Finger Foods for a 9 Month Old

When a baby is about nine months old, she will be making an important transition in how she eats, going from being spoon-fed by her parents with baby food to wanting to hold her own food. Choosing the right finger foods for babies is key to their safety and nutrition. There are many types of food which are the right fit for nine-month-olds.

Breads and cereals

Cheerios are a popular finger food for babies.

One of the most important things to remember is you want the babies to be protected from choking, but you want to also give them something they can manipulate with their new-found motor skills. Several options exist in the bread and cereal category that a baby will enjoy, including nonsugared cereal (Cheerios is a very popular option). There are also biscuits especially made for babies that are too tough for them to break apart, but the biscuits can be sucked on and held. If you want to make something yourself like this, you can lightly toast a piece of bread or a bagel for a baby to enjoy.

Fruits

Babies may also enjoy pieces of mushed-up banana.

One taste a baby might enjoy is the familiar flavor of fruits found in her baby food. You will want to give the baby something she can hold, but not something that is so big that it will become a choking hazard. Some mushed-up pieces of banana or peaches are popular options. Other options include plums, pears, cantaloupe or even watermelon. Be sure the fruit pieces are free of seeds.

Vegetables

Peas and carrots are a great choice for finger foods for babies.

On the nutritional side, you won't want to miss out on giving your baby some vegetables as their first finger foods. They should be used to the taste because of their baby food, but they will also need the vitamins found in veggies such as peas and carrots. Peas and carrots are a good place to start, but make sure they are soft, cooked and small enough for the baby to eat. Other flavors that a baby may like are green beans, sweet potatoes or regular potatoes.