[StorkWatcher]

So this past week, A started snacking on some graham cracker pieces, and small pieces of cheese (he loves cojack). He is enjoying feeding himself, but I need more ideas. He'll eat Cheerios and veggie or fruit puffs fine.

Although he will eat pieces of banana, he is not really liking the other little cubes of "slimy" textures (pears, peaches, apples, carrots). If I chop them up a little, he'll eat them off a spoon, SOMETIMES. But he does NOT like to pick them off the tray with his hands. Last night, I was able to get him eat some green bean pieces.

What are some good ideas for healthy things he can feed himself now, especially for snacks? One of the books mentioned pieces of whole grain breads/toast.

[SchmennaLeigh]

There's a GREAT article in the October issue of Parents that has pictures (to show amoutn) of about 50+ self-feeding ideas. Green beans. Mac & Cheese with whole wheat pasta. Avacado. It shows the size to cut things up as well. It's on our fridge right now. But he's still if-y about touching anything remotely slimy, ala banana.

[Emster]

I just read somewhere to give new eaters a frozen whole grain bagel--what he can scrape off with his teeth, he can eat, otherwise nothing else he will choke on. Sounds like it would be cold on the ol' teeth, though, doesn't it?

[McNally720]

And I thought boys were supposed to dig slimy stuff!

I was going to metion that Parents article too--it was a very cool spread.

There are about a million different kinds of little crackers out there, and M's new fav is cinnamon Life cereal. Teddy Grahams these days are practically health food (and less messy than regular graham crackers).

Have you tried whole peas? Has he started on meat yet? I wonder if "naked" pasta would past his slime-meter?

M recently discovered the wonders of raisins and craisins as well. Not that they get to be the main course, but she's loving a few here and there!

You know, in 12 years when he's eating you out of house and home, you'll yearn for the days when he was the least bit persnickity!!!

[Emster]

I just read somewhere to give new eaters a frozen whole grain bagel--what he can scrape off with his teeth, he can eat, otherwise nothing else he will choke on. Sounds like it would be cold on the ol' teeth, though, doesn't it?

[tpakra]

What about the dried fruit that they sell in the baby aisle? They have apple chunks that melt in their mouth, but they aren't slimy to pick up. I believe they have them in veggies too.

Our doctor also said that we can give small pieces of chicken/turkey, and even some small bits of lunch meat if we chose to (I hate lunch meat though, so bad for you).

[McNally720]

Waffles and blueberries too!

[SchmennaLeigh]

Go with whole grain waffles as well.

[sugarbabysmommy]

Babe was texture picky too but loved to eat cottage cheese, large curd. Messy, yes, but oh so fun. Depending on number of teeth you can also get dried blueberries, dried cranberries, slice grapes in half, small crackers from a great organic company called My Family Farm... all natural ingredients in a very small bite size cracker. At almost a year old babe was having small bits of chicken as well. Oh, shredded cheese is good too, messy but good. We also ate tons of Teddy Puffs by Healthy Times, they are organic and much tastier than Cheerios.

[HBV]

I loved that Parents spread, too. I tried the grated apple, but it was a no go.

H is doing Cheerios, almost any bread, Annie's Organics bunny crackers, chunks of muffins (or his carrot birthday cake, last week!) frozen waffles, pickles (??!!), cheese cubes, graham crackers, whole wheat pasta (had fettucine tonight) and will occasionally eat a halved grape or blueberry. He ate a couple of french fries when we took bdad out last week, though that's not something he's likely to get at home.

He is not big on the slimy texture either if he's picking it up, though he's fine w/ it on the spoon.

I tried coating banana slices in a little Cheerio dust and he ate a few, but isn't that thrilled about it. I'm starting to just bake the fruits and veggies into mini muffins.