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Finger Foods

From 8 or 9 months, your baby may want to hold food and try to feed himself or herself. This is a messy, but important time in your baby's development.

What foods you give will depend on your baby's developmental stage. Always stay with your baby when he has food, and make sure that your baby is chewing the food properly.

Do not give raw carrot, popcorn, sausages, whole nuts or any hard foods as these foods can cause choking.

Vegetables should be softened by cooking which is easily done with a few seconds in the microwave.

Excellent finger foods options - from 9 months onwards:

• Pieces of soft fresh fruit; kiwifruit, banana, apple slices

• Canned peach/pear slices

• Lean cold cooked meat such as chicken, lamb and beef.

• Pieces of cheese (after 8 months).

• Pieces of cooked vegetables: carrots, cauliflower, broccoli.

• Lightly cooked snow peas, french beans and asparagus.

• Vegetables such as cherry tomatoes - slice in half so that there is no danger of being swallowed whole and causing choking

• Sultanas, raisins, dried apricots and prunes.

• Homemade rusks and toast fingers

• Plain crackers spread with avocado

• Cooked pasta shapes

• Mini sandwiches

Additional finger foods options - from 12 months onwards:

• HEINZ Bread Sticks or Little Kids Muesli fingers

• HEINZ Fruit Fingers

• Slices of hard boiled eggs

• Cooked corn on the cob

• Mini muffins and pikelets

• Lamb cutlets

WARNING: Never give your baby raw carrot, celery, popcorn, hard lollies, nuts or sausages as these foods can all cause choking.

Never leave your baby alone when he is eating. If the phone rings, then let it ring or take your baby with you to the phone.

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