This Ultimate Guide of Finger Foods for Baby has over 80 tasty finger food ideas that your baby can enjoy for their very first bite of solid food. Great for Baby-Led Weaning! The guide will also go into detail about the basics of finger foods – what to serve, how to serve it and when to start serving it.
Finger Foods for Baby
Before we dive into this post, I want to put a disclaimer out there because this is for sure is the longest post I have ever written. So grab a coffee (or glass of wine;) because I am about to download a whole bunch of information on you about finger foods.
But the thing is, finger foods can be tricky for a lot of parents.
I know they were for me.
My Finger Food Story
You would think that being a baby food guru, I would have finger foods on lock down. Well, that wasn’t the case at all.
Not only did I have a million questions about finger foods – what to serve, how to serve it and when can I start? I also was faced with my girls being completely different types of eaters. Ellie, my oldest, loved purees. So I had to softly wean her from her beloved purees and s-l-o-w-l-y introduce her to finger foods, which she mostly just gave the stink eye to. My youngest daughter, Parker, was the exact opposite. She literally ripped a piece of steak off my husband’s fork when she was 4 months old. She was ready to eat finger foods and we better not get in her way!
But the questions were there the same with both of them – what foods should I give them first? What size should I cut their veggies and fruit into? Can I add spices to the finger foods?
Your Complete Guide
After years of readers asking for help and having the exact same questions and concerns I had, I knew it was time for me to write a complete guide about finger foods.
Complete being the key word here!
So here it is, a zillion words talking about finger foods. Oh how you think I am kidding:)
Let’s start with the basics before we move on to my delicious finger food ideas.
OR.. jump straight to the lists of Finger Foods
Vegetable Finger Foods
Fruit Finger Foods
Grains & Protein Finger Foods
When to Start Finger Foods
When to start finger foods with your baby is completely up to you. You can start baby on finger foods from their very first bite (roughly 6 months of age), you can serve finger foods to your baby alongside their purees (roughly 8 months of age) or wait until they have mastered their chunky purees before you serve them finger foods (roughly 9 months of age).
3 Methods of Finger Foods
- Baby-Led Weaning: this is becoming a very popular way of approaching feeding baby these days, and is basically the concept of having baby self feed by starting finger foods right from the first bite.
- Purees & Finger Foods: is where you serve finger foods alongside baby’s purees once they mastered Stage One (basic starter purees). This method worked great with Parker because she loved to do it herself (in fact, she still loves to do everything herself) but she wasn’t very good at getting anything into her mouth until she was almost 10 months old. So I would spoon feed her some puree while she worked on her pincher grip and tried to feed herself. She was happy, I was happy. This method totally worked for us.
- In Stages: this method is where you can wait until baby has completely mastered smooth purees (Stage 1 & 2), chunky purees (Stage 3) and then you start to introduce finger foods. I swear Ellie would have eaten purees until she went to college. She loved purees! So I had to slowly wean her off purees and feed her finger foods during snack times. Again, this method completely worked for her but would have never worked for my other babe.
Do you see what I am leading up to here?
Both of my girls dictated how they wanted to be fed.
As parents, we have an idea of how we want to do something with our child. Sometimes this works and sometimes it doesn’t. You have to be flexible at all times. I certainly had to be when Parker would only eat if there were finger foods on her plate. I thought Parker would love purees for as long as Ellie did, but boy was I wrong!
How to Start Finger Foods
To start serving finger foods, the easiest thing is to do is to put a little of whatever you made right onto their tray and let them dig in.
It’s messy!
They might get almost everything on the floor and nothing in their mouths! But it is so fun to watch their little faces focus with so much determination.
If they eat, or accidentally push all of their food onto the floor, then by all means serve them some more. Babies are in tune with their hunger triggers and know when they are full and when they want more.
If at any time they are getting upset or are just over the idea, then you can stop the meal. If they are transitioning from purees to finger foods, you can offer them some of their beloved purees.
I also found that when transitioning from purees to finger foods, morning and afternoon snack time was a great time for baby to try out their new finger foods. They had enough energy to try something new and because I wasn’t pressed for time to get dinner on the table, I was also able to enjoy the experience more.
How to Prepare Finger Foods
You will see a ton of different ways to prepare different finger foods below. I tried to give you a ton of different options, but if you have a favorite way of cooking a vegetable or grain, then by all means go for it!
Things to Remember
- Soft Foods: finger foods need to be soft enough for baby to be able to gnaw on with only a couple of teeth, or no teeth whatsoever. So this means, most veggies and hard fruits will have to be cooked.
- Sizes to Serve Finger foods: foods will have to be either chopped into small pieces (roughly the size of a pea) or cut into 2-3 inch strips. See the pictures of the food in this post for some visuals. The reason for these sizes is that they present less of a choking risk for baby.
Still with me here? Need to get another coffee? I told you I had a lot to say about finger food. I am always so much fun to talk to at parties… ‘so Bob, it’s nice to meet you, can I tell you about finger foods?’
Choking
This is the topic that most people want to know about and are usually completely freaked out about. Choking! Eeks!
So here is the deal, your baby WILL gag on finger foods.
I hate to tell you this, but they will.
Gagging VS. Choking
For the most part, they will not actually choke on the food. Gagging and choking are not the same things. The difference is that gaging is where the baby is actively trying to get the food out and it sounds like a deep coughing sound.
This is good.
This is what they have to do in order to be able to learn how to eat, no matter how old they are when they learn it.
Choking on the other hand is when the baby has the inability to breathe, cry, cough and are generally silent. Their eyes might become wide and there may be a look of extreme distress on the baby’s face.
Not good.
That’s when your deep-rooted parental instinct takes over and you slap the crap out of your baby’s back until they cough up their food. I remember this happening to me when I was around 8 (I guess the fear never goes away as a parent) and I choked on some gum and boy did my mom slap my back so hard, but guess what, it worked! Here is an official guide if you want a more professional look on how to stop choking.
