Author Topic: Need finger food ideas for 10mo refusing to be spoonfed (Read 7299 times)

lesliemarie · « **on:** August 25, 2011, 21:38:27 pm »

I need some good finger food ideas for DD who is 10.5 months old. She is refusing to be spoonfed more than a few mouthfuls. She will eat toast fingers but not much of them, pieces of pear and squash, blueberries, soda crackers, arrowroot cookies, the odd piece of cheese and that is about it.

She is happy if you give her the bowl and spoon but then just plays instead of eating it. I'm just not sure what to do with her at this point. She isn't a tiny girl though so I guess I shouldn't worry but the kid who used to eat a large jar of food (doesn't want my homemade stuff anymore either) will barely eat a third of the jar now. She is teething now but she had about two weeks between the last tooth and this one and still didn't start eating much.

She so wants to be independent and I want to let her but I need some more ideas. Here is what she is refusing as well.

pasta
peas
carrot pieces
apple pieces
I know there is a lot more but I can't think of them at the moment. Any ideas would be appreciated. Right now she is climbing all over me and whining so it is off to try to find something else that she will eat.

*Kara* · « **Reply #1 on:** August 25, 2011, 22:54:06 pm »

Just following along... exactly the same problem with my 9 1/2 month old... who also has not figured out self feeding

Katchloe · « **Reply #2 on:** August 25, 2011, 23:44:11 pm »

And my (almost) 8 month old who now screams like she's being beaten if I point a spoon at her! Lol. So far mine has done:

Green beans
Chicken
Rice (difficult though)
Tuna
Cheerios
Gerber puffs
Toast

lesliemarie · « **Reply #3 on:** August 26, 2011, 00:42:04 am »

It's so hard isn't it. I just don't know how to help her figure it out.

*Kara* · « **Reply #4 on:** August 26, 2011, 02:03:36 am »

LOL @ Kat! I know hey?!?! At least Chloe can get the food into her mouth!

Lemonthyme · « **Reply #5 on:** August 26, 2011, 16:07:06 pm »

Here's a link to a finger food page on my blog:

http://mamacook.blogspot.com/search/label/Great%20Finger%20Foods?m=0

Hope that works, posting from my phone!

Shiv52 · « **Reply #6 on:** August 26, 2011, 16:13:54 pm »

We're also at the finger food stage and spoon refusal.

One thing I will say is don't stop offering foods based on refusal. So if your LO previously ate certain foods as finger foods keep offering them in rotation. If she doesn't eat them fair enough. Repeated exposure is the best way to increase food variety. Otherwise they may limit themselves further.

Here chicken, cheese toasties, breadsticks (which i stick a dip on and she licks off) , meatballs, pasta, fish fingers (home made), beans, corn. She'll eat pretty much anything as a finger food. Brocolli is her FAVOURITE at the minute. Yogurt pancakes. She'd a boiled egg for lunch and I just chopped it into pieces and she fed herself. Trick here is not to put too much on her tray at once otherwise she chucks it off while she is eating a piece and then wonders where it went!

zeri · « **Reply #7 on:** August 26, 2011, 16:53:59 pm »

same thing, at nearly 10 months he's not liking the spoon at all!
Avocado, grated cheese, grated apple, pear, peach, organic baby mum mums, egg yolk, pasta, green peas (squished) baked sweet potato and reg potato, grilled soft zuchinni.

I really need tips on how to serve meat though - he only has two top and two bottom teeth!

Shiv52 · « **Reply #8 on:** August 26, 2011, 16:57:19 pm »

Rosa has no teeth and she easily eats chunks of chicken and meatballs and fish fingers. Her wee gums do just as good job as teeth!

zeri · « **Reply #9 on:** August 26, 2011, 17:12:03 pm »

I am going to try meatballs tonight then (of course, DD won't want them, lol.... I am glad I have one good eater! Maybe the baby will teach /her/... )

Shiv52 · « **Reply #10 on:** August 26, 2011, 17:16:11 pm »

LOL my 3 YO has started eating loads more stuff more readily because the baby does!!

cuckoochick · « **Reply #11 on:** August 26, 2011, 20:09:48 pm »

Charlotte loves little finger sandwiches. She manages them just fine without teeth.

