Begin offering your baby finger foods at 7 months old.
Give your baby a range of finger foods from different food groups. This is to ensure they get a variety of nutrients.
Fruit and vegetable finger foods
You can give your baby:
- peeled cucumber
- soft slices of peeled fruit like ripe pear, banana, peach, nectarine, mango, melon, kiwi
- soft cooked sticks of vegetables like carrot, parsnip, green beans, turnip
- soft cooked baby sweetcorn, mangetout or sugar snap peas
- soft cooked florets of cauliflower and broccoli
- soft cooked slices of pumpkin or butternut squash
Bread and pasta finger foods
You can give your baby:
- fingers of toast
- 3 to 4 well-cooked pasta shapes like bow ties or shells
- bread stick with hummus
- a strip of naan or pitta bread with hummus or smooth peanut butter
- plain rice cake or unsalted crackers
- 1 small pancake
- soft roasted or sticks of potato or sweet potato
Cheese finger foods
You can give your baby a stick of firm cheese such as cheddar.
Meat, poultry and eggs finger foods
You can give your baby:
- strips of freshly cooked tender meat or chicken with skins removed
- slices of omelette
Important
Never leave a baby alone during feeding as they could choke.