Did that just scare the crap out of you? Sorry about that.
But here’s the thing, I have never had any of my kids actually choke on any finger foods.
Gag, yes. Choke, no.
And for the very most part, if you stick to the size foods I recommend, cook your finger foods until tender and sit with your child while they are eating, then chances are that serving finger foods will be a very happy event for both you and baby.
What to Serve First to Baby
What finger foods to serve baby is completely up to you.
You can serve a variety of different veggies paired with a grain or protein. If your baby loves fruit, then you can serve serval different kinds of fruit for a sweet snack.
I like to think of finger foods as a start to getting baby on track for eating what I am eating, so I would usually serve the same items to baby that I was eating for that meal. Roasted veggies, rice, cooked chicken, etc. This didn’t always work, but that is what the goal is – one family, one meal.
I would also like to try to hit all the four groups – a veggie, a carb, a protein and then a fruit for dessert or save the fruit for snacks. This seemed to work for my girls. But that might not be the case with your babes. The key here is for them to try as many foods as you can, not all in the same day of course, while you have a captive and open baby willing to try foods.
Helpful Tools for Baby-Led Weaning
- easy to hold fork and spoon
- GOOtensils
- bowl or sectioned plate
- open lid cup
- bib with catch pocket
- splat mat to cover the floor
- wavy crinkle cutting tool
- grape cutter
- baby wipes
Okay, enough spiel, let’s talk about yummy food!!! The very best part.
DID YOU SERVE BABY FINGER FOODS YET?
I’D LOVE TO KNOW HOW IT WENT! HAVE MORE QUESTIONS? LEAVE A COMMENT AND A ⭐️ RATING BELOW 👇
Veggies for Baby Led Weaning
Below you will find over 24 different vegetables that are perfect for babies first finger foods and multiple ways you can cook and serve them.
3 Tips for Serving Baby Veggies
- Add Flavor: while you can serve plain veggies to baby, I love serving vegetables to my kiddos with added healthy fats and complementary spices. My theory is that the better they taste, the more they will eat 🙂
- Cook Veggies for Easy Eating: most vegetables you will need to cook them in order for them to be soft enough for babies to eat (gnaw on) with their limited amount of teeth. Below, you will find my recommended cooking methods and spices that I love to add for each vegetable. If you have a favorite way to cook a vegetable or have a favorite spice you like to add in, then by all means make them and serve it to baby that way. And then please share your amazing recipe with the rest of us in the comments below.
- Eat with Baby: let me also mention, that you don’t have to make these veggies just for baby. I would always make a big batch of cooked veggies for both my baby’s meal and for also my own meal. Finger foods do not need to be boring. I was happy to be able to say I was having baby food for dinner!
The Veggie List
Broccoli – cook by gently steaming for 4-5 minutes or by roasting them in a little olive oil at 425 degrees F for 20 minutes or until just tender. Serve chopped into small pieces or in tall, skinny and flat florets (cut florets lengthwise in half). Serve plain or add a drizzle of olive oil or coconut oil and a sprinkle of garlic, lemon juice, cumin or even a pinch of parmesan to the broccoli before serving
Peppers (Red, Yellow, Orange or Green) – serve raw in long 2-3 inch strips.
- Corn – serve raw, cooked or even grilled. Serve by cutting kernels off of the cob for younger babies and on the cob (cut into 2-inch rounds) for older babies. Serve plain or with a drizzle of grass-fed organic butter, olive oil and a tiny sprinkle of garlic powder, paprika, chili powder or onion powder to corn before serving.
- Zucchini – cook by gently steaming for 2-4 minutes and chopped into small pieces or 2-3 inch strips. You can also slice zucchini into coins and sauté them in a pan with some grass-fed butter, olive oil or coconut oil under just tender.
- Asparagus – cook by gently steaming for 3-4 minutes or by roasting them in a little olive oil at 400 degrees F for 15 minutes or until just tender. Serve chopped into small pieces or in 2-3 inch strips (you can cut these strips in half lengthwise for younger babies). Serve plain or with a pinch of lemon zest, parsley, thyme or chives.
- Cauliflower – cook by gently steaming for 4-5 minutes or by roasting them in a little olive oil at 425 degrees F for 20 minutes or until just tender. Serve chopped into small pieces or in tall, skinny and flat florets (cut florets lengthwise in half). Serve plain or with a pinch of tarragon, parsley, paprika, tandoori or fresh lemon juice. You can also serve cauliflower to baby as rice cauliflower and this Cauliflower Fried ‘Rice’ recipe is a fun way to make a flavorful meal for baby (use low-sodium soy sauce).
- Cherry Tomatoes – serve raw and cut into quarters or eighths.
- Radishes – serve raw and chopped into small pieces.
- Sweet Potatoes – cook by steaming for 7-9 minutes or roasting them in a little olive oil at 425 degrees F for 30 minutes or until just tender. Serve chopped into small pieces or in 2-3 inch strips (like fries). Serve plain or with a pinch of paprika, cinnamon, cloves, thyme, Italian seasoning or garlic powder.
- Parsnips – great when peeled, chopped and tossed in a little olive oil or coconut oil and roasted at 450 for 30-40 minutes. Serve chopped into small pieces or cut into 2-3 inch strips (think parsnip fries here). Serve plain or with a pinch of thyme, rosemary, paprika, garlic powder or pink salt.
- Beets – there are so many ways to cook and serve beets. The simplest way is to simply grate beets, rinse them under cold water until the water runs clear, pat dry and then serve. You can also steam small chunks of beets for 7-9 minutes or until tender (patted dry). The third method is to roast the entire beet in the oven, this is an easy recipe. And finally, the forth and probably the easiest is to buy the pre-roasted beets at the grocery store (not the canned ones). They sell these packaged in the produce section in most grocery stores. Whichever method you make, serve chopped into small pieces or in 2-3 inch strips. Serve plain or with a pinch of cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, rosemary, thyme or a splash of lemon or orange juice. There are a ton of different beets out there that are fun to try as well – golden beets are one of my girls favorite foods, plus they don’t leave as much red mess for me:)
- Carrots – cook by steaming for 10-12 minutes or by roasting them in a little olive oil at 400 degrees F for 30 minutes or until just tender. Serve chopped into small pieces or in 2-3 inch strips. Serve plain or with a pinch of dill, garlic, thyme, a drizzle of balsamic vinegar, nutmeg or parsley.
- Peas – cook by gently steaming for 3-4 minutes or by sautéing them in a little grass-fed butter or olive oil in a skillet for 2-3 minutes. You can also thaw frozen peas in the microwave with a splash of water until warm. Serve plain or with a pinch of cumin, mint, cardamom or with a splash of lemon juice,
- Cucumber – serve raw in small pieces or 2-3 inch stripes with seeds removed. Pickles (love this quick pickle recipe for babies. I do not add any sugar to my batches) are also a fun way to serve cucumbers to babies.
- Green Beans – cook by steaming for 3-4 minutes or by sautéing them in a small pan with a drizzle of olive oil for 3-4 minutes. Serve chopped into small pieces or in 2-3 inch strips. Serve plain or with a pinch of garlic, parsley, cumin powder, mild curry powder or a splash of lemon juice.
- Squash (butternut, acorn, etc) – cook by steaming the squash (peel and de-seeded) for 10-15 minutes or by roasting the chopped squash lightly coated in grass-fed butter, olive oil or coconut oil in the oven at 400 for 25-30 minutes or until completely tender. Serve chopped into small pieces or in 2-3 inch strips. Serve plain or with a pinch of thyme, rosemary, chives, garlic powder, cinnamon or cloves. Squash can either go savory or sweet, so try them both ways and see if baby prefers them one way or another.
- Pumpkin – cook by steaming the squash (peel and de-seeded) for 10-15 minutes or by roasting the chopped pumpkin that is lightly coated in grass-fed butter, olive oil or coconut oil in the oven at 450 for 25-30 minutes or until completely tender. If you don’t want to purchase an entire pie pumpkin for finger foods, I have found that most grocery stores have pre-chopped and packaged pumpkin chunks during the fall months. Serve chopped into small pieces or in 2-3 inch strips. Serve plain or with a pinch of thyme, rosemary, chives, garlic or tarragon for a savory flavor. For a sweet flavor try adding a pinch cinnamon, cloves or nutmeg.
- Potatoes – cook by steaming, boiling, mashing or roasting the potatoes. There are a ton of different ways to cook potatoes, but one of our favorites is to cut new potatoes or fingerling potatoes into quarters (the long way so they are more like strips then chunks), toss in a little olive oil or coconut oil alone with garlic, rosemary, pink salt, pepper and a little paprika and roast at 450 for 20-25 minutes or until tender.
- Turnips – great when peeled, chopped and tossed in a little olive oil or coconut oil and roasted at 450 for 30-40 minutes. Serve chopped into small pieces or cut into 2-3 inch strips. Serve plain or with a pinch of thyme, rosemary, paprika, garlic powder or an Italian seasoning mix.
- Mushrooms – cook by sautéing the mushrooms with a little grass-fed butter, olive oil or coconut oil in a pan for 4-5 minutes. Serve in long thin strips or in small pieces.
- Eggplant – cook by sautéing chunks of eggplant for 10 minutes in a little olive oil.
Fruits for Baby Led Weaning
Below you will find over 20 different fruits you can serve to baby as finger foods. Fruit is a great option for an easy finger food for baby because most fruit doesn’t need to be cooked before serving it to baby.
3 Tips for Serving fruit to baby as a finger food
- Easy to Serve: fresh fruit is by far the easiest finger food to feed baby. The reason is that for the most part, fruit does not have to be cooked in order for baby to enjoy it. This makes it the perfect finger food to bring with you while you are spending the morning at the park, traveling or when you need a meal for baby in the next 10 seconds before baby completely losses it on you:).
- Easy to Eat: fruit is filled with a ton of essential vitamins and minerals and is naturally sweet so babies tend to love eating it, which makes your life a little bit easier. If your little one isn’t into the veggies yet, then serve then fruit. Yes it has more natural sugars in it, but fruit also has there same essential vitamins and minerals in it as veggies.
- Fresh or Frozen: feel free to use fresh or frozen fruit for finger foods. Make sure to thaw and pat dry any frozen fruit before serving.
The Fruit List
- Apples – ripe, peeled and finely chopped into small pieces or cut into 2-3 inch strips. I also love to sauté apple slices in a little coconut oil or butter and a sprinkle of cinnamon for 1-3 minutes for a fun warm treat.
- Honeydew – ripe and finely chopped
- Strawberries – finely chopped or cut into quarters
- Blueberries – cut in half or quarters
- Peaches – ripe, peeled and finely chopped or cut into 2-3 inch strips
- Nectarines – ripe, peeled and finely chopped or cut into 2-3 inch strips
- Plums – ripe, peeled and finely chopped or cut into 2-3 inch strips
- Raspberries – cut in half or quarters
- Pineapple – served finely chopped or in the ring form. My kids loved double fisting the a ring of pineapple and munching away on it like that.
- Kiwi – ripe, peeled and finely chopped
- Oranges – can be served peeled and finely chopped or in quarters with the peel on. I found leaving the peel on gave the little ones a nice way to grip the orange
- Banana – can be served peeled and finely chopped or by leaving the stem on and peeling 2-3 inches of the banana peel back. This method gives the little ones a nice way to grip the banana.
- Blackberries – cut in half or quarters
- Grapes – cut in half or quarters
- Mango – ripe and finely chopped or cut into 2-3 inch strips
- Pear – ripe, peeled and finely chopped or cut into 2-3 inch strips. I also love to sauté hard pear slices in a little coconut oil and a sprinkle of nutmeg for 1-3 minutes for a fun warm treat.
- Cherries – seeded and cut in half or quarters. Rainer cherries tend not to be as messy;)
- Apricots – ripe, peeled and finely chopped
- Watermelon – ripe and finely chopped or cut into 2-3 inch strips. You can also give them a pie-shaped piece with the rind on for them to hold onto. My girls loved to eat it this way because it wasn’t as slippery.
- Cantaloup – ripe and finely chopped
- Avocado – ripe, peeled and chopped into chunks (can’t be too small of pieces or they won’t be able to pick them up) or cut into 2-3 inch strips. I also found that by gently pressing avocado chunks with a paper towel helped them not be so slippery.
- Papaya – ripe, peeled and finely chopped
Grain & Protein for Baby Led Weaning
While the best source of protein for your baby for the first year of their life is through breast milk or formula, it is still essential to introduce protein-rich foods to baby early on. Protein is a major building block that is essential for proper growth and development in babies and toddlers. It helps increase muscle mass, repair muscle tissue and is present in your baby’s blood, organs and skin.
With that said, your baby doesn’t need a protein centered diet like the fad diets out there for adults today. A little protein at every meal along with a heavy offering of other vegetables and fruits is usually a good fit for most babies.
Along with fruits and vegetables, my main goal when serving finger foods to baby is to open them up to as many tastes, textures and foods as possible before they entered the ‘picky’ eating phase, which happens to most kids around 2 years of age.
- Scrambled Eggs – go with the entire egg unless someone in baby’s immediate family has an egg allergy, then just use the yolk. Scramble plain or with a little cheese.
- Chicken – roasted, baked or grilled. Serve chopped in small pieces or cut into 2-3 inch strips. I love to toss my chicken into homemade pesto sauce or coconut thai sauce for a little extra flavor.
- Turkey – roasted, baked or grilled. Serve chopped into small pieces or cut into 2-3 inch strips
- Sliced Cheese – cheddar, gouda, swiss, etc. Have fun serving different slices of cheese to baby.
- Black beans – cooked or canned, strained and dried completely. Serve by cutting beans in half or quarters. A would always serve black beans with a sprinkle of cumin, garlic powder or mild chill powder on them.
- Chickpeas – cooked or canned, strained and dried completely. I like to serve chickpeas by smashing them with the back of a fork so baby can pick them up easier. Serve with a dash of cumin, paprika, or garlic powder for a fun flavor.
- Hard-boiled Eggs – served chopped or in quarters. Serve plain or with a pinch of pink salt or white pepper.
- Tofu – pan-seared or baked. Served by chopping into small pieces or cut into 2-3 inch strips. When shopping for tofu, look for sprouted tofu as it holds the most nutrients for baby (and you).
- Salmon – cooked your favorite way and then gently flaked off with a fork (make sure there are no bones present). This and this are some of my favorite ways to cook salmon for baby. These salmon cakes are also a fun way to serve fish to your little one (my toddler loves this recipe).
- White Fish – cooked your favorite way and then gently flaked off with a fork (make sure there are no bones present). This and this are one of my favorite ways to cook white fish for baby that still have a ton of flavor. These baked fish sticks are great for toddlers. Get a guide to which fish is sustainable here.
- Beef – cooked your favorite way (I found medium doneness the best for baby). Served chopped into small pieces or cut into long 3-4 inch strips.
- Ricotta – serve spread on a piece of toast.
- Edamame – de-podded, cut into quarters or smashed with the back of fork. I like to serve mine with just a pinch of Himalayan sea salt or a little mild curry powder.
- Feta – serve the big crumbles or buy the block of feta and slice of long strips or chunks. Feta was literally Parker’s favorite food when she was a baby and she would demand feta at every meal!
- Shrimp – cook your favorite way. Serve by chopping the meat of shrimp into bit size pieces. For more advanced finger food eaters, you can serve whole deveined and peeled shrimp. This is a fun way to serve shrimp to the kiddos. It has some spice to it but isn’t spicy. I chopped everything up for my girls and they devoured it, plus I got to eat tacos for dinner. One dinner for everyone for the #win!
- Lentils – Serve cooked, drained and cooled. Love this Lentil Spinach Pancakes recipe for easy eating.
- Meatballs – cooked turkey, beef, chicken or lamb meatballs. Serve chopped into quarters or crumbles. Here is my favorite Chicken + Carrot Meatballs for Baby recipes.
- Ground Meat – can be turkey, beef, lamb, pork or chicken. Sauté in a pan until cooked and add in your favorite seasoning. Try to have some bigger clumps of cooked meat because they are easier for your little one to grab onto.
- Sausage – I’m talking about handmade good quality butcher sausage here, not the processed Jimmy Dean variety. Loved serving this because most of the time fancy sausage is already loaded with spices and flavor, just make sure it isn’t too spicy for your babes. Cook your favorite way, and then peel of any causing and chop into small pieces.
- Eggs some other Ways – omelets, frittatas or cups. These are all great to add in other veggies and cheeses into. Serve cooled and cut into strips.
- Nut Butters – Serve spread on a piece of toast. While it may be scary to introduce baby to peanuts and nuts at a young age, new studies have come out concluding that by serving nuts early to baby will prevent baby from developing nut allergies as they grow. As always, consult your pediatrician for more information.
- Hummus – served on a piece of bread or on a plate for baby to dip veggies into.
Carbohydrates for Baby Led Weaning
Don’t let the new adult diet craze of no carbs fool you, babies need carbohydrates in their diets. Carbs are essential for baby’s proper growth and development and is their main fuel source. But let’s be clear, I am not talking about refined white bread and sweet carbs for baby. No way! Babies need complex (or ancient grains) in their diets.
- Rice balls – I have found that rice balls are easier for baby to handle then just grains of rice, but you can serve anyway you want. To make rice balls, cook rice and let cool slightly. Then with wet hands, take a teaspoon or two of rice and roll it in the palm of your hand pressing gently until a rice ball forms.
- Quinoa – cooked, cooled and served plain or with a drizzle of olive or coconut oil and a pinch of parsley, chives or basil mixed in.
- Toast – whole wheat or sprouted grains are the best. Serve finely chopped or in long strips.
- Waffles – Homemade whole wheat are the best. But if you are in a rush, look for brands of pre-made waffles with only ingredients you can pronounce. I like this and this brand of store-bought waffles. Here is a recipe for my Sweet Potato Waffles.
- Millet – cooked, cooled and served plain or jazzed up into this delicious vegetable ‘fried’ millet rice or these millet cakes. Yum!
- Farro – one of my favorite grains for baby because it is big enough for most babies to pick up on their own. Cook, cooled and served plain or with a drizzle of olive or coconut oil and a pinch of cilantro, basil or oregano mixed in. This creamy farro with spinach looks amazing for baby (and you!).
- Pancakes – whole wheat are best for baby. Here is my recipe for whole wheat pancakes and also my family’s favorite Spiced Blender Pancakes. Serve plain, with a spread of nut butter, ricotta or Greek-style yogurt on top. Serve in strips.
- Pasta – whole wheat, rice or quinoa pasta is best for baby. Cooked to al-dente, cooled and served plain or with your favorite tomato sauce (here is our favorite sauce, has extra veggies in it!), pesto (our favorite homemade one) or with a drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkle of cheese.
- Couscous – whole wheat couscous is best for baby and can be found in most health food stores. Cooked, cooled and fluffed with a fork. Serve plain or with a drizzle of butter and a pinch of mild curry powder mixed in.
- Barley – cooked, cooled and served to baby plain or with a pinch of parsley, cilantro or dill mixed in.
Phew, that was a ton of ideas!
Did I miss anything? Do you have more questions for me to answer? Then leave a comment in the box below!
MORE BABY-LED WEANING AND FINGER FOOD RECIPES YOU’LL LOVE –
- 6 Baby-Led Weaning Breakfast Ideas
- 4 Baby-Led Weaning Snack Food Ideas
- 15 Healthy Finger Foods for Toddlers (that they will love)
- 125 Baby Led Weaning Foods (Starter Foods + Recipe Ideas)
- Spiced Blender Pancakes for Baby + Toddler
- Rainbow Peppers + Feta Quiche for Baby + Toddler
- 74 Toddler Breakfast Ideas (Healthy + Easy Recipes)
Roasted Broccoli & 80+ More Finger Foods for Baby
Ingredients
- 1 cup broccoli florets
- 1 tsp high-quality oil – olive, avocado or coconut
- 1 pinch garlic powder (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or silicon mat.
- Place the broccoli florets onto the baking sheet. Drizzle the broccoli with the oil and sprinkle with a pinch of garlic powder. Toss the broccoli with your hand or tongs until the broccoli is well coated in the oil.
- Place the baking sheet in the oven and roast for 20 minutes or until tender when pricked with a fork.
- Let cool.
- You can serve the broccoli to baby and toddler in 2-3” strips or chop them into small ‘pea’ size pieces.
This is super helpful! I’m gonna start my girl on finger foods soon after doing some of your other purees (which she is LOVING!) Do you have a suggestion for preparing these ahead of time and freezing them like purees?
I have tried some veggies using the same ice cube method that I used for purees (basically load up a portion of an ice cube tray with whatever veggies you have pre-made, freeze and store in freezer bags once you can pop them out) and for the most part, they worked out great! The fruit was hit or miss but that is always so easy to serve anyway.
Let me know if freezing the veggies works for you.
xo, Michele
This is super helpful! I’m gonna start my girl on finger foods soon after doing some of your other purees (which she is LOVING!) Do you have a suggestion for preparing these ahead of time and freezing them like purees?
I have tried some veggies using the same ice cube method that I used for purees (basically load up a portion of an ice cube tray with whatever veggies you have pre-made, freeze and store in freezer bags once you can pop them out) and for the most part, they worked out great! The fruit was hit or miss but that is always so easy to serve anyway.
Let me know if freezing the veggies works for you.
xo, Michele
genial super bien expliqué au top merci merci ma fille est ravie
genial super bien expliqué au top merci merci ma fille est ravie
I found your website and I’m officially obsessed with it! my husband loves food and loves to cook and I eat eat eat it all lol so food is very important in our household. So when we had our baby girl almost 7 months ago, introducing food is something we have been looking forward to!. She LOVES purees, so far she likes everything we have given to her, but she has some bad eczema on an off so we are introducing foods carefully (as per pediatrician’s instructions) but we are gonna try finger foods soon and this guide is everything I needed to read!. I do have a question, why the 2-3 in stripes? and how would she eat those? Looking at those zucchini stripes gave me a little panic attack lol
So glad you are raising your little one in such a fun foodie household! I will come over for dinner any night of the week;)
Eczema is hard. I have struggled with it on my second daughter for years. I am almost positive it is from milk products (mostly cheese) and when she is constipated I notice it flares up. I only use organic creams on her skin and those work okay but they don’t get rid of it completely. If you want a list of the ones I have tried email me at [email protected] and I’ll send you the links. So not sure if you are breastfeeding but if so you may want to cut dairy in your diet for awhile to see if that helps.
Okay, finger foods. You can either chop the foods up into small little pieces so they can pick them up with their pincher grip or into strips so they can fist the strip and gnaw on the end of the food. I did small pieces because my little ones couldn’t figure out how to fist the strips but they totally got the pincher grips down early.
Hope that helps!
I found your website and I’m officially obsessed with it! my husband loves food and loves to cook and I eat eat eat it all lol so food is very important in our household. So when we had our baby girl almost 7 months ago, introducing food is something we have been looking forward to!. She LOVES purees, so far she likes everything we have given to her, but she has some bad eczema on an off so we are introducing foods carefully (as per pediatrician’s instructions) but we are gonna try finger foods soon and this guide is everything I needed to read!. I do have a question, why the 2-3 in stripes? and how would she eat those? Looking at those zucchini stripes gave me a little panic attack lol
So glad you are raising your little one in such a fun foodie household! I will come over for dinner any night of the week;)
Eczema is hard. I have struggled with it on my second daughter for years. I am almost positive it is from milk products (mostly cheese) and when she is constipated I notice it flares up. I only use organic creams on her skin and those work okay but they don’t get rid of it completely. If you want a list of the ones I have tried email me at [email protected] and I’ll send you the links. So not sure if you are breastfeeding but if so you may want to cut dairy in your diet for awhile to see if that helps.
Okay, finger foods. You can either chop the foods up into small little pieces so they can pick them up with their pincher grip or into strips so they can fist the strip and gnaw on the end of the food. I did small pieces because my little ones couldn’t figure out how to fist the strips but they totally got the pincher grips down early.
Hope that helps!
Hi.
My baby is 10 months old but he was born 2 months premature. He doesn’t have any teeth yet. I am v hesitant on introducing finger foods. The steamed stuff … Ok…. but like raw cucumbers??? How will he chew it if he breaks off a big piece. I am extremely nervous. Is there anything on your list that I should NOT give hi just yet? Thank you for such a detailed post.
I would say go for it! My recommendation would be to either chop up the finger foods into small ‘pea’ size pieces or make them into 2-3" strips so they can grip them and gnaw at the same time. Most babies just gnaw on finger foods regardless on their age. Cucumbers without the peel are actually really soft and full of water so they break down easily when chewed. Hope this helps and good luck!
Hi.
My baby is 10 months old but he was born 2 months premature. He doesn’t have any teeth yet. I am v hesitant on introducing finger foods. The steamed stuff … Ok…. but like raw cucumbers??? How will he chew it if he breaks off a big piece. I am extremely nervous. Is there anything on your list that I should NOT give hi just yet? Thank you for such a detailed post.
I would say go for it! My recommendation would be to either chop up the finger foods into small ‘pea’ size pieces or make them into 2-3" strips so they can grip them and gnaw at the same time. Most babies just gnaw on finger foods regardless on their age. Cucumbers without the peel are actually really soft and full of water so they break down easily when chewed. Hope this helps and good luck!
People often tend to believe that a vegetarian diet lacks proteins because of insufficient intake of that food group. So, how can a vegetarian get his daily dose of protein? Read on to know more.
https://www.parentcircle.com/article/10-proteinrich-foods-for-vegetarian-kids/
People often tend to believe that a vegetarian diet lacks proteins because of insufficient intake of that food group. So, how can a vegetarian get his daily dose of protein? Read on to know more.
https://www.parentcircle.com/article/10-proteinrich-foods-for-vegetarian-kids/
I really loved your writing, it answered many of my questions. And I LOVED the recipes. I was wondering if you could suggest me a few things regarding my little one which is nearly 10 months. She does not like purees now prefers chunkier or crispy food. The problem is I don’t have oven to bake or roast. How can I do it on stove top? The spices you mentioned, are they supposed to be grounded? We are not using salts at all, isn’t it?
Thanks.
Muntasira
I really loved your writing, it answered many of my questions. And I LOVED the recipes. I was wondering if you could suggest me a few things regarding my little one which is nearly 10 months. She does not like purees now prefers chunkier or crispy food. The problem is I don’t have oven to bake or roast. How can I do it on stove top? The spices you mentioned, are they supposed to be grounded? We are not using salts at all, isn’t it?
Thanks.
Muntasira
You are an ANGEL of mercy – kid is almost 9 months and a champion eater but I’m a nervous wreck on finger foods…
Milk? He nailed it. Purees…bit of side eye at first but now he’s on the train. Puffs and bits of avocado and banana? Fun for him AND for the dog (pincer is still nascent).
However, I am terrified to leave the safety of purees where everything is all mixed up into a nice variety of nutrients and won’t choke him.
Thank you for not just listing things, but being reallllllly specific, because I get nervous about how small I should cut the pieces or how long I should steam something.
I kept seeing broccoli on lists but HOW DOES A BABY EAT BROCCOLI???? Boom. This list is epic.
So glad I could provide you with an epic post on finger foods!! Made my day:)
Hi,
My LO just turned 6months and I’ve tried introducing avacado, peas, and broccoli. I am a first time mom and not sure what is “normal” when first introducing babies to food. My LO just plays with the food and doesn’t really bring to his mouth even though any other time and any other thing he puts in his mouth. He keeps his mouth closed when I try to put on his mouth. Is this normal or not ready yet? Should I keep giving him opportunities or take a break from it? I have him try to “eat” when we eat at the dimming table in his high chair
You are an ANGEL of mercy – kid is almost 9 months and a champion eater but I’m a nervous wreck on finger foods…
Milk? He nailed it. Purees…bit of side eye at first but now he’s on the train. Puffs and bits of avocado and banana? Fun for him AND for the dog (pincer is still nascent).
However, I am terrified to leave the safety of purees where everything is all mixed up into a nice variety of nutrients and won’t choke him.
Thank you for not just listing things, but being reallllllly specific, because I get nervous about how small I should cut the pieces or how long I should steam something.
I kept seeing broccoli on lists but HOW DOES A BABY EAT BROCCOLI???? Boom. This list is epic.
So glad I could provide you with an epic post on finger foods!! Made my day:)
You are an ANGEL of mercy – kid is almost 9 months and a champion eater but I’m a nervous wreck on finger foods…
Milk? He nailed it. Purees…bit of side eye at first but now he’s on the train. Puffs and bits of avocado and banana? Fun for him AND for the dog (pincer is still nascent).
However, I am terrified to leave the safety of purees where everything is all mixed up into a nice variety of nutrients and won’t choke him.
Thank you for not just listing things, but being reallllllly specific, because I get nervous about how small I should cut the pieces or how long I should steam something.
