First Table Food

[Sunchimes]

The pediatrician told dcm to get 9 mo old off of baby food. I'm having trouble thinking of things to give him. I've read all of the things suggested, but this baby has no teeth-none at all. His mom said to just try things and if he choked to fish it out with my finger. I do not want to do this!

I've done mashed potatoes and I mashed up some peas. The internet says steamed carrots, bread, banana cut into small pieces. I'm just not clear how small. He's the first one I've started on food that didn't have a tooth in his head.

I guess I just need to hear some info from people I trust to give me confidence.

[SilverSabre25]

They are amazingly good at mashing stuff with those gums! Cheerios are good too, even for the toothless. The baby puffs. Really well cooked pieces of broccoli (not the stems, just the bushy part), steamed carrots, steamed apples, pieces of banana, pieces of peach/pear, pieces of cooked potato/sweet potato, shredded cheese or small pieces of cheese, hardboiled egg yolk, scrambled egg. I would only do bread if you do whole wheat and not white/wonder bread. Crackers, pieces of kiwi, strawberry, pieces of cooked chicken (kind of shredded), shredded well-cooked beef...

[Lilbutterflie]

They are amazingly good at mashing stuff with those gums! Cheerios are good too, even for the toothless. The baby puffs. Really well cooked pieces of broccoli (not the stems, just the bushy part), steamed carrots, steamed apples, pieces of banana, pieces of peach/pear, pieces of cooked potato/sweet potato, shredded cheese or small pieces of cheese, hardboiled egg yolk, scrambled egg. I would only do bread if you do whole wheat and not white/wonder bread. Crackers, pieces of kiwi, strawberry, pieces of cooked chicken (kind of shredded), shredded well-cooked beef...

Great variety of suggestions!

And I totally agree about their ability to mash up LOTS of soft foods with their gums. They do not necessarily need teeth to chew. And, when you think about it, the first teeth they get are the middle bottom two. Those are tearing teeth, not chewing teeth! The molars are the chewing teeth and they don't get those until about 12-18mos.

The biggest thing at this age is gaining the ability to chew and swallow solid foods; and gaining the ability to grasp food and put it in their mouths.

[Sunchimes]

Ok, if you guys say so. ;-) I'll be brave and spend the afternoon steaming stuff for the rest of the week. Thanks!

[sharlan]

Personally, I would stick with the baby food until the parents have him eating table food.

I'm wondering if it's the parents not wanting to buy jarred food, not the pediatrician.

[SilverSabre25]

meh 9 months is a great time to transition to table food if bubs is willing.

[sharlan]

Each child is different, but my 11 mo chokes on everything I try giving her.

[Willow]

I don't do any jarred baby foods here because I think regular foods, steamed, baked or cooked, are a great way to taper the transition as opposed to everything being straight liquid and then trying to introduce textures much later on.

Most fruits and veggies you can steam on your own and then run through a blender or food processor. The degree to which you mash depends on how experienced the kiddo is with the textures. I've noticed even leaving little bits of the skin on like peas and beans intact helps kids learn to work foods in their mouths much easier. Tongue thrust reflex seems to disappear much faster and meal times are much less frustrating when there is even just the smallest amount of natural bulk to the food as opposed to the straight liquid in jarred.


Once they've got that down you just mash/process less and less and leave bigger pieces. I tend to add pasta before meats. Spaghetti noodles cooked soft and broken up with a fork work great (the spaces between the tines are a good size to start with - same goes for softer foods like bananas). Then chicken (run through the processor to break them up).

My starter list includes:

Veg - peas, green/yellow beans, carrots, squash (baked is SUPER easy and makes a lot at a time), cauliflower, potatoes, zucchini, legume type beans and eggplant.

Fruit - banana, apple (which I'll usually bulk up with avacado because it improves texture, adds essential fats and brings the tartness/acidity level down), blueberries, peaches, pears, mango, apricot and melons are fantastic.

Then I'll add in pastas either independently or if that's too much texture I'll mix them into one of the above.

Proteins - chicken, turkey, beef (I am not a fan of ground beef but rather cuts I can cook up in chunks and then break up to my liking), fish and I'll serve venison at a decent clip even though it's not creditable because it's just such a fantastically healthy lean red nutrient rich protein.

