Baby snacks

Nikole - posted on 04/25/2010

you can give cheerios, gerber puffs to your child when they can crawl or sit up by them selves. my daughter eats the puffs up. they dont pose a choking hazard because they dissolve. i gave her them at 8 months.

Laura - posted on 04/24/2010

Becca like you I use the Baby led weaning and my son also eat lots of different things. My son has a great pincer grasp and LOVES feeding himself. he feeds himself just about all of his food. My doctor recommended trying puffys, bits of toast and cheerios at 7 months and my son loved feeding himself and the baby lead weaning took off from there.

Becca - posted on 03/27/2010

I would take a look at Baby led weaning. You would be amazed at what your little one can probably manage just fine on their own. My son will be 8 months at the end of the month and he eats everything including things like strips of meat, siced apples, brussel sprouts, chunks of cheese, spaghetti/noodles, toast/crackers, broccoli, steamed carrot and banana. Now that he has a good pincer grasp (thumb and fore finger) we are starting to introduce smaller foods like puffed rice cereal or green peas.

Michelle - posted on 03/27/2010

My pediatrician suggested we begin with the puffs and cookies at six months - although we didn't. My daughter just turned 8 months on the 21st and we just bought the puffs today. I've been a little slow with the introductions! The puffs dissolve soooo fast that I don't think they have time to choke on them (of course give wtih supervision :-) I've tried the arrow root cookies and I'm a lot more comfortable with the puffs!

Liz - posted on 03/27/2010

my nathan loves cheerios and rice krispies :) he's not a huge fan of the puffs, and cheerios "melt" much quicker. and no chance of choking w. rice krispies, as long as there arent too many going in his mouth! before he had teeth, he loved "chewing" on raw carrots and fresh broccoli stems. now he can take a chunk out so i dont give them to him anymore, but it was great for teething.

Rebeeca - posted on 03/27/2010

I also have 2 of those mesh bags that look like a soother, and my daughter has had tons of different fruits in them and loves it. Its great to put cold fruit or veggies in when they are teething it helps their little gums..

Rebeeca - posted on 03/27/2010

My daughter is 8 1/2 mths and has been eating mum-mums for about a month. She is also eating the Gerber puffs and Gerber cheesies. She is really good about putting them to the side to eat. She has eaten small pieces of bread and yogurt as well.

Cynthia - posted on 03/25/2010

I went strictly by what my son was doing and what the containers said and he is totally fine. Surprising, he just chewed it, and he has no teeth, but he knew right away what to do with it and loves, loves, loves them.

Nicole - posted on 03/25/2010

hey guys I just bought the star Gerber graduates puffs (Sweet potato flavor) for my 81/2 month old, it will be her first time eating them. i have read these posts and I'm alittle confused at to what you guys are reading that says for 1 year plus. they say on them they are for the crawler stage and then it lists some things that show your child might be ready such as pulliing themselves up to stand. My daughter does all of these things already so I intend on giving her some of these, however now I'm second guessing it. I definitely would give these to her before I would give her a peice of bread, even I sometimes still feel like I am about to choke on a bite of bread swallowed too fast.

Kerri - posted on 03/20/2010

I give my son the puffs; he does really good with them. I just broke them up a bit at first, so he could get used to them. I also give him bananas, usually just mushed up pieces off my fingers. Small pieces of soft bread too.

Cynthia - posted on 03/20/2010

My son was 8 months on 3-8-10 and he has been eating the mum-mums since 4 months, then those biter cookies at about 5-6months and now he eats the baby cheesey puffs, the little puffed star snacks... and cherrios after I let them soak for a second, but he just chews on them to soften them up and he doesn't even have any teeth, yet. Basically, like one of the other moms said, you just have to go with what you feel comfortable with. It's a little scary letting them try new things, but they pick up very quickly, just start with small pieces and she will slowly learn. Especially since he started to crawl, he has snacks all the time cuz he's using so much more energy.

Cindy - posted on 03/20/2010

I'm glad you aksed this question because I am very curious what I can or should start giving my baby boy! Thank you for asking this question! :) :)

Paige - posted on 03/20/2010

I give my 8 month old the puffs and cheerios.. she has been eating the puffs for about two months now and cheeiros for a bit. She is my second child and so I guess I worry less with her. She also eats gramcrackers and saltines. I feed her what ever veggs we are eating for the night. If we have corn or early peas I just put them on her tray. I am always right by her and keep a good eye on her whenever she is eating. I think its mostly about practice and what ever feels best for you as a parent.

Lauren - posted on 03/20/2010

The mesh bags are awesome! I freeze Stonyfields Farms Yobaby yogurt in ice-cube trays and then cut the cube to fit it in the bag. My daughter loves this frozen treat! Great for teething and the acidophilus helps counteract yeast. I have never had a problem with the puffs. Zoë seems to like them. We also do shredded cheese, bits of banana or other soft fruit. I will also tear off little bits of whatever softer food we are eating and give it to her. Its a good way to expose them to different flavors.
I have heard that Baby Mum-Mums are manufactured in China, which makes me nervous (the malanine in the milk issue). If I am buying a premade snack I always try to get organic and American made products.

