Finger Foods

Babies starting on finger foods is an exciting milestone in development, typically beginning between 6 to 8 months of age. Experts say that around this age, babies begin to show interest in self-feeding as they develop physical and neurological skills, such as sitting up unassisted and grasping objects to bring them to their mouths. ⁽¹⁾

Offering finger foods during this stage is important in refining these skills, encouraging hand-eye coordination, and fostering self-feeding independence in babies.

However, you are probably anxious about this transition to a new milestone and may have questions about the safety of finger foods and whether your child is ready. 

This article will provide better insights into finger foods and what's safe and nutritious for your baby. 

How to Tell if Your Baby is Ready For Finger Foods 

Health professionals, such as the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), recommend that babies be ready for solids around 6 months to support their developmental needs. This is the age when most infants have developed the necessary motor and oral skills to handle finger foods safely.

However, it's essential to note that these are general guidelines, and because no baby is the same, your baby’s unique developmental milestones should be your main indicator. Rather than relying solely on age, parents should look for key developmental cues that signal a baby is prepared for finger foods. Signs such as⁽¹⁾:

Sitting Up Independently: If your baby can sit upright on their own without assistance, that's a good indicator that they're ready for finger foods. Your baby should be able to sit upright in a high chair or on the floor without slumping, as good posture is necessary for safe swallowing.

Good Head and Neck Control: Babies need stable control of their head and neck to maneuver food in their mouth and coordinate swallowing. If your baby still struggles to keep their head upright without tipping over, they're not ready for finger foods and should stick to formula, breastmilk, or spoon-feeding. 

Loss of the Tongue Thrust Reflex: This is a natural reflex in babies that helps push food out of the mouth. Experts say this reflex should fade by around 6 months. However, if this reflex is still active, the baby may not be ready for solids yet.

Shows Interest in Food: When your baby shows signs of interest in food, such as reaching for your food, opening their mouth when you offer food, watching you eat, and mimicking chewing, these are signs that your baby wants to participate in meals and is ready for finger foods.

Ability to Grasp Objects: If your baby shows signs of developing great motor skills, such as grasping things and bringing them to their mouth, it's a sign they're ready for finger foods. The development of a raking or pincer grasp, which is the use of the fingers and thumb, is a strong indicator that your baby can begin to self-feed.⁽³⁾

Soft Finger Foods For Babies With No Teeth or Teething Gums

One common misconception about solids for babies is that they need teeth to eat solids, when experts say that soft foods and strong gums are enough. Dr Mona, in her video, says that babies’ gums are surprisingly strong and can easily break down soft textures when paired with the natural mashing motion of their tongue.

This developmental stage is great for introducing soft finger foods because it encourages chewing motions and develops the oral muscles, which sets the stage for speech and eating skills in your baby.

There are many healthy finger foods perfect for babies who don't have teeth or have teething gums. The goal is to offer soft finger foods that are easy to grip but soft enough to squish between their fingers, rather than hard or chewy foods. Foods such as:

• Steamed or roasted carrot sticks.
• Banana strips.
• Avocado slices.
• Soft-cooked Broccoli.
• Ripe mango slices.
• Beef or chicken strips.
• Steamed sweet potato sticks.
• Soft scrambled egg strips.
• Well-cooked lentils or beans.
• Steamed apple slices.
• Peeled orange slices.

It is important to know that the cooking technique is just as important as the choice of food. Overcooking can affect the nutrition of finger food and also make the textures too mushy to grasp, while undercooking increases the risk of choking and makes the food less appealing. Your goal is to set a balance.

Recommended methods include:

• Steaming - Perfect for preserving nutrients and softening vegetables evenly.

• Baking - Adds flavor and makes foods soft on the inside, making them easier to grip. Eg potatoes.

• Boiling - Softens food quicker. Foods like pasta, potatoes, rice, or lentils.

• Pan-scrambling - cooks soft foods and enhances flavor. For example, eggs.

What are The Best Finger Foods for Babies?

Homemade and store-bought finger foods both provide maximum nutrition and support development, and can be enjoyable and safe for your little one to self-feed. The goal is to make sure they are nutrient-rich and healthy, and they would be just the best first finger foods for your little one.

Store-bought finger foods, such as baby puffs, cereals, and teething crackers, are nutritious for babies and help exercise their gums. They are also convenient and time-saving for parents. Homemade finger foods like carrot sticks and Avocado slices, on the other hand, are organic and fresh foods that are also beneficial for infant nutrition. Most parents opt for this option because it's cheaper, and they get to control what goes into the food.

The most important factor is choosing healthy finger foods for your baby that are nutritious and contain essential nutrients beneficial for their development. Foods such as⁽⁶⁾:

• Vitamin-rich fruits like banana, watermelon, orange, ripe papaya, apple, mango, and melon. 

• Vegetables like carrots, potatoes, sweet potatoes, beetroots, radishes, spinach, cauliflower, tomatoes, pumpkins, okra, bell peppers, peas, and broccoli. 

• Protein-rich foods like beef, eggs, fish, chicken, lentils, and beans. 

• Iron-rich foods like whole grain bread & pasta, fortified cereal, meat, egg, millets, oats.

• Dairy products like cheese and eggs.

These healthy snack ideas will not only boost your baby’s growth but also make meals more interactive and empowering.

Texture and Safety Considerations When Starting Finger Foods

When babies start baby-led weaning with finger foods, texture and safety quickly become two of the most important concerns parents have, which makes them rethink the need for finger foods. However, a study showed that delays in introducing lumpy or chewy textures in children can lead to food refusal, gagging issues, and long-term picky eating habits. ⁽⁷⁾

The way food feels in your baby’s mouth affects how they chew, swallow, and accept it, making texture a crucial part of the transition to baby food. Your focus as a parent should be on providing soft finger foods in small pieces, with textures that can be easily smashed between your fingers, to avoid choking and gagging.

Choking is the complete or partial obstruction of the windpipe by a piece of food large enough to clog it, which is usually silent. The baby may start turning blue. While Gagging is a natural reflex in babies that involves loud coughing and gurgling from trying to swallow food. ⁽⁸⁾

Signs of choking include:

• Silent or very weak coughing.
• Blue or pale skin tone.
• Difficulty breathing or complete silence.
• Panicked facial expressions or flailing arms.

If you notice these signs in your baby, call for help and intervene with a hard pat on the back or the Heimlich Maneuver to help dislodge the food.

Another vital safety concern for most parents with finger foods is the risk of allergic reactions in their babies, so they tend to avoid allergenic foods, foods as fish, nuts, eggs, and dairy. However, studies show that introducing allergenic foods as early as 4 to 6 months can help reduce the risk of developing food allergies⁽¹⁰⁾. This doesn't apply to children who have a confirmed and diagnosed allergy.

Food allergies are an overreaction of the immune system to foods that are usually harmless. If you introduce such foods to your baby and signs of a food allergy, like hives, itchy skin, difficulty breathing, and facial swelling show up, it is best to go to the emergency room.⁽⁹⁾

Tips to remember when introducing allergens to your baby⁽⁶⁾:

• Start with small amounts.
• Offer allergen foods in the first half of the day.
• Combine one allergen at a time with a familiar food.
• Never mix two or more allergens at the same time.
• Include common allergy-causing foods first, such as eggs, shellfish, fish, peanut butter, wheat, cow’s milk, etc. 
• Monitor your baby closely for the first 30 minutes after giving the allergen for the first time.

Foods to Avoid When Starting Your Baby on Finger Foods

When introducing finger foods to your baby, the goal of this transition is to provide a variety of finger foods that are safe, nutritious, and help develop their motor skills. However, some foods can be harmful to babies, either because they can lead to choking, tooth decay, or other health concerns like food poisoning and kidney problems. Foods to avoid include⁽⁶⁾:

Sugary Foods: Sugar has no nutritional value, except for its high calorie count, which is primarily due to simple carbohydrates. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends avoiding added sugar in infant food to improve health. Foods such as sugary juices, candy, cookies, cakes, and other sweets, when consumed in excess or allowed to sit on a baby’s teeth, can cause cavities and contribute to tooth decay.

Salty Foods: Foods with high sodium content, such as processed meats, canned foods, or salty snacks, should be avoided completely at this stage of feeding, as they can lead to kidney problems. You should avoid adding salt to babies' diets as their kidneys aren’t yet ready to process high sodium levels.

Unpasteurized Dairy: Foods like raw milk, unpasteurized cheese, and yogurt can contain harmful bacteria, such as E. coli or Salmonella. Soft cheeses, such as Brie or blue cheese, should be avoided because they can contain Listeria, which poses a risk to pregnant women and babies.

Uncooked or undercooked Meat: Avoid offering raw fish, shellfish, and meats to your baby, as they can contain harmful bacteria and parasites that can harm them or cause food poisoning.

Honey: Due to the risk of botulism, experts advise that babies under 12 months should not be given honey as it contains spores that can cause a severe infection or life-threatening illness in infants.

Large pieces of Food: Always ensure finger foods are cut into bite-size pieces that are small enough for your baby and have a soft texture to avoid choking. Hard foods such as peanuts, popcorn, and raw carrots should be avoided. Soft foods like whole grapes, tomatoes, hot dogs, and cooked meat should be cut up into smaller pieces to avoid choking.