Introduce Healthy Finger Foods To Your Baby

Finger foods are an important part of the child’s growth and development as it teaches them the art of self-feeding. Introducing finger foods for babies is a nerve-racking and exciting experience. There are so many risks associated with baby first finger foods like allergies, choking hazards, etc. While exercising caution, it is also important to include the best finger foods for a baby, which are nutritious and healthy. 

In this article, we have mentioned baby finger food ideas for 6-9 months old. This list includes fruits, veggies, protein, and carb-rich foods for the baby’s overall growth and development. 

Baby Finger Food Ideas:

If you are pondering over the best baby finger food ideas, consider small, soft, and easily chewable foods. Below we have listed some of the best finger foods for an 8-9-month-old baby. It would be best if you will always stick with healthy foods, in the beginning to set your babies on the right path. 

Veggie List

The veggies listed below are the best baby first finger foods that can be cooked and served in multiple ways.  

• Broccoli – you can cook broccoli with gentle steaming or roasting in olive oil to make them tender. You can serve broccoli as finger food for 8-9-month-old by chopping them into small pieces in skilly, tall and flat florets. You can also serve them with a drizzle of coconut or olive oil and a sprinkle of lemon juice, garlic, cumin, and parmesan.
• Peppers – red, yellow, green peppers make excellent baby first finger foods. You can serve them raw by cutting into 2-3 inch long strips. 
• Corn- corn can be served cooked, raw, or even grilled. Cut off the kernels when serving the young babies. Corn is one of the best finger foods for babies and can be served with a drizzle of olive oil or butter and a sprinkle of garlic powder or onion powder.
• Zucchini- when offering zucchini to your baby, make sure to steam for about 2-4 minutes and chop into small pieces on 2-3 inches.
• Cauliflower- cook cauliflower in gentle steam for 4-5 minutes or roast them in olive oil at 425 degrees for 20 minutes to make it tender. Serve small florets of cauliflower by chopping in small pieces. You can marinate the cauliflower in lemon juice. Cauliflower is rich in fiber, which is important to keep your gut healthy (source).
• Sweet Potatoes- cook sweet potatoes for 7-9 minutes by roasting or steaming to make them tender. Cut them into small pieces or stips of 2-3 inches. You can serve them with a sprinkle of cloves, cinnamon, paprika, thyme, or garlic powder.
• Beets- Beets can be cooked and served in multiple ways. These are easy finger foods. The simplest method of cooking teh beets is by steaming for 8-9 minutes or roasting them in the oven for a few minutes. Once they are cooked, chop them into small pieces of 2-3 inches. You can either serve them plain or with a pinch of clove, cinnamon, or nutmeg powder and a splash of lemon juice.
•  Cucumber- cucumbers make the best finger foods for a baby. These can be served raw in 2-3 inch stripes by removing seeds. You can also feed cucumber pickles to babies.
• Green Beans- cook the green beans for 3-4 minutes or saute them in a drizzle of olive oil for 3-4 minutes. Chop them into small pieces of 2-3 inch strips. You can sprinkle cumin powder, garlic, and a splash of lemon juice. 
• Pumpkin- pumpkin is the best finger foods for an 8-9-month-old baby. Steam the pumpkin squash for 10-15 minutes or roast the pumpkin in butter, olive oil at 450 degrees for about 30 minutes. You can give a sweet and savory flavor to the pumpkin by adding a pinch of cloves, cinnamon, or nutmeg. 
• Turnips- you can serve the baby turnip first finger foods by peeling the outer layer and chopping into small pieces. If you want, you can sprinkle thyme, paprika, garlic powder, rosemary, and itItalianeasoning. 

Fruit List

The below-mentioned list of fruits for baby finger food ideas is apt for young babies with no teeth.

