Babies Feeding Solid Foods The Best Finger Foods for Baby When it's time for your baby to start solids, the American Academy of Pediatrics suggests slowly introducing fruits, veggies, and meat one at a time to gauge their reaction. Here's our list of safe finger foods to gradually introduce into your child's diet. By Brooklyn Presta Updated on June 28, 2022 Medically reviewed by Natalie Muth, M.D., MPH, RDN, FAAP, FACSM Medically reviewed by Natalie Muth, M.D., MPH, RDN, FAAP, FACSM Instagram Twitter Website Dr. Muth is a primary care pediatrician at Children’s Primary Care Medical Group in Carlsbad, California, founder and director of the WELL Clinic, which helps children and families optimize health in the areas of nutrition, physical activity, sleep, screen use, and stress management. She also serves as an adjunct assistant professor at UCLA where she teaches an introductory nutrition course and has previously served on the executive committee of the American Academy of Pediatrics Section on Obesity, having co-authored several AAP statements on nutrition and physical activity. Dr. Muth is an award-winning author, having published more than 100 articles and several books for parents including The Picky Eater Project: 6 Weeks to Happier, Healthier Family Mealtimes and How to Raise Healthy Eaters: Starting Solids. learn more Share Tweet Pin Email Photo: Nina Buday/Shutterstock 01 of 14 Baby Cereal Puffs Natalia Ganelin/Shutterstock Baby cereal "puffs" or O-shaped cereal make a great first finger food for Baby. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) suggests buying infant-specific cereals with the extra nutrients your little one needs. When Do Babies Start Eating Baby Food? 02 of 14 Bananas Amy Palanjian Bananas have a sweet taste and soft texture that babies love. Cut bananas into small pieces so little ones won't choke. You can also feed your child other soft, ripe foods when starting solids. 03 of 14 Sweet Potato Amallia Eka/Shutterstock Babies naturally like sweeter veggies such as cooked, diced sweet potatoes. Steam or bake them instead of boiling to retain more nutrients. Baby’s First Foods: How to Introduce Solids 04 of 14 How to Start Solids 05 of 14 Avocado Fotografiabasica/Getty Images Avocados have a soft, velvety texture that make them an ideal first finger food for Baby. Cut the avocado into small cubes before serving. What is Baby-Led Weaning? How to Help Your Infant Feed Himself 06 of 14 Chicken or Meat AHPhotosWPG/Shutterstock To give your baby some protein, puree some soft chicken or meat. You can serve small chunks to babies 12 months and older. 07 of 14 Peaches or Pears PNPImages/Shutterstock Once your baby has mastered easy finger foods, you can move onto very ripe peaches or pears. Dice them before handing to your infant. How to Choose the Best Baby Food 08 of 14 Tofu Kritsada Panichgul Dice tofu into small squares, but remember not to force your baby to eat anything they don't want to. Many experts suggest trying repeatedly; eventually your little one might be willing to venture a taste, which could expand their palette in the future. 09 of 14 Whole-Grain Bread Aleksandrs Samuilovs/Shutterstock Don't forget to implement some whole grains into your baby's diet! Take slices of whole-grain bread, cut them into cubes or strips, and get rid of those hard crusts. You can also toast the bread and top strips with peanut butter, hummus, or another spread. 12 Healthy Finger Foods That Don't Come From a Box 10 of 14 Quick Tip: Baby Food Storage 11 of 14 Pasta Yunhee Kim Parents can start introducing pasta during a baby's fifth or sixth month. Choose small noodles like spirals or macaroni, and make sure they're well-cooked. 12 of 14 Hard-Boiled Egg Shutterstock The AAP says eating eggs during early childhood may help reduce food allergies, so chop a hard-boiled egg into small pieces for your baby. 15 Easy Finger Foods for Babies With No Teeth 13 of 14 Vegetable Casserole Courtesy of Antonis Achilleos Has your baby mastered single-ingredient foods? Then move onto multi-ingredients options like vegetable casserole! Start with pasta and add marinara sauce and vegetables, such as chopped broccoli and asparagus. 14 of 14 Other First Finger Foods Remember that you don't have to stick with one or two options—there are a wide variety of finger foods for Baby! And since experts suggest that repeated exposures to flavors can help reduce picky eating later on, it's good to include a range of naturally sweet, savory, and bitter flavors. Here are more safe first finger foods to try. Just remember to avoid any hard foods that can snap and cannot be squished between your fingers. Baby puffs Baby rice crackers Blueberries, very soft and halved Beans, cooked until very soft Broccoli, chopped and steamed Butternut squash, cubed and steamed Cauliflower, chopped and steamed Fish, steamed or poached in broth or water without added salt, with bones removed, and flaked into small pieces. (Choose low-mercury options that are high in healthy fats like wild salmon, rainbow trout, or tilapia.) Goat cheese, crumbled Green beans, chopped and steamed Ground beef, cooked without salt Peas, cooked Potatoes, cubed, tossed with olive oil, and roasted in a 400 degree F oven on a baking sheet for 22 to 25 minutes or until very soft Potatoes, mashed Rice, well-cooked, plain or mixed with shredded cheese to help it hold together Shredded whole-milk cheese Tomatoes, peeled and cubed Yellow squash, cubed and steamed Zucchini, cubed and steamed Watermelon, cubed Was this page helpful? 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