Finger food are foods that babies can easily bite, chew and hold on their own. Finger food can be given to introduce certain foods to your little one.
Babies aged 8-9 months are usually ready to feed themselves. By giving it finger food, Mothers can train their little ones to eat without being fed, as well as train their fine motor skills, as well as their ability to bite and chew food.
Variety of Food Finger Food for Baby
Are you still confused about the choice of food to make? finger food? Come on, see some types of food that you can make finger food for Little One:
1. Boiled Vegetables
For starters, you can give him vegetables, such as potatoes, carrots, cauliflower, broccoli, or sweet potatoes. But before giving it, steam or roast the vegetables first until they are soft.
After that, cut it into small pieces so that the little one can hold it. In addition to being healthy, boiled vegetables also provide many good nutrients for baby's development.
2. Fruit cut
In addition to boiled vegetables, other foods that you can make snacks for your little one are fruit. Bananas, cucumbers, avocados, mangoes, pineapples, cantaloupe, pears, and watermelons are various fruits that you can serve as finger food. In addition, dried fruit such as raisins and dried apricots are cut into pieces, can also be given as a snack or finger food extra for little ones.
Before giving it to your little one, make sure the fruit has been cut into small pieces and cleaned of skin and seeds.
3. Pasta
Although in Indonesia, pasta is still quite rarely used as a snack for babies, this food can actually be an option for children finger food. Give your child pasta that has been boiled until it is completely cooked.
The type of pasta that can be given to babies is fusili or pasta that has been cut into small pieces.
4. Cereals
You can also give cereal as a snack finger food for Little One. Give him a cereal that is easy for him to handle and choose one that is low in sugar and without added coloring.
5. Toast
Toast can be a menu finger food for babies when they are older. Cut the toast into small pieces, so your little one can grip it easily.
6. Eggs
Eggs are foods that are rich in protein, choline, vitamins B2, B12, and folate which are good for baby's development. But before giving eggs to your little one, make sure the eggs are fully cooked. The reason is, half-cooked or raw eggs may still contain bacteria Salmonella which can cause poisoning in babies.
7. Cheese
Cheese contains calcium which is good for supporting baby's bone growth. Therefore, giving cheese as a complementary food to breast milk (MPASI) in the first year is the right thing. Choose cheese that has a soft, odorless, and non-sticky texture.
8. Meat
Meat is a good source of iron for growth. Mothers are advised to give meat when the little one can be introduced to complementary foods (MPASI). Before giving it to your little one, make sure the meat has been cooked until tender and shredded to make it easier to chew.
Every time you give finger food to your little one, you need to taste it first to make sure the food is easy to bite, the cut is right, soft, and melts in the mouth.
Introduce finger food to babies from an early age is important. However, you should still be aware of the possibility of your little one choking while eating it. So, always supervise and accompany your little one when consuming finger food yes, bud.