Finger foods are small pieces of food that your baby can pick and bring to the mouth with their fingers. Giving your baby finger foods is a good way to introduce them to solids and help them learn to chew and feed themselves. Your baby can start these foods when they are 6 months old and can sit up independently.
You should focus on giving your little one healthy finger foods. It is recommended to offer them food that is soft and well-cooked. Others can be cut into tiny pieces. If you have concerns about food allergies, you should call your doctor before you start giving finger foods.
Examples of finger foods that you may offer:
- Soft, ripe, peeled fruit cut into very small bite-sized pieces or strips e.g. banana, grapes, tangerine, strawberries and more
- Cooked and softened vegetable pieces e.g. carrot pieces, cucumber, courgette, etc. Most vegetables are hard for babies raw and need to be prepared to avoid choking.
- Boiled or scrambled eggs cut into tiny pieces. 8-month-old babies can be given egg yolks while egg whites should be offered after 1 year.
- Pieces of bread
- Cooked tender chicken pieces
- Cut-up cooked pasta
- Cooked soft beans and other legumes
Finger Foods to Avoid
Finger foods are beneficial to babies. However, there are some foods you should avoid especially those that can cause choking. They include:
- Raw vegetables
- Hard fruits
- Whole fruits (should be cut into small pieces)
- Dried fruits
- Nuts and seeds
- Chunks of meat
- Popcorn and other snack foods
- Candy, jelly beans
- Marshmallows
- Peanut butter
- Unroasted bread
- Fatty items like potato chips
How much finger foods should you offer?
You may worry and wonder if your little one is eating enough. With finger foods, it is a little unclear to see how much your baby has eaten and you may find pieces of food on the floor. You should let your baby decide the amounts they want to eat and feed themselves at their own pace. They can manage their intake and stop eating when content. Also, it’s recommended to provide a balanced diet of finger foods to ensure your baby is getting the right amount of nutrients.
Tips to consider when offering finger foods:
- Avoid hard and sticky foods that can cause choking. Cut foods like carrots, grapes, etc. into small pieces.
- Peel fruits and cut them into small pieces. For vegetables, cook them until they are soft.
- Remove seeds from fruits such as peaches, plums, etc. before you give them to your little one. Also, avoid feeding seeds as they can cause choking problems
- Sit in your baby in an elevated seat during feeding. If possible, eat at the same time.
- Always make sure someone is supervising your baby as they eat. Never leave them alone with food
- Let your baby feed themselves. Don’t let anyone give them food.
- Give your baby small amounts of finger foods based on their hunger cues to reduce waste. At the start, mealtimes can be messy and slow but as the baby grows, they get better at feeding themselves.
Your baby can eat most of the foods by the time are 12 months old. You should cut the food into small pieces, ensure they are moist, and prepare the foods with little or no sugar/salt.