Katie - posted on 03/20/2010

Another good clue that your baby is ready for things like puffs or cheerios.. is that she sits up on her own, or crawls with her tummy off the floor... that she no longer pushes food right back out of her mouth (the gag reflex) and gums the food you do give her until it is soft...

Katie - posted on 03/20/2010

My baby at 7 mo was eating the puffs, with no problems.. she choked on cheerios, but LOVES Cascade Farms Clifford Cereal.. which is whole grain, and organic... she loves the Gerber Yogurt Bites, even to the point she claps when she sees me pull the bag down LOL, she loves toast with a VERY light spread of Peanut butter on it, I use 12 grain bread, we don't buy white, there isnt any nutrition in it... cut up bananas, cut up canned fruit that I rinse the syrup off of, like peaches, or mangoes, pears are her favorite, she also loves egg YOLKS, I buy organic, and hardboil the egg and mash up the yolk for her... NOT WHITES... just yolks... I nurse her.. and she nurses quite often, but she still eats three meals, and a couple small snacks a day.. I just give her some food whenever she finishes nursing but still seems hungry..

Paige - posted on 03/20/2010

I urse as well, but she loves her finger foods..I just thought..she LOVES it when I make sweet potato fries, I just chunk up some fresh sweet potato and bake it in the oven for a bitk it gets nice and mushy, SHE LOVE THEM and you can bake a bunch at once, save some for later! If you want a bit of real "fry" texture to then (she likes them mushy" but brush them with a bit of olive oil

Linnea - posted on 03/20/2010

some of the things you mention I dont know what is, I put it down to me living in England :) my daughter is 8.5 months and snacks has been something I used to worry lots about, i was particularly paranoid about choking. However I also used to think she would stop breathing in her sleep and that I would miscarry when I was pregnant, I think this comes with being a mum. So I like to take a step back every now and again and do a reality check so we can live a relaxed life.

Both me and my partner took a 'hands on' rescuscitation class at our local hospital just before I gave birth, that really helped ease things, I also think back to my own childhood (before meshbags and worry about if things fell on the floor) and that helps lots too!

As far as snacks go I dont like any baby branded snacks from the supermarkets as they are all pretty much full of sugar :-I, baby cereal is really processed and sugary too and it only takes a minute to cook up some raw oats with wholemilk for a lovely wholesome porridge which my daughter loves - its so easy to add to it, depending on how her tummy is I will either chop sultanas/raisins, dried apricots, prunes or even peel a fresh apple and grate it (on the fine side of the grater so its nearly a mush) directly into her porridge, she absolutely loves it and I make a double portion so I dont steal all of it!

She will also gnaw (she only got two bottom teeth) on wholegrain bread (although things come out intact, she still gets to enjoy the texture and the flavour!) she also likes grated fresh carrot, grated apple, chopped sultanas and a sprinkle of lemon juice mixed together. I have seen some really lovely recipes for savoury flapjacks for when she gets a bit older, looking forward to trying them.

I am still breastfeeding so we dont seem to have time for snacks really as well as 3 meals, this will all change when she is one though!

I think the main thing is (even with snacks) is just never ever leave your baby alone while she is eating

sending you all lots of happy babythoughts from UK xx

Valerie - posted on 03/19/2010

I was really scared to try the gerber graduate snacks, but they are really great. The puffs come in a few flavors and dissolve right away (try it out yourself), the lil'crunchies are like mini cheese puffs and she likes to hold on to them, yogurt melts dissolve quickly and the finger foods wagon wheels also come in a few flavors and dissolve nicely. I'm going to wait a while on the cheerios, but I think I'm going to try the mesh bag thing (probably really good for sore gums if fruit is frozen). I tried the teething biscuits, they are really messy and gross, but she just sucks on it (and I sit there with her). Baby yogurt made from whole milk (like yo baby) is also a favorite and comes in a lot of flavors. My friend just found the old fashioned zwieback toast, I'll have to try it out first, seems crumbly. I haven't given her wheat yet, but a lot of people say toast is ok. My baby crawls and has two bottom teeth about half way thru. Just do what you feel comfortable with.

Gail - posted on 03/19/2010

Finger foods are great for them,,, and no need to mash fruit up. Just cut a slice it just needs to be long enought for them to hold in thier hand and some of the top to put in their mouth. It can get messy with some foods but they are learning about textures on stuff,, also helps their hand eye coordination and speaking later on.
but i give my son different types of fruit,, some rice cakes,,, i did give him a reduced sugar harleys rusk,,lol what a mess but he did enjoy it...

