Transitional Foods

We always fed the kids whatever we ate - just cut it up really small. That way they don't get into a "mac and cheese rut" and won't eat normal people food. Baked sweet potatoes are great, and all kinds of steamed veggies (cook them longer than you usually would to make them softer). If you're in a crunch for time we bought some canned veggies and rinsed them off first.

Hi H. -

My twins were the same way :) She'll outgrow her sensitive tummy - just think, she's eating all these new things so her tummy is getting used to processing all of it :)
first, I got the hand-held masher/blender whatever you want to call it. You can get them at Wal-Mart or Target. This way, they can eat whatever you're eating, just mashed up! Soups were great! Chicken soups, noodle soups, stews, even pastas!

Hope this helps! Good luck!

I use a pair of kitchen scissors and cut everything that we eat into very small pieces. Also, ground beef and shredded cheese, veggies that are cooked a little longer than normal for softness, and of course, cheerios rock!

Hi H.,
This site has been the MOST helpful!!!!
www.wholesomebabyfood.com

Hi H.,

Yes, I have the best suggestion and much, much, much, more...... Run don't walk to your nearest book store and buy Ruth Yaron's book named "Super Baby Food". I'm playing with you but just to emphasize how GREAT this book really is. Your best bet as far as cost and convenience is to order it from Amazon or just the internet.

I had a friend refer me to this book when my daughter was 5 months old and it became my Bible so to speak for both of my kids who are now 10 and 5 yrs. Old. Ruth's books is packed with suggestions and ideas! I made 95% of my Babies/Toddlers food thanks to this book. She makes it so easy and shows you when to start feeding your infant, how, what, when and even has Fruits, Vegetables, and Grain lists that became my grocery lists you can photo copy and just have it handy in your purse (at least that is what my girlfriend and I did). She also would list Nutrient Tables & Nutritional Analysis according to your Baby's Diet. Plus some GREAT ideas and suggestions for Toddler foods!!

She even has Baby-Safe, Environmentally-Friendly Cleaning Products, Homemade Baby Products and Accessories, like making your own Play Dough!

Well I could go on for days but you will truly love it and want to buy it for all your family and friends with babies or as a Baby Gift every time your invited to a Baby Shower!

Enjoy!! I know you will Thank me later!

A. M.

H.,
I have given my daughter sweet potato balls. You cook a sweet potato, let it cool, peel it and smash it. Then you take cooked brown rice and sometimes I would add shredded chicken. (This is really great from leftovers) Then I mix it all togther and roll it into little tiny balls that are just the right size for little fingers (and mouths). The rice acts as a great binding agent and you get a veggie a grain and a meat all in one!! Just make sure the ball sizes are appropriate for your child and that you make sure she can tolerate the thickness. Good luck!

Sometimes it is hard to do a transition. Wondering what is ok and what is not is difficult. I made my own babyfood by using items from this company, Fresh Baby. Here is a link to the website where it has tips and ideas for finger foods. I served bananas and avocados quite often because you don't have to cook them and they are quick and easy. I would cut up raisins too. Depending on how your child does, cubes of soft food are good, or slices to hold in their fists and "bite" off work well too. Here's the link. Hope it gives you ideas! http://freshbaby.com/healthy_eating/healthyeating_feature...

O's! My kids survived purely on O's sometimes :) If I couln't get them to eat anything else, O's always came through. I tried to stick to the wheat free versions. Especially with the sensitive tummy or with any allergies. My kids still eat O's mixed with yogurt as their morning "cereal".

yogurt, scrambled egg Whites! toast, cooked veggies cut into chunks, pancakes skip the butter and syrup. goo lick.

Hi, H.. My daughter was totaly the same way. I made mini pancakes for her, with baby food applesauce (other than that ingredient, I just followed a traditional pancake recipe you can find online). I made them about the size of a silver dollar, but made a whole batch, and then froze them. It was nice to be able to pull one or two out at a time, and leave the rest for the next time. She really loved them! I used wheat flour for them, to make them even healthier, but I think that is a decision every parent should make for themselves--since there are wheat allergies out there. Good luck--that is such a fun age!

My son did the same thing about a months after we started solids. I used the graduates meals, diced apples, and carrots for quick on the go meals. I also gave him brown rice, whole grain pasta rings, steamed carrots cut very small, steamed broccoli (just the leafy part, none of the stem), egg yolks, string cheese, yogurt, cooked peas, cooked zuchini and squash without the skin, whole grain bread (not with honey) without the crust, diced pears, cooked shredded chicken, Graduates meat sticks with the skin peeled off... I can't think of what else right now. Pretty much anything he could feed himself that was very mushy and very small pieces.

This was all with no teeth...he didn't have any until 1 at 10 months, then a few more at about 11 months.

Freeze-dried fruits are good too.

Yes, I do have suggestions. The food line is for toddlers in yellow packaging. It was something like little tikes, little foods, but they have little meals that you can heat up. Carrots in a jar of water that are soft but not too soft. Now I will warn you, thses foods aren't cheep but they are worth the money if your girl will eat them. Try a couple things of theirs first. Another thing you can do is to cook those small carrots until they are soft but not mushy. You can do that with just about anything: peas, squash cubes, etc.

Hello!
We are just at the same stage with our 9 months old. She now did not care for the Cheerios and also not for the Gerber puffs, however, she loves the Happy Baby puffs that Babies R us sells. The have a lot less sugar then some of the others and are just a melty.
When we have dinner, she wants to eat what we have, so similar to what other have said, I give her miniscule pieces of that. So far we have had no allergy issues, so I a getting more daring now. She has had the soft part of bread, pieces of pasta, cooked carrots, peas, bananas, avocado, egg yolk, and some other things that I can not think of right now. Our older daughter loved black beans at that stage since they are mild and just right for little fingers.
For the most part this is all about playing and exploring more than dinner and so she is still getting the bulk of her meals as bottles or purees butu is also satisfying her curiosity.

Hope this has something that helps :)
D.

Any veggies you can cook until soft (like steamed broccolli, cauliflower, carrots, zuchini, etc). Mashed potatoes are also a hit. You can also try hot dogs but you need to cut the pieces REALLY small and I even peeled off the skin for this age. Mac and chees was also very popular! Hope that helps!

LOL. I have to laugh at your "too cool" message because I experienced the same with my little one a few months ago - BEFORE 8 months! They're sharp, those little people. They know we're not eating baby food!

I'm leery of giving Cheerios at this age before they can really chew the pieces. I'm always afraid they'll choke. So...

I give my daughter things she can hold and gnaw on and of course, supervise her constantly. Such as: 1/2 of a persian cucumber (they're smaller and haven't as many seeds), 1/4 apple, 1/2 of a large carrot, larger slices of soft fruits like avocado, nectarines, plums and figs. She sucks the fruit off the peel and I take the peel before she has a chance to swallow/choke on it.

Have fun!! :)

Hey H.- My daughter LOVED avocado, pancakes, homemade tortillas. We would break off small pieces of all. She had NO teeth until 11 months and all of these worked. Just had to keep an eye on her. Good Luck.