Finger Foods and All About Them

Basically, small, bite sized pieces or tiny chunks of food qualify as baby’s finger foods. Once the babies show signs of interest in your plate and try to grab or snatch a bite or a spoon, most likely at the age of 8 months or so, the baby is ready for finger foods on his own.
The baby at first may just be able to hold the food and play with it, but he will learn to use the first finger and the thumb and be able to pick and transfer the food to his mouth. This is a fine motor skill called the princer grasp, and though this food play can get messy, it is important in the sense that babies learn to know food – the aroma, taste, texture and also learn to eat by themselves.
Types of Finger Foods:

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  Paneer pieces can also be given to babies

  Small pieces of ripe bananas, pears, peaches, mangoes or avocadoes.

• Slightly mashed cooked vegetables like potatoes, sweet potatoes, carrots and peas.
• Tiny pieces of idli, plain dosa or soft paratha.
• Small pieces of rice cakes and breads – lightly toasted if he likes it that way.
• O-shaped cereals.
• Tiny and small pieces of cheese, or tofu.
• Egg yolks, or whites of the egg crushed and chunked into small pieces – at about age 1.
• Softened and boiled cauliflower tress – even broccoli is packed with nutrients.

Look for interesting baby foods here!
Foods to Avoid:
Resist your temptation to feed your baby the following foods:

• Cakes, soft sugar confectionary and candies – pure sugar does no good to anyone and this will only make him more averse to healthy food items.
• Soy – known to have allergic reactions.
• Types of meat and fish.
• Nuts
• Citrus fruits
• Tomatoes
• Whole grapes – an absolute choking hazard.
• Honey – known to produce toxins in a baby.

For beginners, just keep 5-6 pieces of food on an unbreakable plate and let the little one finish this. If he still looks hungry, give him some more. Essentially, if you do this activity in a chair, babies get the idea and connection of a chair and a food, thus making up one of the best habits at a very early age.
Cautions:

• Baby finger foods must not be choking hazards – ensure they are always cut into tiny pieces, and are soft.
• Do not stress for a spoon, there is a reason why finger foods are called so!
• Do not get all excited and feed him from your own plate – his digestive system is still developing so opt for only those foods that are appropriate for him.
• Choose variety – since your baby is on his first tryst with food.
• Look for allergic reactions; try introducing only one new food item at a time and wait for three days before introducing anything new.

Needless to mention, all baby food must be cooked and served in clean utensils, and hygienic conditions. Wash your hands before and after feeding the baby, and keep the nails to the minimum.