10 FINGER FOODS FOR BABIES AND TODDLERS

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Babies as early as 8-9 months of age start showing signs for being independent. And this is seen by their desire to eat on their own. At first, they may just rake food in their hands and bring it to their mouth but eventually, they learn to use their thumb and index finger (pincer grip) to pick up food. This is a very important milestone, as the child takes his first step towards independence by developing his fine motor skills and coordination. Encourage your child through this stage by helping him feed himself. To make the eating process less messy and to make it an enjoyable hands-on experience, finger foods are the right thing to be introduced to the baby. Make sure the baby can sit upright before you start with finger foods and do not feed the baby while travelling as this could lead to a choking hazard.

What are finger foods?

Any bite-sized, easy to eat food which the baby can pick up, grasp and eat on his own qualify as finger foods.

The food should be easy to handle and should not cause a choking hazard to the baby. Start with foods that are soft and gradually progress to harder food products as the child is ready to eat them.

Let’s have a look at some of the bite-sized treats that the kids can munch on:

Vegetables

1. Raw vegetables – raw carrot or cucumber cut it to sticks make good finger foods especially when the child is in the teething phase.

2. Boiled vegetable – You can boil or steam broccoli and cauliflower florets and enjoy watching your child eating it to glory. You can also give boiled French beans, potato, sweet corn, baby corn, Zucchini, Sweet potato, carrots, Baby corn, etc. You can add salt or pepper to these vegetables to enhance the taste.

3. Vegetable Cutlet – You can make small vegetable cutlets by mixing boiled potatoes, green peas, carrots, sweet corn and salt and making different shapes (round, heart shape, triangular, oval) to surprise your child. Coat them with bread crumbs and fry them in a flat pan with little ghee or oil.

4. Finger chips – Why eat chips at burger outlets when one can make delicious and healthy ones at home. Yes, it’s true, chips/fries cooked at home are healthier compared to ones eaten at popular pizza and burger joints.

You can make them using potatoes or Raw banana (gives more fibre and nutrition). Cut them into sticks and soak in water for 5 minutes and then fry them in oil.

Fruits and dry fruits

5. Fruit bowl – Cut fruits of different colours in different shapes and place them in front of your child and watch him enjoy as he experiences a new treat in every bite. You can mix cubes/slices of apple, pear, plum, strawberries, papaya, banana, peach, watermelon (without seeds), mango, etc.

You can try different combinations every day or 1-2 fruits at a time.

6. Dry fruits – You can give raisins, cut dried apricot, cut dates and let your child enjoy the taste of natural sugar.

You could also make balls of cut and powdered dried fruits. Walnut and date balls can also be given to an older toddler.

7. Grainy mini-sticks – a.k.a. Breadsticks / Soup sticks – you could get them ready from stores or bake them at home. Breadsticks can be made using different flours and seed. They are soothing during teething times.

Whole wheat sticks

Jowar Sesame sticks

Cheese sticks

8. Idli/Dosa/Uttapam – This is one food that’s packed with proteins. Also, it’s the favourite of all kids. Additionally, Idlis can be made using different ingredients. You could prepare using the traditional rice and urad dal combination or try the quicker recipe by using Semolina and Curds or Semolina, Oats and curds. One can also add vegetables to increase the nutritive value and make it colourful for the child. You can add grated carrot, beet, finely chopped French beans, tomatoes or spinach puree.

Similarly, Mini dosa and uttapam can also be given to a toddler.

Dhokla – just like idli, dhoklas are easily prepared using different ingredients and is always liked by the kids.

9. Paneer sticks – Paneer or tofu cut into cubes or sticks can be marinated and fried on a flat pan with ghee/oil/butter and served with a cheesy or mayonnaise dip.

10. Cereals – Kids can munch on cereals like corn flakes, rice flakes, wheat flakes, ragi / nachni flakes. These could be chocolate-coated but ensure minimal sugar uptake. Many of these are available as ready-made options as well.

Avoid giving sugar-laden cookies, biscuits and cakes. Limit their consumption to once or twice a week.

Encourage healthy eating habits right from a young age.

Give them a variety of foods even though they might not eat all or may eat too little. But we should encourage them and introduce them to all types of food from an early age.