste of chocolate or marshmallow. For them, fruits and berries, some types of vegetables are a delicacy. And the later they get acquainted with industrial sweets, most of which contain not only an excess of sugar, but also a number of preservatives and dyes, the better.

Separately, it is worth mentioning products that cause suffocation. All small and round fruits, berries, nuts should definitely be cut in half, and these are:

You can find recommendations to limit the child's consumption of hard vegetables and fruits (apple, carrot), as well as meat pieces, since they are easy to choke on. But here it is rather worth talking about the safety of consumption.

So, to introduce your baby to fruits and vegetables with a firm and dense structure, you can use a nibbler. The device allows the child to suck on the product with his gums until his teeth have grown. And the meat can always be cut into small pieces or mashed.

Separately, it is worth mentioning foods that, in principle, should not be in the diet of a child until at least 7 years old, and even up to a year and even more so:

raw, salted or lightly salted fish and meat;
raw smoked sausage;
caviar;
raw seafood;
game;
village or farm raw fermented milk products;
mushrooms.

What can be done?

Make a list of undesirable foods and hang them on the refrigerator so that the older generation of relatives knows what not to treat the baby to.

What else did we talk about baby food:

5 cases when a child needs help to change eating behavior in Pyaterochka, do not go to a special store for them

When did you start introducing new products to your child? Write in the comments!

Spices in baby food: when and what spices can be introduced into the diet

Herbs and spices can turn any dish into a small masterpiece. From the moment when new products appear in the baby's diet, almost every mother thinks about how to make the baby's food tastier. We focus on our taste preferences, because it is unusual for us to eat food without salt, sugar and spices. But from the point of view of benefits and expansion of taste, the addition of salt and sugar is an optional, and generally forbidden tactic at an early age. But natural spices can help in expanding the taste, introducing the baby to new flavors. However, with regard to seasonings and spices, there are recommendations and prohibitions.

What spices should not be given to children

During the period when the child receives breast milk or its adapted substitutes, no spices and seasonings should be in his diet. Moreover, odorous and sharp spices, spicy and spicy dishes should not be abused even by a nursing mother. Milk can acquire a specific smell and taste.

The situation will be similar at the beginning of complementary foods. If these are industrial products, selected by age, they are completely ready for use. Nothing is added to them. If parents prepare the first feeding dishes on their own, they do not need to add salt, sugar or any spices or herbs. It is permissible to add a few drops of vegetable oil to vegetable puree or porridge.

Spices should be introduced carefully into the diet of children for several reasons:

they contain essential oils and fruit acids, tannins that can irritate the immature mucous membrane of the stomach and intestines;
various spices have a high allergenic potential;
many spices have a sharp and bright taste and aroma, because of which the baby may refuse food.

Before the introduction of any herbs, spices and spices, it would be useful to consult a pediatrician, and if the child is prone to allergies, an allergist.

It is strictly forbidden to use the following products before 6-7 years of age:

any variety of red hot pepper;
mustard in its various varieties;
horseradish sauces;
hot black pepper;
saffron;
Vinegar (especially table vinegar).

These substances can cause irritation and even burns, mucosal erosions, and can cause serious digestive disorders.

What spices can be given to children

As the baby's diet expands, when he gets acquainted with the main dishes of complementary foods, closer to the year you can expand the boundaries of taste due to various spices, seasonings, spices. However, they must all be of natural origin - fresh, dried, singly or in a mixture. It is unacceptable to use mixtures of spices and spices with salt and artificial additives, flavors, flavor enhancers in the preparation of dishes for baby food.

Cumin, dill and fennel

The very first herbs in a child's life. You can meet them as early as 6-7 months. Cumin and dill, fresh or dried, are most often added to meat purees.

Fennel is also one of the first spices children try. With colic, a decoction of fennel or dill water helps get rid of colic. In the future, dill and fennel can be added to salads, soups, main dishes.

Onion, garlic, celery, parsley

These spices are introduced to children over 8 months old. Of course, onions and garlic, cooked or raw, can only be added to vegetable purees, meat dishes, and soups in tiny amounts, purely "for flavor."

Basil, coriander, allspice, bay leaf

After 10 months, these spices can be added to vegetable and meat dishes, fish puree, soups. Start with the smallest amounts and be guided by the tastes of the baby himself.

Allspice

It can be added to the diet of babies after one year. It is especially well suited for meat, fish dishes and vegetable side dishes. But do not get carried away with this spice. It needs very little.

Bay leaf

You can cook soups with the addition of bay leaves from 8–10 months. It gives a tart flavor, stimulates appetite. But it is important to remember that after cooking the leaves must be removed. In no case should they fall into the child's plate.

Basil

This aromatic herb is used fresh and dried to add a spicy, spicy flavor to dishes. Due to the essential oils that give it a specific taste and smell, basil stimulates the appetite. However, it should not be used in children under two years of age. When used fresh, it helps to relieve intestinal spasms, prevents excessive gas formation. It can be added to the first and second courses, fish, meat, legumes. It goes well with scrambled eggs, cheese, pasta, vegetables. The spice is added to ready-made dishes, finely chopped, or sprinkled with dried herb powder right before serving.

Coriander

Along with basil, this herb is used in the preparation of various dishes. It can be salads, first and second courses, desserts. Coriander helps stimulate digestion, improves digestion, eliminates gas formation. It can be used in the nutrition of children after a year, if there is no allergy. Otherwise, it is worth waiting up to 2-3 years until digestion gets stronger.

Try to use the spices and herbs that you usually add to your own food. This will make it easier for the child to get used to the products from the common table. Spices and spices for vegetable and meat dishes are a good substitute for salt, make the dish more aromatic and help to cope with lack of appetite in babies.

Vanilla and cinnamon

Sweet spices ideal for cereals, fruit purees and curd dishes. They can be used in the nutrition of a child closer to a year, emphasizing the natural sweet taste of dishes.

Cinnamon

Domestic experts recommend refraining from using cinnamon in children's dishes up to 1.5–2 years. After this age, the fragrant spice can be used in a variety of sweet or savory flavored dishes. Among the useful properties of cinnamon, we highlight the following: