Babble

My daughter is 7 months and at the stage in which she likes to hold food on her little fist to feed herself.  But she isn't using her fingers to pinch tiny pieces, doesn't have any teeth, and can't tolerate chunks yet.  Lately, I've been giving her a couple Robert's American Gourmet Tings (like a cheese curl only no cheese, hydrogenated oils, sugar, etc.) at the end of meals since they're relatively healthy and dissolve into mushy goodness.

Does anyone have any other suggestions for healthy options at this stage?

 

My now 2 year old loved  the Gerber fruit and veggie puffs as well as the mini fruits.

My now-16-month old has loved sweet potatoes since he was first experimenting with finger foods. I'd either buy the pre-cut "sweet potato fries" at costco (just cut up potatoes,  no other ingredients) or just sweet potatoes whole, roast them in the oven for 40 min or more til quite soft, and give them to him in small pieces. Because they're so mushy, it's not like they require much chewing.

Another big fave around out house is little cubes of tofu. I but a brick of firm or extra firm, cut into dice-sized cubes, and simmer them in chicken broth with spices for flavor for about 20 minutes, then strain the cubes and keep in the fridge in a container. To feed him, i just microwave a small bowlful for 10 secs to get them to about room temp. he adores them. 

Mashed bananas are great. They are easy to do with a fork so you don't need to finely dice every peice and it sticks to little fingers enough to make up for lack or the pincer grasp.

 

Along the same vein, rice with applesauce or some other fruit sauce. It makes the rice sticky enough to pick up. 

Avocado is a big hit here, as well as well-cooked pasta.  Jillian does not like to get things on her hands (how I created a dainty little thing is beyond me) so really goopy things like mashed banana do not pass the test.  But avocado is keeping her very busy.  Cheerios are also good things, since they get mushy very quickly in a drooly mouth.