Sometimes I make them as open-topped sandwiches with the filling on the top but it gets a bit messier this way. She loves cream cheese (Philadelphia), tuna with a little mayo, egg and tomato mashed up together. She loves grated cheese too but I've found she doesn't like cheese on toast as much.

C is getting a bit better with the spoon if it is food that we are all having. She will let me feed her peas on a spoon because although she has her pincer grip great she knows it's quicker if I give them to her on a spoon. She is also like this with couscous and rice.

I made C some lovely tuna croquettes from the BLW recipe book and they are great as finger foods. C also likes omelette cut into strips and we have given her pancakes too.

These LOs sure know how to play you with the food though. We are at the throwing food stage big time! Before it used to be dropped from the side of the high chair, now it is thrown!

*Kara* · « **Reply #12 on:** August 26, 2011, 21:56:55 pm »

If only mine could figure out how to get the food from her sticky hands to her mouth! LOL!

zeri · « **Reply #13 on:** August 27, 2011, 00:27:00 am »

Well, I tried meatballs tonight and he did try them, but spit it right back out again. I think I somehow gave birth to two vegetarians!

lesliemarie · « **Reply #14 on:** August 27, 2011, 00:56:35 am »

Those are all great suggestions. DD was MSPI previously but has been on soy formula for approx 3 months now. I did a trial of yogurt and she seemed to be fine. Maybe a little red on her bum but she also started teething just after that so I think it was that. Either way I'm going to start trying the cream cheese sandwiches and such. She loves to have the spoon and bowl herself but she gets totally covered. There is no way I can get this girl to eat without needing a full wipedown if not a bath afterwards

We're away at grandma's for the weekend but maybe we'll start trying new things tomorrow since we're going to a birthday party. Fingers crossed she eats more

*Kara* · « **Reply #15 on:** August 27, 2011, 01:15:24 am »

Found a great use for all those purees I have in the freezer - sandwich spread!

Katchloe · « **Reply #16 on:** August 27, 2011, 15:59:51 pm »

Yup!! There was some on chloes tray and she took a cheerio and dipped it and atr it LOL

*Kara* · « **Reply #17 on:** August 27, 2011, 16:50:36 pm »

BAHAHAH! Kids will eat anything with a dip

lesliemarie · « **Reply #18 on:** August 28, 2011, 02:32:35 am »

I just found large cubes of tofu to go over well. I think she likes that she can hold it and get bites off. I also just tried some large chunks of watermelon and she loved it.

*Kara* · « **Reply #19 on:** August 28, 2011, 04:18:27 am »

Awesome! I have also heard of people doing bite sized cubes of tofu coated in crushed Cheerios so that LO can easily grip them

Katchloe · « **Reply #20 on:** August 28, 2011, 11:48:47 am »

Grocery shopping may get interesting today....

lesliemarie · « **Reply #21 on:** August 28, 2011, 14:43:15 pm »

As long as you get the firm tofu and the chunks are about 3/4 of an inch then LOs should be able to grab them. I got some beets to try as well. It will be terrible mess but maybe she will like them. They will cook down soft enough that she can eat it without me worrying I think. I'm not even sure if I like beets. Maybe we'll share

cuckoochick · « **Reply #22 on:** August 28, 2011, 15:28:20 pm »

Ooh beets sound dangerous on carpets, walls, curtains....I might try them with DD though but outside!!!!

I like beets but I like them pickled!

lesliemarie · « **Reply #23 on:** August 28, 2011, 18:00:55 pm »

Well we have dark laminate floors so I think we'd be good there. We do have a light coloured couch though so will have to ensure that she is nowhere near

Lemonthyme · « **Reply #24 on:** August 29, 2011, 05:21:48 am »

I've always been a bit cautious about tofu and soya with my son because of the phyto-oestrogens in it. I don't know if the risks have been overstated (after all plenty of Chinese and Japanese have had high soy diets for years but then they have very different diets and lifestyles over all.) There is the other factor that I can't stand the stuff too of course...

lesliemarie · « **Reply #25 on:** August 29, 2011, 12:06:53 pm »

Well here DD is on soy formula as she had MSPI but is now able to tolerate the soy. So, since she has that formula I'm just going for it with the tofu.

