Are you a new parent desperate for finger foods for babies? We’ve compiled some great ideas here from some real experts in the field. You’ll find some great ideas in here along with some ‘tricks’ from more experienced parents!
Finger Foods for Babies
It’s exciting when your baby is learning to feed themselves! (And messy!) The challenge for parents can be knowing what (and when… and how…) to feed them.
Baby-led feeding is a concept that gives the baby more agency. They’re treated as an individual who is capable of making choices – even if those choices are selecting what they want from what they’re offered. This means that you’re going to be looking at finger foods for babies that demonstrate some variety of taste, shape, colour and flavour. This will help your child’s palate develop, get them interested in a variety of foods and it means you’ll get to experiment with different ingredients. And hopefully AVOID the “I Don’t Like It’s!”.
Ideas for finger foods for babies
We’d like to thank our pals at Baby Hints and Tips for the following FABULOUS ideas. You can find specific recipes for these ideas at their link.
- Consider food in BALLS (think tiny rissoles). Vegie balls, lasagne balls and pasta balls are a great starting point.
- Pasta is always a great move with kids but keep it simple. You don’t need to go full Master Chef – a basic pasta with a base sauce and a few chopped up vegies will definitely do the trick.
- Muffins, slices, pancakes, pikelets and healthy cakes are always going to be a winner when it comes to little kids! If you’ve got food intolerances this is a particular place where you can experiment with gluten free, egg free, dairy free and nut free variances.
- Fruits and vegetables! Cut up fruits and raw vegies can be great in terms of texture as well as nutrition. Experiment!
Encouraging small children to eat
Try to take the stress and anxiety out of eating. Making eating an enjoyable experience where children are encouraged to participate may well serve (get it?) to foster a positive dining table experience as they grow older. Many children struggle with under-eating so trying your best to encourage healthy eating habits from babyhood may save you a lot of headaches in the future!
Got any ideas for finger foods for babies that have worked in your house? We’d love to hear them! Let us know in the comments!
My go to was always pasta with the frozen mixed veg. Dinner in minutes!