7 Healthy Finger Foods To Offer Your Little One

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All babies are unique. So are the patterns they exhibit during their infancy. Food habits are one of them. Usually after crossing six months, we have to introduce different foods that will fulfill the baby’s increasing nutrition needs.

What parents need to do at this point is observe the baby’s actions minutely for hidden indications. Does your baby like to be fed in your lap still or does he enjoy sitting propped up while feeding? Does he try to grab that piece of cookie in your hand while you sip your tea? These and many other signs that the baby shows at this stage many be an indication that he is ready for some non-sticky, non-messy finger food.

Here are some healthy finger foods to offer your little one:

1 . Biscuits

A parent’s first choice of a simple finger food is obviously the plain biscuit without any strong flavor or nuts generally difficult to chew. There is no harm if your baby bites a big chunk because it will ultimately melt in the mouth.

2 . Paratha

Now this has to be delicately made for the toddler. You have to choose the best oil, possibly olive oil or butter to cook your paratha. The size of the paratha should not be bigger that your palm. You can spread jam or cheese or your child’s favorite spread into the paratha and roll it so that your child can hold it comfortably.

3 . Moong Dal Pancake

This is a very common finger food and a tasty option as well. Soak the moong dal for a few hours and make a paste. Now we can use this paste to make a pancake in a flat pan with very less oil. Once ready you can garnish it with salt and finely cut onions. The size of the pancake again has to be very small so that your child can hold it without losing her grip

4 . Potato Chips

This is different from the packed chips that are available in the market. Home-made potato chips are made by cutting the potato into sizes of your choice, be it thin and round or long like the French fries. You can cook this in a good oil and use this as an evening snack

5 . Salad Chunks

There are a variety of options here. Cut decorative pieces of cucumber, carrot or apple in a manner that tempts your child to pick and pop in her mouth instantly.

6 . Idli

The healthiest and commonest of all would be none other than the ubiquitous idli. Idlis can be made with the usual “urad dal” and rice batter or you could even use “suji” for the same. Both would make delicious idlis. The trick is to beautify the otherwise white idli with very thinly grated carrots or beans for your little one.

7 . Bread

We cannot omit bread when it comes to finger foods because bread offers a variety of options to experiment with. You can spread jelly, chocolate sauce or even peanut butter on to the bread cut into either triangles or round shapes just to keep your toddler interested both with the food and the presentation. For non-vegetarians, small pieces of French toast make for a very health breakfast for kids.

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Self-feeding is the best habit a child can learn during this time. The child’s tongue thrust reflex is still active and will help him to throw any food out of his mouth which he cannot handle.We must understand that if we start panicking the moment our little one pops little pieces of food in his mouth, the more likely they are to drop the whole idea of self-feeding. Of course first finger foods have to be accompanied with supervision but with gentle care at the same time!

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