Lemonthyme · « **Reply #26 on:** August 29, 2011, 16:24:50 pm »

Oh I don't think it's an issue for girls anyway. I'm sure I'm just being OTT!

*Kara* · « **Reply #27 on:** August 29, 2011, 17:11:47 pm »

It's just an issue for boys

That said, I haven't given DD tofu for the same reason you stated Lemonthyme...

I also would not use a soy based formula as they are not recommended here for anything that is tolerance related... doctors suggest hypoallergenic formula now like Nutramigen...

lesliemarie · « **Reply #28 on:** August 29, 2011, 18:19:58 pm »

Yes she was on the Nutramigen and also Neocate. The problem is here isn't covered by anything and is more than 4 times the cost of regular formula. I just couldn't pay for it anymore while being off work

Hopefully she will only be on it for another month or so. Then I've got to figure out what to replace it with if she can't tolerate cow's milk. I'm working on dairy trials now and they are going well so I've got my fingers crossed.

*Kara* · « **Reply #29 on:** August 29, 2011, 22:25:23 pm »

Oh wow... where do you live?

In Canada, Nutramigen is only about 10-15% more in price over other name brand formulas...

lesliemarie · « **Reply #30 on:** August 30, 2011, 01:09:09 am »

I am in Canada. Sorry the Nutramigen is about $22 for a 400gm tin vs $24-26 for a 730gm tin of Enfamil regular/soy/AR etc. It was the Neocate that is soooo expensive. It is $50 for a 400gm tin. When she was on Neocate I was spending over $700/month on it. Considering I get $806 every two weeks from EI the formula was costing half of what I was earning per month. Just crazy.

I tried the soy because my numerous appeals to my benefits plan failed and my pead said that based on the type of intolerance she has 80% of infants with that type of intolerance can handle soy. I guess the difference is if there are antibodies in the blood. I can't remember exactly off the top of my head but she didn't have the antibodies in her blood so it wasn't an allergy issue but just an intolerance to the protein. To be honest I think she will be able to tolerate dairy. I'm just not sure I want to switch to a full dairy formula yet until I get her sleeping/teething sorted. I know I'm almost at the point where she should be drinking milk so I'm not really sure what to do. That is one of the things I'm going to discuss with the pead tomorrow. I'm thinking I may try a gradual switch over like I did with the soy. I changed her from the Neocate to soy over a period of a month.

She has made so many improvements over the past couple of months that I'm afraid to push too much but with her going to daycare in 2 weeks I really have to try. I would love to get her off of formula and just onto milk and there is no way I want to be giving her soy milk to drink. I really don't want her having that much soy.

On a bright note, she had some beans today. The beans in tomato sauce. Way more sugar in it than she has ever had so it's no wonder she loved them. But the really big hit of the day was garlic and chive cream cheese sandwiches. She love, love, loved it. She ate half a sandwich and still wanted more

*Kara* · « **Reply #31 on:** August 30, 2011, 04:11:55 am »

If she is doing well with solids, you could ask the pead if it would be best to just get her off of formula a bit early... she is almost 11 months now and would only be on it for a month or two anyways

Neocate is brutal expensive! $700 a month would almost convince me to relactate

Katchloe · « **Reply #32 on:** August 30, 2011, 11:46:48 am »

That's nuts! I'm going to try the nutramigen for my DD. The formula we get is $14/900g so the jump between those is bad enough! My $540 ei doesn't go far lol.

lesliemarie · « **Reply #33 on:** August 30, 2011, 11:48:45 am »

Ha. It's funny you say that. I actually tried but after a month on Domperidone I was only up to 3oz per day. Since she is still drinking 24-30oz per day there is no way that was going to work.

I'm going to talk to the pead about what our options are. I'm still working on getting rid of the overnight bottle so I'm not sure if I'll be able to get her off of formula and if I can what the heck do I give her. $:-\$ Oh well, hopefully I'll get some answers today.

