What's in This Article
- Your baby cries or is fussy.
- They put their fingers or first in their mouth, or suck on their fingers.
- Your little one opens their mouth wide when touched on his chin or lips and roots for a nipple.
- They squirm or move their arms and legs.
- Your baby moves, licks or smacks his lips or makes small sounds.
You’ve heard about baby-led friendly feeding – so now you're you wondering what foods to offer, right? Read below for some great picks for spoon feeding and finger foods!
Choosing purees for spoon-feeding:
Babies need foods that are nutrient-dense, especially those that are rich in iron when they are starting solids, such as iron-fortified baby cereal and pureed meat. Once the first spoonfuls of simple purees are accepted – bring on the variety! Gerber Powerblend Cereals combine whole grain oats, real lentil flour, and carrots with key nutrients and probiotics. Choose a colorful variety of vegetable and fruit purees – mix it up throughout the week. Gerber Veggie power pouches such as Purple Carrot Banana Acai with Cardamon which has 2 servings of veggies/fruit and 35% of the daily value of potassium. Feeding your baby a variety of purees helps expose them to many tastes and flavors.
Finger food options for baby-led feeding:
- Long, thin slices of banana, avocado, soft ripe mango, baked apple, and ripe pear.
- Steamed (and cooled) broccoli—your baby can hold the stem.
- Steamed (and cooled) carrot, and cut into long strips.
- Thick strips of roasted (and cooled) sweet potato or butternut squash.
- Fingers of whole grain bread, toast, or pita.
- Cooked eggs, cut into small, bite-sized pieces or scrambled and chopped.
Give these Gerber Products a Taste
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Gerber Organic for Toddler, Plant-TasticGerber® Organic Plant-tastic Sunshine Pineapple Fusion$1.89 -
TODDLER PLANT-TASTIC™ POUCHPlant-tastic™ Organic Southwestern Fiesta Fruit & Veggie Bean Smash with Ancient Grains$1.99
| Food Groups | Serving Size Examples | Total Daily Goals: |
|---|---|---|
| Milk | ½ - ⅔ cup milk or yogurt 1 slice American cheese |
16 fl. oz. |
| Vegetables | ¼ cup soft, peeled and cooked, mashed or cut to bite-size pieces | ¾ cup |
| Fruits (Limit juice to 4 fl. oz. of 100% juice, only once a day) |
¼ cup soft peeled, mashed or chopped fruit; 4 fl. oz. 100% fruit juice | 1 cup |
| Meat/Beans | 1-3 tablespoons cooked; mashed or easy-to-chew chopped meat, beans or eggs | 1½ oz. |
| Grains (Choose whole grains whenever you can) |
¼ cup cereal, rice or pasta or ½ slice bread, ½ cup hot cereal | 2 oz. equivalent |
| Fats/Oils | ½-1 tablespoon dressing, cooking oil or soft margarine | 2 tablespoons |
