Life should get easier when your baby starts to eat the same food you do, but finger foods also add a new element of anxiety to your life: Am I feeding my baby the right stuff? Most babies gobble up soft, sweet fruits and veggies and O-shaped cereals, but protein, iron, and fat can be a bit harder to sneak into their diets, says Jennifer Curtiss, a clinical dietitian at Columbus Children's Hospital in Columbus, Ohio. Here are some great nutrient-packed first foods you may not have thought of -- and that your baby will likely love:
- Meatballs made from ground beef or turkey
- Ripe avocado pieces
- Baked beans and other cooked beans
- Chunk light tuna packed in water
- Shredded chicken
- Meat ravioli
