Re: What exactly are finger foods and when can I start introducing them to my baby?
By eight to nine months of age, when your baby starts to develop his pincer grasp, you can start to think about offering him some beginner finger foods. Finger foods are foods that baby can easily pick up and easily mash between his gums, and they help baby begin to learn to self-feed. Start with any foods that baby has already had, and anything that you can make into small soft bits. Babies do not chew until they get their molars in -- before then, they mash food between their gums! Serve finger foods as part of the main meal. For example, you may need to spoon feed cereal and peaches, but your baby can manage to feed himself small pieces of cracker. Let your baby discover the tastes and textures of finger foods. Watch your baby carefully as you give him very small pieces of:
[ ] Whole grain crackers
[ ] Teething biscuits
[ ] Cheese cubes
[ ] Cooked pasta
[ ] Small pieces of ripe fruit
[ ] Small pieces of cooked vegetables (avoid raw veggies for now)
[ ] Beans
[ ] O's or rice puffs cereal
Nicole Meadow, MPN, RD, nutritionist | May 14 , 2009 4:53 PM