Tips for Introducing Table Foods to Baby.

These Tips for Introducing Table Foods to Baby is sponsored by Gerber® but the content and opinions expressed here are my own.

Congrats on surviving the first round of the parenting struggle of a new baby! You’ve got their diet down with breastfeeding or formula feeding. And after 6 months maybe even adding in some pureed fruits and veggies. But now it’s time for introducing table foods to baby! Are you a little nervous?

No need to fear, here are some easy tips for introducing table foods to baby!

Feeding Table Foods to Baby

Tip #1 Mashed Foods. The first step to introducing table foods it to start simple. Your baby may just be beginning to learn how to chew. So start with something that is a mixture between what they are used to and what has a little more texture.

Things like mashed potatoes are great because they are simple for a baby to gum as they are learning the process of chewing. It’s a little thicker consistency than pureed fruits and veggies, but still simple for them to eat without choking.

Tip #2: Chunky Foods. You can also move onto stage 3 baby foods like Gerber® Lil’ Bites. These have a mixture of pureed foods but also have little bits of food chunks in the food. They are soft and easy for a little one learning to chew.

Tip #3: Easily Dissolve. You can also add in solid foods that quickly dissolve once put into the mouth like crackers. Since the food quickly dissolves once mixed with saliva it isn’t as much a choking hazard and your little one can enjoy the solid crunch from the first bite.

Tip #4: Soft Textures. Foods with soft textures are also great for little ones to eat. Foods with a solid texture but easily to chew without teeth. Foods such as fish! Especially Cod, Tilapia, and catfish. The meat literally falls apart in their mouth as they chew. And if you cook it just right, it will offer a great variety in flavor without being too potent.

If your baby is over 1 year, then eggs can also make great table foods for baby! (for those with no known history of food allergies and/or egg allergies). You can discuss this option with your Pediatrician when you are ready to begin table foods for baby.

Tip #5: Finger & Bite-Sized Portions. Make sure to always keep the table foods for baby in finger-sized portions. That means it is something they can easily pick up with their fingers to put into their mouth. Nothing bigger than a baby’s small bite sized portion either.

This means for many foods you will be ripping or cutting into small pieces. Such as rolls. Little Rose loves rolls. But that’s a rather large thing for her to manage. So we rip little pieces off and set into her tray so she can feed herself each bite-sized piece.

With all this in mind we have been working with Little Rose. She wants to eat solid foods. Yet she has no teeth! Over a year old and no teeth!

She’s a late teether. Which is normally just fine for me, as they say teeth are healthier when they come in later. But my little girl wants to eat solid foods!

Rose’s favorite table foods include

• mashed potatoes
• baby sweet peas
• Scrambled Eggs
• bread/rolls
• Crackers
• Catfit (seriously she LOVES catfish!)
• Gerber® Graduates Puffs
• Gerber® Lil’ BeaniesTM

Many of the table foods for babies are messy. So often times you can only feed those to your little one when they are at the table. But what about snack time?

Rose loves snack time! But we aren’t always at home, or able to use her high chair. Or frankly, she just doesn’t want to be in her high chair. But she still wants a snack.

That is one reason why I love Gerber® Lil’ BeaniesTM ! They are made with navy beans to deliver 2 grams of protein (9% Daily Value), 1 gram of fiber, and 10% Daily Value of Vitamin E per serving.

And for the extra conscious parent, Gerber® Lil’ BeaniesTM are baked, not made with genetically engineered (GM) ingredients, and are naturally flavored!

Plus they don’t turn into a gooey or crumbly mess!

You know how cracker crumble? And Graham Crackers become a gummy gooey mess? Well, Lil’ BeaniesTM don’t! Or at least they haven’t with little Rose.

She can munch on them to her heart’s content. And I’m not left with a big mess to clean up!

They are fabulous for on the go! I keep a carton in the van for when she needs a snack while we are out running errands.

She’s happy because she gets a snack that keeps her teething gums happy. And I’m happy because she’s not making a big mess in the van!

 

Plus I can give her a few Lil BeaniesTM in her hands as she is playing in her play zone. She can snack and play. And I don’t have to vacuum up a crumbly mess.

Not to mention that Rose just loves the Gerber® Lil’ BeaniesTM ! They have the perfect taste and texture to make little babies happy! Lil’ BeaniesTM are a great way to introduce table foods to baby!

THERE IS CURRENTLY AN IBOTTA OFFER LIVE FOR LIL’ BEANIESTM

(BUY 1, GET $1). CLICK HERE TO CLAIM IT! 

Please note: the offer may be exhausted at some point while the campaign is live.

Where can you find Gerber® Lil’ BeaniesTM ? At your local Target in the baby aisle! I’m there about every week anyway buying Rose’s favorite foods  and Gerber® Puffs.

That is when I noticed the Gerber® Lil’ BeaniesTM on the shelf just next to the Gerber® Graduates Puffs! I was so excited to see something new that had a good protein base for her!

Plus if you have the cartwheel app until Oct 8, 2016  you can save an extra 5% off!

So take advantage of the Ibotta offer FIRST, and then make sure you have the cartwheel offer in your app before checkout and you are walking away with spending around $0.60-$0.70 per carton based on the price where you live!

 

How do you introduce table foods to baby?