I kept seeing broccoli on lists but HOW DOES A BABY EAT BROCCOLI???? Boom. This list is epic.
So glad I could provide you with an epic post on finger foods!! Made my day:)
Possibly a dumb question: so my baby has his front six teeth and loves potato’s and baby rice ccerea and avocado but it doesn’t seem to be in season right now. Buuuut giving him things that don’t "mash" (he doesn’t chew enough yet) then those pieces just go down like chunks of food…will his stomach break that food down enough to poop ok or will it constipate him or make him have a stomachache?
Possibly a dumb question: so my baby has his front six teeth and loves potato’s and baby rice ccerea and avocado but it doesn’t seem to be in season right now. Buuuut giving him things that don’t "mash" (he doesn’t chew enough yet) then those pieces just go down like chunks of food…will his stomach break that food down enough to poop ok or will it constipate him or make him have a stomachache?
Possibly a dumb question: so my baby has his front six teeth and loves potato’s and baby rice ccerea and avocado but it doesn’t seem to be in season right now. Buuuut giving him things that don’t "mash" (he doesn’t chew enough yet) then those pieces just go down like chunks of food…will his stomach break that food down enough to poop ok or will it constipate him or make him have a stomachache?
I found your website today and i am so happy i did! I am so stressed as we are stuck on purees .she absolutely adores her purees and pretty much refuses anything in pieces even though she has 10 teeth!
Our main problem is i dont have time to prepare all the suggested foods or train her as i work full time and baby is in nursery until 18:00 by the time we get home no much time left for anything 🙁 Any advise on how to prepare and store in advance?
Sounds like you are definitely in the thick of it. I would say meal prep would help you out a ton – find an hour during the weekend or after bedtime where you can prep a ton of finger foods for baby that you can use throughout the week. You can also just chop and cook extra of what you are eating to serve to baby (make extra to serve throughout the week). Or if I was having a really crazy week, I would swing by the salad bar at Whole Foods and get a big salad for me plus a ton of chopped veggies, cooked proteins and some cheeses for baby to eat for the next couple of days.
My 10 month old is refusing to eat by spoon, but loves to dig in with his fingers! Thanks for the new recipes and tips! Can’t wait to try the lentil spinach pancakes!
Hello. I am completely lost as to feeding my 7 month old. You can tell she wants to grab at my plate, but i have been too scared to try anything else. I have a question, why remove the seeds from cucumbers and not from tomatoes? Also, i thought that the smaller the pieces the more risk of choking. I’m so lost, but your blog has shed a ton of light into my questions……
This is exactly what I was searching for. I have an 8 month old baby girl- my first ever at 36- and I am so paranoid about this. Thank you for being so thorough. I would love to bump into you at a party and talk baby finger foods all night! Thank you. Thank you. Thank you!
When i first started weening I absolutely hated that gagging sound but I realise how important it is not to panic. You don’t want to show baby you’re panicking when there is no need to otherwise this can create an anxious atmosphere at mealtimes.
wow…interesting read,so glad I actually found this.You have helped tons.
my baby is 8 months and am thinking of introducing him to finger food,but fear that if i did he will stop the puree feeding.Does that happen?
Sometimes. But I have found you can do a combination of both – purees and finger foods. Baby works on their pincher grip and you can spoon feed them at the same time.
Thank you so much for this! I have been stressing so much about introducing finger foods! I know my son can handle it and will love it but I’ve been in search of something exactly like this to tell me what to make and how to make and cut it! You’re awesome! Thank you sooooo much. I feel so much less stressed now ha!!
I am so glad this post helped!!
Thanks for the list! My 9 month old has really been digging the peas and carrots, bananas, what not. I thought we were supposed to hold off on things like strawberries and eggs for allergy reasons? But if there is no known allergy in the family she would probably be ok?
At 9 months, your babes is totally good to try eggs and strawberries!
You are an absolute godsend! Thank you for putting in so much time to not only provide us with amazing recipe ideas but guiding us in our journey to create food loving gremlins! I was really nervous and not sure how i was going to figure out how to mix purees and then move on to finger foods but your blog has helped me 100%
Thank you thank you THANK YOU
Hi! Thank you so much for your page! I’ve been using it as my guide for months and really enjoy it! I do have a question about grains. I’ve read babies don’t produce enough lipase (only salivary lipase and not pancreatic lipase) so they can’t digest grains properly. I have no idea what to do. I worry that limiting her grain intake could lead to a sensitivity to grains down the line. But I also wonder if the reason diseases such as celiac‘s is so high these days is due to introducing grains too young and giving too much (like babies first foods being rice cereals and such). I feel like I could be harming my baby either way! We don’t eat much carbs at our home because diabetes is serious in our family so it’s natural for us to eat a large amount of veggies, good fats and protein. Any thoughts on this? Please help! Thanks!
Yes, the research I have done as well pointed to the fact that baby’s don’t have lipase until 12 months of age. I personally thought that was too old not to introduce grains to my girls as they were big eaters and would pound back 10+ ounces of fruits, veggies and protein purees at every meal at 8 months. I did, however, hold off until around 9 months for my girls. That was just my personal decision and I felt completely okay with it. They showed signs they were ready for more fiber and complex carbs to keep them fuller for longer. It sounds like you don’t eat a ton of carbs in your family so you can definitely hold off until you feel like baby is ready for them. You can also introduce ancient grains (quinoa, farro, millet, etc) first as those have been around longer and have more complex nutrients.
This is such a wonderful resource, thank you so much!
