Transitioning Your Baby To Table Food

We started Charlie Beth on purees when she was around five months old, but she never really took to them. I spent hours buying fresh produce, cutting, steaming, pureeing and packaging her food, and some days she wouldn't eat more than a spoonful or two all day. She was quite content getting her nutrients from nursing, so I eventually gave up and let her take the lead. Right before she turned eight months she started to take interest in the foods that Steven and I would eat. I would try to give her spoonfuls of pureed food while we ate dinner, but she only wanted what we were eating. We started giving her tiny pieces of soft foods, and she was hooked on table foods from then on out. 

I was so glad that she was finally taking an interest in foods, but I also had intense anxiety over choking. Poor Charlie Beth could barely pick up her food and put it in her mouth because I cut everything into such small pieces. I knew that I would eventually have to start giving her bigger bites, so I began researching foods that she would have the easiest time chewing and swallowing. After a couple of weeks we progressed onto new flavors and textures. Now, at ten months old, Charlie Beth is eating basically everything that Steven and I eat. I'm constantly amazed at how much her meals resemble that of a child's meal. Where did my tiny baby go?! 

One thing that stressed me out most when starting table foods was trying to figure out what to feed Charlie Beth. Other than "something soft she won't choke on," I had no idea where to start! I wanted to ensure that my baby was eating as healthy as possible, so I try to stick to natural and organic whenever possible. Slowly but surely I started compiling a list of foods as she tried them. Below are examples 

Avocado cut into small bite size pieces

Banana cut into small bite size pieces

Sweet potato fries cut into small bite size pieces

Beans 

Softened diced vegetables

Rice

Bread cut into small bite size pieces

Scrambled eggs** 

Fruit cut into small bite size pieces

Annie's Homegrown Organic Shells & Real Aged Cheddar Mac & Cheese

Pancakes cut into small bite size pieces

Peanut Butter Sandwiches cut into small bite size pieces**

Spaghetti cut into small bite size pieces

Cheese cut into small bite size pieces

Pulled pieces of meat such as chicken, turkey, and pork

Grilled Cheese Sandwiches

Annie's Homegrown Organic Summer Strawberry Whole Milk Yogurt Tubes 

**Talk to your pediatrician before introducing your baby to known allergens such as eggs and nuts. 

As you can see, there is a lot of variety in the foods that Charlie Beth eats on a daily basis. There really isn't much that we eat that we don't let her have. That being said, Steven and I have really had to clean up our diet. It's important to me that Charlie Beth gets wholesome and, whenever possible, organic foods. I believe it's imperative that we start healthy eating habits now so that they will hopefully carry on with her for the rest of her life. That being said, I'm thankful to have products like Annie's Homegrown easily accessible at my local grocery store. As a busy mom, I don't have time to drive all over town just to buy groceries. Annie's Homegrown helps our family to eat better and live more responsibly without having to sacrifice taste. 

Are you ready to start your little one on table foods? Head to your local grocery store and try Annie's Homegrown products for yourself.