Finger foods you don't have to cook? Or that are really quick and easy?

[sensfan]

Hello all! DD is 10 months, STILL no teeth, but she's being a pill with chunkier purees all of the sudden so I want to try getting more finger foods in her. Looking for ideas that are quick and easy, since I'm a terrible cook and don't always have time to do it during the day. I know with no teeth she can have more than I think she can, but it still makes me nervous. Anyways, as far as uncooked things go she's had cheerios, blueberries, pears, banana, avocado (not a fan!), and cheese. Any and all ideas would be great!

[~inbalance~]

Hi Jen!  I find things that you have to cook, but can make in big batches and freeze or keep in the fridge for a week are the easiest.  We do things like bean burgers and sweet potato fries.  The bean burgers are a bit of work, but a batch lasts a long time in the freezer and I can just pull some out when I need them.  Lots of fruit and veg works great.  Have you tried carrot sticks or broccoli?  I know it seems weird since she doesn't have any teeth, but she can suck on them.  We also do cucumber.  What about really healthy, all natural crackers?  DH bought a kind that work well for F, I can't remember what they're called but they don't have anything bad in them.  Toast fingers, other kinds of cereals (you don't have to be limited to cheerios!), cold or warm pasta is a favorite around here.  I think pretty much anything can be a finger food. 

[rach321]

hummus and pitta bread?

[Texomamama]

Lots of good suggestions above.  Also want to say that my DD1 did not get her first tooth until she was 13 months old, and she was able to successfully eat anything I gave her (though I did not give hard raw veggies). 

[sensfan]

Some good ideas, hadn't thought about freezing finger foods! What do you do for bean burgers Martina?

[~inbalance~]

I posted the recipe here awhile back:  http://babywhispererforums.com/index.php?topic=186135.0
There might be a few more ideas for you here too:  http://babywhispererforums.com/index.php?topic=178221.0  Again, probably more work, but you could make and freeze some of them. 

[Mama2boys]

brb

[sarahjoy]

Right now the favorite finger foods for my 10mo are fruit and avocado, chickpeas ( I just break them in half with my thumb), pasta (like someone else said, I just make a batch on the weekends), hard boiled egg yolks, rice cakes, and shredded cheese.  He's also getting picky about wanting to feed himself more so I've been making little piles of his pureed veg on his highchair tray and he grabs it, makes a mess but he likes it a lot.  I also made mini turket meatballs and he is eating those like crazy, again made a double batch and froze most of them.  I also make a batch of oatmeal for the week and then just take out enough for some breakfasts each day, that way you don't have to make it each day.

[sensfan]

Do you make the turkey meatballs yourself? What do you do? I really am hopeless in the kitchen...thank God DH can cook!

[~inbalance~]

I am hopeless too but manage to pull it together sometimes. 

It's pretty easy to make your own meatballs.  I just some ground meat of your choice, and you can add anything you like really - chopped veggies, breadcrumbs, eggs to make it stick together, maybe some quinoa.  Roll 'em into little balls and bake 'em.  Can't remember for how long at what temp, but I don't imagine it's rocket science.  I'm making meatloaf now with all the same ingredients at 375 for 1hr, so maybe less than that, making sure to turn 'em. 

[C&B&E]

My DS didn't have any teeth til 14 months, but he ate pretty much anything we ate just fine!  A good way of testing whether a food is suitable is to put it in your mouth and try and mush it up by using the tongue and the roof of your mouth - if you can mush it up (even if it takes a while) then they are more than able to eat it with their hard little gums  .

xx

[sarahjoy]

I used a receipe from Annable Karmel that I found on babycenter.com.  I figured I would try a receipe the first time then do it on my own the rest of the time.  I only used half the amount of shallot though, it just sounded like too much, and I was right, they would have been SO onion-y smelling if I'd gone with the full onion amount.
http://www.babycenter.com/209_poached-chicken-balls_75310061_1.bc

[We Three]

Blueberry pancakes were a huge hit for dd at that age (not really considered *cooking* to make pancakes, is it?)...also scrambled eggs, french toast soldiers (eggy bread), organic frozen whole wheat waffles that you can pop into the toaster, bits of grilled cheese sandwhich, pasta, melon, (cantelope, honeydew), sliced grapes, and baked potato. I realize some of these involve cooking, but really simple no-fuss cooking. I despise cooking, and even I can do these!   

[Mama2boys]

sanwiches but rolled flat, so make a sandhwich and roll it flat so  the filling doe snot fall out IYKWIM

We do pancakes and French toast and scrambled egg, waffles from a box etc. I cook a fair amount so kids get cooked food but I do cook and freeze so its easier