I’m not even sure if this is currently checked but I thought I’d try! My baby is almost 11 months and has done great with purées and has done ok with finger foods. She’s very picky and seems to get bored. I guess with purées I knew how much she was getting and knew she was getting enough and that it was balanced because it is all neatly mixed up in there. With finger foods she’ll eat some (very good with pincer and hand to mouth coordination) but then start putting the food in her mouth and spitting it out or throwing it on the floor. So I try something else or try putting the food in her mouth and spit spit spit. And it’s just not very much food that makes it into her belly. Then I try purées and she’s refusing that too now and starts crying. So I give up. I have the crutch of still giving her formula so I know she is getting the nutrients but at some point that has to end and I worry she won’t be eating by that point. She has shown she’s capable but it’s just not a whole lot. What do I do???
Also, thank you for such a great comprehensive and detailed list!!!! It hard to find that! Can you also include portions that are appropriate for an 11 month old?
I would try having meals about an hour after her last bottle. You want them slightly hungry but not hangry. See if that works.
For all kids – feed them until they are full. They will know when to stop.
Hi… I’m looking to start my baby on BLW in a few weeks when she turns 6 months and although your post is extremely informative one thing I’m still struggling with is a meal plan of how to introduce the foods… what do I offer in week 1 at what time and how much and working that all the way up until they’re having 3 meals and 2 snacks a day…
So confused!! Can you recommend anything to help with this… when my eldest 10 year old was little I followed Annabel Karmels meal plans and it was a god send, I’m really lost with the BLW and meal plans…
I totally get how it can be super overwhelming, especially if you did purees with your first. The best part of BLW is that you can introduce any fruits, veggies, grains or meat in whichever order and whenever you want (no more waiting 3 days to wait for allergies). I would start off with whole foods from the beginning of the post (roasted sweet potatoes, cooked apples, slices or ground chicken) before moving on to the recipes. The goal is to serve them whatever you are eating – so if you are having steamed broccoli, add some to baby’s highchair. Also, here is a list of my favorite 10 foods for baby (purees or blw).
Hi my dauter started on purees at like 4 months because she was so hungry even on hungry baby milk doctor okayed this. But she stopped eating when she first started tething and I have been trying to give her mashed and pure food but she isn’t having any of it but will quite happily feed her self bread sticks and hummus and bannana but my only worry is giving her more finger foods ive had to start cutting up the banana in small peices because anything she feeds her self she will ram the whole thing in her mouth . But now she won’t pick up small peices only wants strips of food to be passed to her shes comming up to 9 months now and has a cows milk protein allergy so she’s on special formula but she is fine with all other dairy products just very worried she won’t learn to pick food up off the tray and that if I give her holdable strips I dont want her to choke as she bites of such big peices . Thanks
I get how frustrating this is! I would recommend you putting small pieces or even soft sticks of food (roughly 2-3 inches long) on her plate and having her try to self feed herself. If she refuses, I would gently help her pick up a piece of food with her hand and then helping her get her hand to her mouth. Repeat until she realizes she will have to do it herself;). As far as the size of foods, you can definitely keep serving her small pieces of food but if the food is soft enough (you can mush it with your fingers if you squeeze it) then it is perfectly fine to give her even if she crams the entire piece in her mouth. She will learn to take smaller bites. You can also mirror her by holding up a similar size of a banana and taking a small bite while saying “little bite”, “small bite” to her.
Oh my golly goodness is this post epic! I have been overwhelmed with finger foods after my (1st) baby has done great with homemade purées (she’s 9 mos). I also appreciate the explanation of gagging vs. choking! With a little planning, I know I can now be successful serving her a variety of finger foods. THANK YOU!!! You are awesome!
Hi, do you have any tips for babies who are excellent eaters but won’t self feed? Baby is 9months +
Hi Michele,
Thank you for your comprehensive guide on such a touchy subject. Like many other parents, I was really puzzled and overwhelmed by this idea of feeding the baby for the first time and making sure she gets EVERYTHING she needs to properly develop and thrive.
I do have one question though.. I am a bit concerned with introducing a wide variety of cheese products for the fact that they contain high level of salt. I read that their kidney are not developed yet to the point they can process and remove salt from the body. We have been making our own cottage cheese with no added salt. Cheddar and other sorts if cheese are very salty even to my palate.. Our daughter is currently 8 month old and I am concerned that she won’t ‘acquire’ the ability to eat cheese. Could you please comment on that?
Thank you again for all your wonderful work!
Thank you for reaching out, you have a great question. You are correct that baby shouldn’t have a ton of salt, but with that said it is an essiental nutrient for baby (adequate intake is around 400mg a day) and they are already getting some sodium in the form of breastmilk, formula and other foods you are feeding them. Serving a small amount of cheese a couple times a week will not put them over that thershold. While Cheddar usually has the highest amount of sodium, you can also serve other forms of cheese that have less sodium – swiss, goat, ricotta or fresh mozzarella. Or you can wait to serve them to baby until they are older. It is totally your call – you do you! I have no doubt that baby will love cheese whenever you do introduce it her.
Just FYI – not all babies are fair skin. Turning blue isn’t a great way to guide parents on choking.
Thank you for bringing this to my attention, I really appreciate it. I just updated the text in the post to reflect this.
Thank you!!!
This is a great article. My baby is 11 months old and he has just stopped eating anything with spoon. He just wants to eat by himself. And that too he is picky about his food. I was just wondering how many teeth should baby have for eating these finger foods. My baby has only 2 teeth till now. So he just gags on anything that is not soft or mushy. Like I tried giving him cooked corn today. He did gag on it and spit it out. Is that normal? Should I continue doing that?
11 months is a great age to transition into finger foods! Baby doesn’t actually need any teeth in order to eat foods – have you ever had your finger in baby’s mouth when they chomp down before? Yikes! Their gums are super hard and enough to break down most soft foods. Gagging is totally normal and fine and is baby’s way of learning how to chew and move foods around their mouths. I have a 5-day guide for finger foods that will give you a ton of info – a sign-up form is at the bottom of this post. Hope that helps!
This list is amazing! There wasn’t a link attached to your comment on sweet potato pancake or waffle recipe. I would love that recipe? Thanks!
So sorry about that! Will get that fixed – sweet potato pancake and sweet potato waffles.