Baby-led weaning practices have become the new norm for young parents. It’s an excellent way to raise young ones to become independent eaters. It supports motor skill development, chewing, and swallowing.
All mamas and papas have to do is serve some tasty, bite-sized treats babies can munch on during mealtime. While finger food for babies ranks high on the diet chart for this meal plan, we advise you to invest in baby cutlery.
That’s because your young ones might prefer spoon-feeding over finger food. Plus, there are deliciously nutritious oatmeal, yoghurts, and purees you can still feed during this phase.
This article features easy-to-follow tips for young parents interested in trying baby-led weaning. The key lies in starting after your baby crosses the 6-7 months mark to ensure they are ready for this transition.
Here’s what you should know:
Best Finger Food for Babies
Baby-led weaning practices require you to swap purees for soft, bite-sized finger food. Slice the treats in long, easy strips to pick and hold for little hands.
We recommend smooshing, boiling or steaming most items to ensure your little one has an easier time biting into the tasty treats. Additionally, focus on introducing different textures and choose vibrant colours. These elements will make the food more tempting.
Moreover, it allows babies and toddlers to refine their palette and grow accustomed to healthy homemade food early.
What Does a Baby-Led Weaning Diet Include?
Here are some finger food for babies:
- Small portions of proteins. Hard-boiled eggs, poached chicken, tofu strips, deboned baked fish strips, homemade hummus.
- Freshly sliced fruits. Bananas, strawberries, deseeded orange wedges, avocado, and blueberries.
- Steamed, baked or roasted veggies for babies. Broccoli, beetroots, carrots, tomato, green beans, peas, sweet potato.
Your baby can also eat yoghurt, cheese, oatmeal, and strips of bread. You might need baby cutlery to spoon-feed your child if they aren’t eating by themselves.
Balancing Bottles and Baby-Led Weaning Plans
Milk continues to be a dominant part of your baby’s diet. Ensure that they receive sufficient nutrients by ensuring they receive both types of food. You can maintain the same schedule whether you nurse or bottle-feed your baby. There’s one small change, though you should serve finger food for babies during mealtime instead of their regular feed. Then gradually increase the quantity of the food as they grow older.
That said, don’t force your little one to eat the food. If they don’t show an interest, you should prepare a top-feed.
Take It Slow & Adapt as Baby Grows
Little ones can be fussy eaters, and they might not eat each item you serve. Observe their eating habits to create a customised menu that suits their palette and meets daily nutrition requirements.
After your child turns one, you can feed them bits and pieces of your home-cooked meals. For instance, if your baby wants chicken or fries, you can slice them into small bites and then feed the baby.
Moreover, like the changing menu, the number of portions might increase with time. It all depends on your baby’s appetite.
Note to Mamas: Always coordinate with your primary paediatrician if you experience baby-led weaning challenges. Adjust the diet plan according to advice to deal with food allergies, nutritional deficiencies, and other health problems.
Baby Cutlery Review: What’s Inside Our Hemp Pack?
If you’re looking for easy-grip baby cutlery for your child, you should try our olive wood set here. The handmade spoon and forks have a curved handle that makes them easy to grip. The edges are rounded, which minimises any mishaps with messy eaters.
Other smart design elements include:
- 100% cotton and naturally-dyed bandana-style bib to keep clothes clean during mealtimes
- Food-safe design, construction, and finish assessed by SGS UK
- No metallic aftertaste or plastic smell
- Washable and reusable travel-friendly baby cutlery sets
- Space-saving hemp pouch for storage
Aside from this, you can engrave your baby’s name into the handle. The personalised touch can become a childhood keepsake for years to come.
Parting Words
Baby-led weaning can be a confidence-boosting and skill-building way to transition young ones from milk to solid food. The options are customisable, and you can introduce ingredients at your pace without any judgement.
It requires some finger food for babies, easy-grip baby cutlery and tons of delicious homemade recipes.
Ready to shop? Head over to our store for sustainable purchases.