Your 10-month-old has some pearly whites, he's learning the thumb-finger grasp, and now he's reaching for your food. Chances are, he's ready to start exploring a new world of finger foods. After getting the thumbs up from his pediatrician, you can gradually introduce him to a variety of foods that are small, soft and mashable.
Bread, Cakes and Crackers
Lightly toasted bread, rice cakes and crackers that will turn mushy in your baby's mouth are the best types to offer her. If your baby hasn't yet mastered the thumb-finger grasp, give her larger items, such as a biscuit or small piece of bagel. However, if she is a pro, break some bread into small bits and let her pick them up from her tray. Test bread before giving it to her by sucking and nibbling on it; if it turns into a lump rather than mush, hold off.
Fruit
Your baby will love the vibrant and sweet nature of fruit, but don't give him any that could potentially get caught in his throat. Stay away from apples, unripe or fresh pears and fruits with seeds and pits. If you do offer your baby soft fruit that has seeds or a pit (e.g. peaches and apricots) remove them before he eats. Offer him small pieces of fruit, such as banana, melon, mashed blueberries and mango. Coat slippery fruits with crushed grain cereal to make it easier for him to grasp.
Vegetables
Many peeled, cooked and seeded vegetables are nutritious and easy for babies to eat. Soft-cooked mashed peas, sweet potatoes, green beans and carrots can be made baby-friendly if they are small enough. For the time being, avoid giving your little one any hard vegetables, such as celery and raw carrots.
Cereal
"O"-shaped cereal is the perfect finger food. It's easy to grasp, it quickly becomes mushy when it comes in contact with saliva, and it is easy to tote around in small zip bags. Other types of cereal your baby may enjoy are puffed wheat and rice cereal. WhatToExpect.com recommends waiting until your baby is at least 1 year old before giving her any honey-sweetened cereal, as she is at increased risk of infant botulism.
Soft Protein-Rich Foods
Diversify your baby's finger-food diet by offering him other soft foods, such as cubes of tofu, soft cheeses (such as cheddar and Gouda), shreds of chicken and small bits of white-fleshed fish (such as cod and sole). Once again, if your baby has trouble holding onto these soft foods, coat them in crushed grain cereal.
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