Baby Finger Foods
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Sticks of vegetables like carrots or parsnip make good finger food but raw vegetables can be difficult to chew so it is much better to lightly steam vegetables or cook them in a little boiling water for a few minutes so that they are still crunchy but not quite so hard. When your baby seems to cope well with these, try introducing cucumber and then raw vegetables like carrots. Fingers of toast tend to work better than plain bread as they do not fall to pieces so readily. Many babies who are teething really enjoy biting into something cold as it soothes the gums. A banana put into the freezer for a couple of hours makes an excellent teething aid as does a chilled cucumber stick.
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As your baby develops better finger control (usually around seven or eight months), introducing finger foods will help to develop the skills of biting, chewing and self-feeding. Finger foods should be big enough for your baby to pick up, easy to hold and should not have any stones, pips or bones. You should also avoid hard foods like whole grapes that might cause your baby to choke. Remember never to leave your baby alone whilst eating as sometimes babies put food in their mouth without chewing it and choking can be a real hazard. Below are some ideas for first finger foods and offering a selection of these to your baby will get him used to chewing many different textures. • Banana, melon, apricot, peach, halved peeled grapes, kiwi fruit, sliced apple etc. • Soft dried fruits like apricots, apple or prune. • Steamed carrot, potato or parsnip sticks or florets of cauliflower or broccoli. • Sticks of cucumber. • Cooked pasta shapes. • Fingers of toast, rice cakes, miniature sandwiches, dry breakfast cereals. • Hard-boiled egg cut into quarters. • Sticks of mild cheese. • Goujons of fish/fish fingers. • Slices or chunks of chicken or turkey. • Miniature meatballs made of minced chicken, turkey, lamb or beef.
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