By 7 to 10 months, most babies can sit up and use their thumb and index finger to pick things up. That means they're ready for finger foods. Keep in mind that foods should be easy to chew or soften quickly in your child's mouth. But just about anything can be a finger food as long as you cut it small enough and cook it until it's soft. Some foods to try:

• banana slices
• avocado slices
• cooked peas
• small, peeled peach chunks
• shredded cooked chicken
• Cheerios
• cooked lentils
• macaroni or other cut-up cooked pasta
• cooked carrot slices
• small tofu cubes
• soft tortilla pieces
• cheese slices
• small bites of low-mercury fish, like tilapia