Children need a lot of vitamins. However, they do not tend to eat much, unless you tell them to. That is why healthy snacks are a good idea. What food is best at this role?
Baby Finger Food Snacks
Finger food is snacks for babies cooked as small pieces of soft boiled vegetables, beans or biscuits. Therefore, your child can easily grab it him/herself and chew with no difficulties. Such food should be the first step to eating without help for babies.
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Firstly, you might ask when you should start giving finger food to your baby. The answer is not certain. It all depends on whether your child is ready or not. If he/she refuses to eat small pieces, there is no need in forcing it.
You may start cooking finger snacks from 8-9 month after birth.
Perhaps, you will see that your toddler is ready to eat finger food. For example, if you give him/her some cookies (which your baby will obviously lick and suck for the first time) and he eats it completely, he might be ready to roll food in mouth. This means there will be no difficulty in using finger food.
Fruit Finger Food Ideas
Most fruits are good as healthy snacks since 7 months old. They are a nice substitution for purees.
To make it easier for a child to get used to actual fruits, you may put them in puree as well.
Apples
It is best to give your child steamed or raw apples. However, you may also bake or roast some. Do not forget to remove peel. It is important to slice apples in cubes, so that there will be no harm, if your baby swallows it.
Pears
They are as good as apples. However, some sorts of pear are softer than others. That is why it is so good for 7-8 months old kids. You may bake and steam pears too.
Watermelons
They are even easier to chew than apples and pears. However, this berry is pretty slimy, so be ready to bath your baby after such meal.
Bananas
They are a good choice for being soft, but solid as well. It is the easiest fruit to chew, yet containing many vitamins.
Mango
Mangos are also soft, but you may cut them into thick fingers and freeze. It will be a good soother for teething.
Avocado
These are also rich in vitamins, but the taste is not as sweet as for previous fruits. So, the main problem here is to make your child eat some.
Vegetable Finger Snacks for Babies
Vegetables are also as important for health as fruits. You have been probably given them to your child in a form of puree, so you already know what he/she likes or dislikes.
Carrots
Carrots are good as well, if you steam them nicely, so that they are not too firm.
Sweet potatoes
Sweet potatoes are even softer than peas, if boiled. They are also full of calories, which is good for a growing child.
Pumpkins
Pumpkins, which are sweet and tasty, are also very nutritious. You can boil some, if they are too solid and cut into small cubes without a peel.
Zucchini
Zucchini are similar to pumpkins; they are just not that sweet. However, they are even better in some vitamins content.
Broccoli
Broccoli are disliked by many schoolchildren, but your 10-months old child may be ok to eat some as snacks. So, use the moment, as these are full of beneficial microelements.
What Else Can You Give To Your Toodler As Finger Snacks?
Of course, fruits and vegetables are the best snacks for toddlers. However, they are not the only acceptable meal.
There are some other snacks you can give you baby:
- Peas, as they are small, soft and healthy. It is easy to eat them, especially for children of 9-months old and older;
- O-shaped toasted oat or other cereals;
- Boiled chicken meat (no skin), chopped in small cubes;
- Lightly toasted chopped bagels (you may mix them with some vegetable or fruit puree);
- Hard-boiled egg, chopped in cubes;
- Little tofu cubes;
- Slices of non-spicy cheese.
Nevertheless, it is forbidden to give your infant any nuts or anything like that. Such foods are too solid and small for 1 year olds. They have no teeth to chew them.
Snacks are always a good idea, no matter how old you are. However, infants and toddlers need them the most, as children this age are growing really fast. They need a whole lot of vitamins and minerals, so healthy snacks are must have for every mom.
