Finger Food Ideas For Babies & Toddlers

Once babies start eating solids, the next step baby enter into finger foods. The finger food can be given as snacks or even as main meal. Babies do love finger food as they themselves enjoy eating by themselves for the first time after their birth. Yes! The first job done by and for themselves. By this milestone, babies enter into the real world of food.

Finger food actually helps baby to improve their fine motor skills and to master the pincer grip. I started finger food for my baby at 9 months, but as long as your baby is ready, mom can slowly move into the role of sole food provider. Finger food textures differ for babies at different stages. Here are few lists of ideas for various varieties of finger food. I’m pretty sure; it might help you to make your baby enjoy different foods in the world.

Finger food ideas for beginners(6-9 months)

As babies are very new to hold things by themselves at the starting phase, longer pieces of food offer better grip than shorter ones. An approximate length of 2 inches will do and help baby to hold and gnaw upon easily. The very first finger foods for babies are stated in the following list.

• Steamed Vegetables/Fruits like carrot, beetroot, cauliflower, apple, pumpkin, potato, sweet potato, and broccoli. You can try the above said vegetables or fruits as mildly toasted or baked food as well at different times. The sticks can be seasoned with combinations of pepper, cumin and cinnamon.

You can also include fruits like pear, avocado, banana, peach, mango, watermelon and muskmelon. The fruit skin can be peeled off and cut them into small sticks. These fruit sticks can be given to babies as raw, baked or roasted.

• Meat For non-vegetarian, the chicken is the great start. Ensure that the meat is washed properly and cooked well. You can opt for minced meat so that finger sticks can be prepared with various flavors.

Finger food ideas for older babies

Once your little one is used to the first level of finger food; you can start exploring next new level of food with complex textures and flavors. The right age for this new level of finger food might be 9 or 10 months. But it is always better to understand and follow your baby’s cue or indications towards food before introducing a new dish. Babies tend to grab food from your plate with their cute little fingers, start to eat by themselves. This can be one sign indicating that they are ready for finger foods. Each baby is different and they tend to show various other signs, mommies will learn their babies better than anyone else. Try to find and make your baby explore new types of finger foods, their textures and flavors.

Here are few list of examples which may give you an idea of various types of finger foods and also short recipes are added to it so that, it would make your work easier and make your baby enjoy new new flavors.

• Sticks or nuggets

Veggie sticks: You can include any number of boiled vegetables like carrot, peas, potato etc. Mash the boiled vegetables, roll as sticks and fry. You can try making nuggets with the same mixture.

Roasted cauliflower nuggets: The Cauliflowers are roasted with little bit of olive oil, roll it into soft, fluffy breadcrumbs. Refrigerate for few minutes. Brush the top of the nuggets with olive oil and bake until they turn brown and crisp on edges.

Sweet potato nuggets: Peel the skin, boil and mash the sweet potato then roll it into a small amount of cinnamon, salt, breadcrumbs mixture and bake them until it turns brown.

Cheese, tomato, couscous nuggets: 1 cup of couscous is boiled until it is soft. Add cheese and tomato puree into a pan, when the cheese started to melt, add couscous and stir until the mixture is combined completely. Brush the nuggets with olive oil and bake for about 15 minutes. A creamy garlic dip makes a great combination.

If you like to know the various dips for the babies, text me in comment box, I would be happy posting the different recipes for dips.

Spinach nuggets: Add finely chopped spinach with egg white; add cheese and garlic for the flavors. Roll it into breadcrumbs. Brush the oil over the nuggets and bake for 15 minutes until firm.

Most of the kids don’t like to have spinach, but these nuggets work great to add on spinach to their healthy meal.

• Balls

Cheese balls: Peel, boil and mash the potato. Add breadcrumbs, pepper, red chilli flakes and salt. Add ginger garlic paste and coriander leaves too. Mix together and roll it into small balls. Cut the cheese into smaller cubes (if needed add some herbs and chilli flakes for taste). Place the potato ball in your palm and spread it equally. Now place the cheese cubes in it and cover completely. Fry these cheese balls until golden.

Check out other healthy balls for finger foods here

• Pancakes

Spinach Oatmeal Pancake: Blend spinach, yogurt, milk, egg, honey and vanilla. Blend oats, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. Mix together until the batter texture is formed. Prepare small pancakes and serve it with honey (Do not give honey to children under 1 year of age).

Whole wheat and banana pancakes: Combine milk, mashed banana, egg, butter and vanilla. Whisk it and prepare the batter using electric skillet or nonstick griddle or by simply using nonstick pan, prepare small pancakes and serve yummy healthy finger food to your baby.

• Muffins

ABCD Muffins (Apple, Banana, Coconut and Dates): Combine all the 4 ingredients – mashed apple, banana, dates and grated coconut (desiccated coconuts can also be used). Add milk, oil and little self raising flour. Mix altogether and pour it into greased muffin tins. Bake for approximately 15-20 minutes. (You can add the flavors according to your baby’s taste).

Carrot Oat Muffins: Combine wheat flour, oats, grated carrot, honey or brown sugar and cinnamon. Whisk with eggs and little oil. Mix both the mixtures. Evenly spoon into greased muffin tins. Bake for 12-15 minutes.

The Takeaway

 Finger foods are the first food that baby enjoys by them. It is an important grow mark. There are plenty and plenty of finger foods. I’ve added few among them with their short recipes. I hope it would help you getting ideas on finger food for your little munchkins. If you need to know other finger foods ideas or recipes, please do not hesitate to ask me in comment box, I’ll be happy sharing you my knowledge.

If you do make any of these finger foods, I’d love to see a picture! Post it on facebook(momknowz21@gmail.com) or instagram(momknowz_sugan) and tag me along. I’ll repost some of my favorite pics.

Thank you for spacing your time on my thoughts.