Then everything else.

I am not a fan of breads, crackers and specifically biter biscuits. They gum up and stick to everything including the roof of little ones mouths. I've had more kiddos choke on straight bits of bread, pancake, waffle etc than anything else. They are far and away the last thing I'll offer and even then they make me nervous.


If you like to make large quantities at one time, or appreciate being able to measure out appropriate portions, freezing any purees/blends/processes into ice cube trays and then bagging them works fantastic. Just pull out what frozen cubes you need for the day the night before and let them thaw in the refrigerator. For fast thaws you can submerge or run an individually bagged cube under hot water.

I refuse to introduce eggs, dairy, fish, strawberries, citrus, and any nut products here. That needs to be done by the parents at home. I like them to be served a minimum of a dozen times before I'll have kiddo eat them here.

[Kelly]

I have a 10-month-old dcb who eats everything. Since his mom started giving him table food, he hasn't wanted baby food at all. I give him small pieces of soft-cooked fruits and veggies, cottage cheese, gerber fruit & veggie melts, cheese, potatoes and sweet potatoes, chicken, vegetable soup (puree just a little but still chunky). My family eats mostly grain-free so I rarely have bread, pasta, rice or anything like that but when I do he eats it. He only has 2 teeth on the bottom but as long as the pieces are soft and small he gets them mashed up ok.

[itlw8]

You do not need teeth to chew. the molars do help chew meat but really will you give him a steak?

the front teeth and for ripping things off but you are going to cut it in small pieces not hand him a sandwich.

You do not need to mash the food. Then it is like baby food and he can not pick it up.

banana slices, cheerios, pasta, canned peas, peaches, crackers, ham, soft chicken. Cheese, soft cooked carrot cubes, potatoes, canned green beans toast squash, pumpkin ALL those things can just be cut and served. stop mashing the food.

old people at without teeth.. you do not need teeth that has nothing to do with choking.

[itlw8]

You asked how small... about the size of a dime should be fine. If that makes you nervous about the size of canned mixed veggies to start. Meat shoud be no larger than that. Some foods they will pick up and take a bite off like canned green beans.

I

[SilverSabre25]

I forgot to add avocado to my list. Sprinkle it with just a touch of salt--improves the flavor immensely.

(gasp! I just suggested giving salt to a baby! Don't flame me...)

[SunshineMama]

The pediatrician told dcm to get 9 mo old off of baby food. I'm having trouble thinking of things to give him. I've read all of the things suggested, but this baby has no teeth-none at all. His mom said to just try things and if he choked to fish it out with my finger. I do not want to do this!

I've done mashed potatoes and I mashed up some peas. The internet says steamed carrots, bread, banana cut into small pieces. I'm just not clear how small. He's the first one I've started on food that didn't have a tooth in his head.

I guess I just need to hear some info from people I trust to give me confidence.

Avocado, banana, steamed squash, cooked carrots, cooked apples and pears.. basically anything that you can soften by cooking. I would keep it in very small, diced cubes.

[Sunchimes]

He has been spitting up everything. We thought it was reflux, but the doctor said it wasn't. He said we need to get him off of jar food and on real food now. I guess he's right. He had mashed potatoes and mashed up peas on Friday and didn't spit up a drop. He had jar food yesterday (because our lunch didn't lend itself to mashing) and spit up all afternoon.

I'm going to print this off and put it on the fridge for back up when I fall into a rut. I knew I could count on you guys!

[Sunchimes]

Willow, I think he is ok with texture already. He is a huge eater and we've been adding rice cereal to his jar food for months. He didn't have any trouble with the mashed peas. I gave him a bite of his sister's scrambled eggs yesterday, then changed my mind and fished them back out of his mouth. Mom said he had eaten eggs a few times, so I guess he would have been ok. I just gave his sister pecans for the first time, and she's 27 months old. We have a yard full, and she is bad about putting them in her mouth. So I showed her how they have to be cracked open (thank goodness for strong hands!) first. She thinks it's hilarious and always brings me 2 at a time for me to crack open. ;-)