Cheerios? fries?

Question

How do I know my baby is ready for cheerios, fries and other foods that are common for young kids? Is it just trial and error? Is there a common age kids are ready? When did your kids start eating things like this? What are some other simple beginner foods?

My baby is 8 months old and is eating baby cereal and baby foods. My friend wants to give him cheerios and my husband fries when we go out to eat. We already let him chew on fresh fruit and veggies through a fresh food feeder. I'm just wondering how to know he's ready for foods you chew and what are good beginner chewing foods.

Answer 1

Cheerios are fine for an 8 month old who is eating solids regularly. For the fries, just offer him small pieces one at a time. Some babies have a tendency to "chipmunk" their food and stuff it all in their cheeks instead of chewing and swallowing posing a choking hazard. As soon as your baby is able to sit up well in his high chair and is interested in reaching and grabbing when you feed him then he is most likely ready for some "real" food. Some good first choices are banana slices cut into 1/4's, small pieces of melon, kiwi fruit, steamed carrots cut into small pieces, baked sweet potato cut into small pieces, pasta, toast, canned or frest peaches and soft pears, vegetable soup with out much broth, meat loaf and other moist, soft meat (save steak and pork chops when he has a few more teeth unless you can shred the meat into small pieces). There really is no general age for babies to begin eating table foods. I have seen babies as young as 7 months eating only what the rest of the family eats and I have seen 18 month olds refusing anything but jarred baby food. A lot depends on their interest in moving past soft food (such as jarred or mashed) to wanting something with a little more texture. It will also depend on how much interest they have in working on their fine motor skill of picking things up with their pincher skills - using their thumb and forefinger. Avoid eggs and dairy products such as cheese and yogurt until 1 year of age or until your pediatrician gives the go-ahead to switch to whole cow's milk. Don't give your baby anything hard and round such as nuts, hard or sticky candy, whole grapes, raw carrots, whole hot dog slices (cut slices into 1/4's and that will be OK), or dried fruit until he has gotten his molars in and can chew well.

Answer 2

My doctor told me no Cheerios until the age of one as they can post a choking hazard. I would wait a while on the fries. The only times my kids eat fries is when we are traveling and they are a last resort. If I make them at home, I bake them as they are healthier and less filling baked. The fried foods tend to fill little bellies faster and they get less of the healthy food.

Answer 3

Cheerios are good. But I'd rethink the fries! Don't set him/her up for that fast food trap! Fries are okay once in a while, but not as a staple for finger foods. Let him snack on soft veggies and fruits. Carrots can be cooked until they are chewable but not mushy, for example.

Answer 4

My kids all started eating finger foods somewhere between 6 to 9 mos of age. You will see that they are less interested in being spoon fed and more interested in grabbing what is on your plate. They will have mastered the pincher grasp. They will be doing well with mushy solids are ready for more texture.

Answer 5

Generally apple sauce or rice cereal are the first solid foods. Most kids can start at 6 months. Bigger babies can often start sooner. Check with your doctor. Sometimes there are factors such as allergies in the family.

Answer 6

My granson loves cheerios, he started eating them when he got his first two teeth at about 6 months, as long as your baby can chew it up it is ok to give him the cheerios (not fries) Try the fruity cheerios..

Answer 7

they are usually ready for finger foods when they have enough teeth to chew and can grasp things with their fingers.it hapens at different ages so i would just wait till you feel hes ready.dont let other people tell you what to feed your child if you dont think hes ready

Answer 8

What about something healthly like fruit, whole wheat breat, whole grain rice cakes, vegtables, low fat cheese etc.