22 July 2021
How to introduce finger foods from the start of weaning – what to serve and how to serve it
Let’s talk finger foods. From around six to six and a half months, you can introduce soft finger foods into your baby’s diet. Finger foods are the ideal way to introduce your baby to different textures. Handing over the reins to your baby will allow them to work out how to get food to their mouth, break pieces off and chew. Don’t worry, even if your baby doesn’t have teeth yet, you’ll be surprised by just how powerful a baby’s gums are! So, what finger foods are best for baby? And how do you prepare them so that they are safe for your little food explorer? Fear not! I’ve pulled together this handy reference guide on how to introduce finger foods from from the start of weaning – what to serve and how to serve it the very start of weaning – whether it’s carrot batons, broccoli florets, avocado wedges or chopped berries, I’ve got those first taste fruits and veggies covered! Ready for some finger food exploration? Let’s go!
F I N G E R FOODS IN THE FIRST FEW WEEKS
If your baby is new to finger foods, start with single veggies, and I always recommend sweet root vegetables such as carrot and sweet potato. After only having naturally sweet breastmilk or formula until now, these are foods that your baby is likely to by interested in, so a great place to start. However, it’s important that you also introduce more bitter green veggies such as broccoli and spinach at the beginning alongside those sweeter root veggies. If introduced early in your baby’s weaning journey (by that, I mean the first week of weaning and beyond), and with repeated exposure, it’s likely they’ll be more receptive to these foods in the long run.
You can start with offering a new food once a day for the first few days, and then increase this to twice a day by days three and four. In finger food terms, a small portion will be anything from two to four small batons of food. As a guide, your baby should generally be eating three small portions a day by the end of week two.
