Baby meal ideas?

WinesNotWhines

I want to start giving M three meals a day (he's eating 2 meals currently), but I'm kind of at a loss about what to feed him for the third meal. Right now he gets a breakfast of oatmeal + fruit puree. Dinner is usually a veggie puree, sometimes mixed with a little bit of meat, and we also let him feed himself puffs and/or some soft finger foods, but he's still in the very early stages of trying finger foods. I want to start sending "lunch" to daycare, because his teachers say he's hungry, but what do I send for him? Another fruit or veggie puree? He's allergic to dairy, so things like yogurt and cheese aren't options.

Follow-up question: When did your LO transition to mostly finger foods?

ETA: He's also allergic to soy, although we will be "challenging" that allergy soon to see what happens.

2vthokies

What grains have you started?  You could always do soft brown rice (kind of mushy/oatmeal consistency) with a veg or egg (have you tried eggs yet?). You could also puree some of your leftover dinner (if he can have all the foods) for his lunch.  Really anything can be made into baby food.  I think DD #1 was over a year old, probably closer to 18 months, before she was mainly on finger foods.

Sofka

DD had the same dairy issues, I tried yogurt and cheese at 9.5mo and it was a big FAIL, however, at 12.5 she was able to take both and at 14mo I stopped nursing and she did fine w/ cow milk, take heart - he may outgrow it!

I give DS yogurt each night; have you tried goat milk yogurt?

DS is 9mo and is doing well w/ finger foods - we give him cooked carrots (cut up small), peas, corn, pieces of bread, I give him a small frozen bagel and he loves gnawing and then chewing (gumming) on it; I cut up grapes (and remove the skin), blueberries; soft apples, pears, peaches, other fruits (all small of course). Last night I gave him cheerios and he did well, so after we are done w/ puffs, I won't buy anymore. I've also given him organic corn puffs (yellow bag, Wegman's). Soft (a little overcooked) pasta or pasta-like products (Eden brand, at Wegman's; some are quinoa, kamut, some are only veggies). He's even eaten pieces of meat, basically, he is a total boy and has yet to meet a food he does not like LOL. Avocado is another good one. Have you tried tofu?

 

QueSrah

When in doubt, I always gave DD more veggies.

I wish I could remember when she switched to mostly finger food.  I'm sure it was "late" at home because we didn't realize she was already eating them at daycare.  (Our DCP provides all food and milk.)  She was probably 11 or 12 months.

ch ch ch chia

How about:

- sweet potatoes:  pureed or in small chunks cooked until mushy

- silken tofu, either plain or mixed with fruit

- blueberries

- peas

- avocado

- bananas

ch ch ch chia

oh, and DD loved pasta at that age!  she still does.

DCtoLowcountry

Rice and oatmeal, avocado, sweet potato, green beans, applesauce, mango, peas, pears, prunes, peaches. His favorite was and is mango - we bought it frozen, defrosted and pureed. He switched to preferring finger food around 10 months, though it wasn't until he was closer to a year that he preferred solid food to liquid.

Also, I am sorry I haven't gotten you the Ferber details yet. I hope it's going smoothly.

eeclem

I think around 9 mo C was eating predominantly finger food. I remember asking at his 9 mo pedi appointment and she said that he didn't need the purees if he preferred regular food. During the transition from purees to regular people food, we did a lot of pastas with veggies (orzo is super convenient - no dicing!) and and tofu or chicken stir frys. He quickly started eating regular food though and still mostly takes dinner leftovers for lunch the next day.

tomandcourt

Like eeclem, or pedi also told us that finger foods were fine by then. I was worried because he didn't really have teeth but she said it was fine.

We did:

frozen mixed vegetables (thawed)

blueberries

banana (sliced)

sweet potato pancakes or fries

cheese (sorry)

raisins/sometimes mixed with cheerios

pasta with a veggie puree or spinach pesto

puffs although we moved away from them since they're kind of empty calories

chunky purees like chicken with polenta, roasted banana with quinoa

uh . . . I honestly don't even remember anymore.

But: if you're making his food, check out www.weelicious.com. She has a ton of great recipes and you can sort by age/ingredient.

Jitterbug2668

Sofka:

DD had the same dairy issues, I tried yogurt and cheese at 9.5mo and it was a big FAIL, however, at 12.5 she was able to take both and at 14mo I stopped nursing and she did fine w/ cow milk, take heart - he may outgrow it!

I give DS yogurt each night; have you tried goat milk yogurt?

DS is 9mo and is doing well w/ finger foods - we give him cooked carrots (cut up small), peas, corn, pieces of bread, I give him a small frozen bagel and he loves gnawing and then chewing (gumming) on it; I cut up grapes (and remove the skin), blueberries; soft apples, pears, peaches, other fruits (all small of course). Last night I gave him cheerios and he did well, so after we are done w/ puffs, I won't buy anymore. I've also given him organic corn puffs (yellow bag, Wegman's). Soft (a little overcooked) pasta or pasta-like products (Eden brand, at Wegman's; some are quinoa, kamut, some are only veggies). He's even eaten pieces of meat, basically, he is a total boy and has yet to meet a food he does not like LOL. Avocado is another good one. Have you tried tofu?

ditto all of above.  Nathan pretty much eats anything we eat, just mushed up unless its a finger food.