Wendy - posted on 03/19/2010

I have the mesh bag things as well and I love them, I put frozen banana's in them and it is great for teething, I am nervous about cherrio's and puff's yet, seems that she does not really know how to chew yet, I think that it really depends on how many teeth they have and what they have been eating, my daughter gags on any chunks in her food right now, trying to get her over that hehe. Great question I was wondering the same thing :)

Paige - posted on 03/19/2010

the stars disolve when wet, as long as your baby can jaw a bit of food I havent had any issues at all, if you read the back of the container it says "crawler" ..and mine is a crawler for sure. She loves the yogurt bites as well. I also toast whole grain bread and smear it with a bit of sweet potato or some of her fruit on top just to give it some flavor. She also loves baked apples or pears. I haven't done the cheerios or puffs, but the stars are designed to disolve with moisture, so they cut down on choking hazard..call me paranoid.

Kate - posted on 03/19/2010

Im being told that those puffs or stars are not good for kids this age and should be given to babies over the age of 1, is this true or can i try her on cherios, puffs and stars?? i went to get some yesterday and the package says over age one, any ideas????

Jessie - posted on 03/13/2010

funny my son is also 8 months old today. he doesn't really have much in the way of snacks at all. nurses about 5 or 6 times a day and eats baby food/cereal or whatever of our food a smash up for him. we have played around with the little puffs but he can't really get them in his mouth. they get stuck to his fingers or the side of his face, lol. he can manage them fine if I put them in his mouth for him however so it's just a matter of practice I guess.

Jessica - posted on 03/13/2010

I give Ellie... Wheat toast, cut into really small portions, Cheerios broken in half, and she tried puffs today, she loves them!

Nicole - posted on 03/13/2010

those mesh bag things are great you can put most things in them. my daughter loves those baby mum mum things as well.

Carlea - posted on 03/13/2010

I give my 8 month old a variety of things. When I'm cooking his food for the week, I steam some pieces of broccoli with long stems, carrots, cauliflower, apple, pears etc for him to chew on. I make sure they're a size easy for him to hold and pick up. He also loves all sorts of crackers or breads and I spread cottage cheese, ricotta or hummous lightly on them. Yesterday, I made wholemeal banana pancakes and muffins which worked wonderfully and went down a treat - they had only a tsp of raw sugar in them but the banana added the most sweetness. Also, lady finger bananas are the best as they're little and a perfect size for their hands.

Great question by the way - I'm always looking for ideas for him to have for lunch and snack on!

Kris - posted on 03/11/2010

Chayce loves the gerber yogurt bites (I snap them in half even though they dissolve). I also give her bites of toast without the crust, and the gerber puffs. The puffs are the ones she does the best with because they completely dissolve.

Angie - posted on 03/11/2010

My daughter is 8 months old and she for snack she eats, cut up fruit like banana, kiwi, peaches and pears. She loves baby goldfish, and cherrios. She also eats any kind of cracker we have. But shes been eating solid food since she was 3 months old. What I do for my daughter to feed herself her fruit is take cherrios and grind them up so there like dust and sprinkle it over the fruit, that way its easier for her to pick it up. Oh she also likes the tiny star pasta with cheese.

Vicki - posted on 03/10/2010

Bronwyn I give him grain bread no worries - I'd rather he didn't grow with a preference for white. The grains just come out in his poo. Grapes cut in half are my standby snack here. He doesn't really snack much though, except for at playgroups when he scavenges food off other kids and the floor. Yes I'm a feral :)

Bobie - posted on 03/10/2010

my son will be 8mos too on march 13.he has been eating baby mum-mums since he was 4mos old.he is very good at chewing it now & holding it by himslef now.he also has that oatmeal(i think) cookie that dissolves & is pretty messy.aside from cookies i give him diced/mashed fruits like mango,kiwi,banana...we just had his monthly check-up today & his pedia ok'd him having cheerios for finger foods. I understand ur apprehension about cheerios coz i myself am doubtful/scared that its gona choke baby but ive heard from other moms & doctors that even if babies do swallow them by accident & it will end up stuck in the throat, it wont block air because of the hole in the middle....so i duno..its up to u to try it when ur comfortable with the idea. the puffs i think i will wait till hes bigger..coz i think they are just intended for toddlers as whats written on the label?
rice crackers too are ok to start as finger foods/snack or toasted whole wheat bagel to chew on...
hope this helps...but in the end it is still ur decision on whats comfortable for u that matters.

Bronwyn - posted on 03/10/2010

last night i gave K a chunk of hot dog bun. Was going to give her a crust of bread, but the only bread we have is multigrain, and i didn't think the grain would be good for her, so i grabbed a hot dog bun out the freezer and sliced a bit off the end - perfect size, nice and cold for a bit, and easy enough for her to chomp away on with two little teeth. It even gets all soggy, so easier to swallow. Otherwise, maybe a bit of banana, or if you have one of those mesh bag things maybe? I have two of those, but haven't used either yet.