*Kara* · « **Reply #34 on:** August 30, 2011, 17:31:44 pm »

She still has a NF? Is her daily intake really low?

lesliemarie · « **Reply #35 on:** August 30, 2011, 20:03:34 pm »

Not really. Just a hungry baby. She is also a big baby. She was just weighed and is 23 pounds 4 ounces at not quite 11 months old. I'm working on getting rid of the night feed but with all the teething she wasn't eating much so was needing it for sure. Also when teething she doesn't eat as much solids.

So the pead said that I could try her with a little straight milk in a cup once she is a year old. Just give a little bit each day for three days and if no reaction then to increase. He said if she has a reaction then to keep her on the soy formula until she is two.

Katchloe · « **Reply #36 on:** August 30, 2011, 23:09:19 pm »

Two?? Wow! Not even just soy milk??

I have a big DD too. Just weighed at 22 lbs10 oz at eight months. Since teething started full fledged (she has four), daytime food and formula can be touch and go. She's also grown 3 inches in 2 months. So there are definitely times we still NF. It happens!

lesliemarie · « **Reply #37 on:** August 30, 2011, 23:21:55 pm »

Yep. 2. That's what I thought. I'm hoping she can have the milk. I'm going to start her with just a little bit at a time. She is now having little bits of cheese, cream cheese on bread, some yogurt although she doesn't seem to like it. I guess something with butter is the next test and then it will be onto milk. I don't think it will be too big an issue.

I'm not really concerned with one NF. If she just wakes once to eat and then back to sleep I'm not really bothered. DD1 had two NFs until after a year. Both were big girls. Actually one NW/NF would be heaven compared to the multiple NWs we've had for months and months and months.

Katchloe · « **Reply #38 on:** August 31, 2011, 16:29:42 pm »

Everything is a matter of context

I slept much better when C did like 8-3(feed)-7. Now it's like....6:30- anywhere from 3:30 to 6:30, sometimes feed sometimes not, sometimes back to sleep sometimes unsettled for an hour....oye.

*Kara* · « **Reply #39 on:** August 31, 2011, 16:52:13 pm »

I agree Kat. I slept so much better when A would do 7pm BT with zero fuss, sleep until around 2-3am, wake for a quick feed and back to sleep until ~7am. I had no problem falling back to sleep after feeding her and no issue staying asleep before she woke either... now if I wake up during the night, I live in fear of her waking up!

lesliemarie · « **Reply #40 on:** August 31, 2011, 17:30:31 pm »

I have the same thing. We had a wonderful few days before the last tooth started to come when she slept from 7:45 until between 4 and 5 for a feed and back to sleep until about 7:15-7:30. Now there are tons of NWs again. I think it is the 2-1 but I don't know if I can realistically say that since she was been having tons of NWs for months and months and I never really know what is causing it $:-\$

Yesterday evening and today she is back to not wanting to eat much and drinking lots of formula. Must be another tooth. I'm so tired of these teeth already and she only has three. Just 17 more to go.

Katchloe · « **Reply #41 on:** August 31, 2011, 21:58:18 pm »

Lol that's my theory. Every time she cuts one, yay, one less to go!

*Kara* · « **Reply #42 on:** August 31, 2011, 22:39:24 pm »

Yup! My theory too - one down, XX to go

Funny enough, I think her first top one is starting to cut today

lesliemarie · « **Reply #43 on:** September 01, 2011, 01:20:33 am »

Her first top one came through last week and it is way to far over. I'm almost wondering if it could be the one beside the front tooth. Does that happen often?

*Kara* · « **Reply #44 on:** September 01, 2011, 03:36:46 am »

It can happen for sure, but baby teeth often come in funky/crooked and seem to resolve as they get more teeth

lesliemarie · « **Reply #45 on:** September 01, 2011, 12:04:50 pm »

I really hope so. I couldn't see it at first because it was so far over. I just wasn't looking over there

zeri · « **Reply #46 on:** September 29, 2011, 02:00:31 am »

yep, my dd's front tooth (not the front /front/ one, but the next over beside her eye tooth) never did come in on the left side. The dentist said it isn't that unusual. DS seems to be on track so far with four top, four bottom. He is still drooling like a untended lawn sprinkler though, so I am hoping for more any day now.....

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Author Topic: Need finger food ideas for 10mo refusing to be spoonfed (Read 7299 times)