• Apples- you can feed the baby ripe apple, which is finely chopped and cut into small pieces. You can also try sauteing them in olive or coconut oil and sprinkle cinnamon for a warm taste. 
• Honeydew- ripe honeydew chopped in small pieces make the best finger foods for a baby. Some other fruits that can be served like honeydew are strawberry, blueberry, blackberries, grapes, mango, nectarines, peaches, kiwi plums, and raspberries.
• Pineapple- you can serve the baby pineapple in chopped pieces or small ring form. Almost every kid loves pineapple because it’s easy to munch on and is juicy. 
• Banana- bananas are easy finger food. All you need to do is peel them and chop them into small pieces. 
• Pear- ripe pear tastes amazing and is also healthy. Peel the pear and chop them into thin strips. You can either serve them plain or saute them in olive or coconut oil.
• Watermelon- who doesn’t love watermelon? It’s tasty, nutritious, and fulfilling at the same time. Cut them into small pie-shaped pieces and rind them as it is easier to hold it that way. 
• Avocado- ripe avocados fit perfectly in baby finger food ideas. Chop them into small chunks or cut thin strips. You can also try pressing the avocado pieces gently with a paper towel to make them less slippery.

Grain & Protein Filled Food List

Breast milk is the best source of protein for the baby in the initial years. However, when you start giving solid food to babies, it is important to keep nutritional content in mind. Protein is important for the overall growth and development of babies. It helps repair muscle tissue and muscle mass and is a major content in the baby’s organs, blood, and skin. 

Along with giving vegetables and fruits as finger foods, it is important to feed them protein-rich food and foods with different textures before they become old enough to be picky. Check out the list of best protein-rich finger foods for a baby.

• Scrambled eggs- you can feed the baby whole boiled egg or scrambled eggs.
• Chicken- it is the best source of protein and can be grilled, baked, or roasted. You can also toss the chicken in homemade pasta sauce or thai sauce to add extra flavor.
• Sliced Cheese- gouda, swiss, cheddar, etc., you can try any type of cheese. There are so many variants to experiment with. Give your small kid slices of cheese to begin with. 
• Turkey- baked, roasted, or grilled, turkey tastes amazing in almost every form. Cut the cooked turkey into small pieces or thin strips of 2-3 inches. 
• Black Beans- Black beans are an excellent protein source, whether canned or cooked, dried, or strained. Cut the beans into small pieces and serve them by sprinkling garlic powder, cumin, or mild chili powder.  
• Chickpeas- similar to black beans, chickpeas can be consumed in boiled or dried form. Before serving chickpeas, smash them using a fork to make it easier for your baby to pick it up. You can sprinkle a dash of garlic, paprika, or cumin powder. 

Carbohydrate Rich Finger Foods For Baby 

Yes, you heard it right; carbs are very important for your baby’s growth and development. Carbohydrates are the main source of energy. 

• Rice Balls-we all know that rice is a good source of carbs. Rice balls are an easy finger food as they can be handled easily by the baby.
• Quinoa- not only are these healthy but taste good too. And let’s be honest small babies do not understand much about the taste.
• Waffles- whole wheat waffles made at home are the best choice if you are looking for carb-rich baby finger food ideas. 
• Millet- cooked millet served with fried vegetables or plain are perfect for kids. You can also make millet cakes. 
• Pancakes- Hands Down, pancakes are the best and most loved finger foods for a baby. Whole wheat homemade pancakes are the best for babies. 
• Pasta- rice, whole wheat or quinoa pasta boiled, and served with tomato sauce or plain is perfect for young kids. 

Foods to Avoid Giving Babies

• Whole nuts – large pieces of nuts can get logged in the windpipe. Avoid these as they are too dangerous for a small baby. 
• Popcorn -avoid feeding your babies half-popped or unpopped kernels as these can get stuck in the child’s throat and block the airway. 
• Honey – babies under 12 months should not be fed honey as it can cause infant botulism.
• Fruits with stones – Fruits like cherries with stones should not be given to kids. Remove the stones before feeding your baby. 
• Fish – fit is important to properly debone the fish and avoid high mercury fish like king mackerel and swordfish. 
• Processed foods – avoid processed foods as much as you can. These are rich in sodium and sugar, which is bad for babies.
• Hard Foods – avoid feeding your kids hard foods like apples and raw carrots as they can become a choking hazard for the baby. It is important to cook them and make them tender. 

Final words

Choosing the right finger foods for the baby is very important. The finger foods should be not only highly nutritious but also be safe for the babies to consume. In this article, we have included the best finger foods for a baby and the foods you should avoid.

Drop down a comment and let us know your thoughts.