Do you cut EVERYTHING into pea size pieces?

melaniedel

For instance, of course chicken, and steak, but how about small elbow pasta, cheese and crackers? He has two full bottom teeth, and two top coming in now (not that he doesn't already have jaws of steel;)).

Also, do you use spices, butter or anything? What kind of cheese do you give them? I have been giving Kraft shredded, full fat mozzerella mostly.

How about toast? Small pieces?

candylies

I cut a lot of things up but I also give him a few bigger pieces here and there to see how he does with it. Elbow pasta I don't cut up, he does fine with that. I use olive oil and have used butter. Haven't used too many spices yet. We are kind of a bland eating family as it is though. For cheese I give him pieces of slices I get from the deli, so mild provolone, mozzarella, muenster and cheddar. He's not that crazy about cheese though...sure that will change when he's a little older though! 

Haven't done toast but I have given half of bagel and he's munched away on it fine. He gets whole grain waffles that I do cut up into pieces but I think if I just gave it to him whole he'd do fine.  

memali26

Cheese gets shredded - we buy big bricks and slice/shred it as needed, so she gets whatever is in the fridge (usually cheddar or mozzarella). Crackers are whole or broken in half so it's easier for her to hold. Elbow pasta I don't cut, but every other pasta I cut at least in half. Waffles and toast I cut in half and let her gnaw on them. Sweet potatoes get cut into steak fry size pieces. Apples get shredded, and sometimes pears if they aren't quite soft enough. Fruits, steamed veggies, and meats get chopped up into small pieces. 

I don't usually season food if I'm cooking it just for her, but lately she's been eating whatever we're eating for dinner, so she's getting spices, butter, etc., then. 

tiff012982

somethings I cut and others I don't.  I usually give her berries whole and she grabs them.  I found small raviolis and they don't need to be cut either.  I let her hold 1/2 a banana and feed herself.  Grill cheese/toast I cut into bite size pieces.  We finally had some success with chicken last night and I cut that into strips.  I have also done red/yellow pepper strips in hummus.  As for cheese, she will literally eat any kind.  I usually do strips of sliced cheese and cheese sticks.  She loves them.   

Leinistar

DS eats everything we eat and only things that are spherical (grapes, blueberries, tomatoes, etc) get cut in half. Teeth aren't necessary for chewing and you'd be surprised how quickly your LO will learn to handle normal sized food. Spice wise, I don't really hold back too much for DS, but I will spice our food after cooking if I want it really hot. Just for example, tonight we're eating steak fajitas with peppers and onions and DS loves it and will probably gobble it up before I do. Be aware that choking and gagging are not the same thing and your baby will gag when experimenting with their food so try not to panic. Their gag reflex is much further forward in their mouths than ours just for this reason, to learn how to control what they put in their mouths. Obviously, never let them eat unattended but try giving your LO some credit and I think you'll be surprised with how well they do.

dairygirl19

I cut very little. I've always had a kid who likes things in bigger grabbable pieces she can gnaw off. I'm actually more worried about a small piece getting stuck in her windpipe than I am of her choking on a big piece. She seems to just spit out the bigger pieces when she's had too much. Like I pp I also do stick shapes a lot.

 As for spices, butter etc I give them to her. I've always been one to give LO mostly what we're eating. I'm hoping to avoid a fussy kid that only likes mac and cheese and hotdogs that way. Of course everything in moderation but I do that for H and me too. The only things I watch out for are overly spicy or salty..anything else is fair game.

As for cheese...she gets whatever I have in the fridge which depends on what I feel like buying. Last week it was some cranapple cheese she loved, the week before that it was boring shredded mozzerella.

luvmyducks

No, not even close.  But DD has 8 1/2 teeth, so she's pretty good at chewing.  If it is something that is fairly soft, I do up to 1"x1" but if it is harder, I do them in smaller chunks, but not as small as a pea.

I use butter since she is a peanut.  It is weird to me since I never cook with butter or salt unless I'm baking.  But she could use the calories  I've used garlic powder for spices so far and some olive oil.  I usually give her shredded cheddar or even string cheese cut up.  Toast I give in bigger pieces because she gnaws on it to break it up. 

melaniedel

Thanks for all of your replies! Time to experiment a bit more

StefandTodd

He still only has his two bottom teeth, and I have never cut anything (except something like grapes).  He eats what we eat, in the same form we eat it in, and has since he was 6 months old.  The only thing I avoid adding is salt.  He LOVES spice.

blu-eyedwife

Kimbus22:

LalaMama81:

I don't cut anything into teeny pea-sized pieces. Never have. I cut grapes & choking hazard items like that in half or quarters. I make "fingers" out of things like toast or waffles. Lots of things she get's as is. Meat maybe a skinny pinky size. 

I use butter, EVOO or whatever fat I'm using for that meal. The only things I limit for her seasoning or spice wise is salt. She eats what we eat - including spicy. She loves Indian food actually. I also limit her sugar. 

This is pretty much us exactly. I only really cut up grapes and blueberries.  And he LOVES spices.

Same here. And my kid has no teeth.

superchixor

No. For chicken, I give her small shredded pieces. Hamburger/turkey meat I give her a small 'clump' of it. Grapes get quartered and strawberries get sliced then the slices get quartered, unless it's the smaller pieces. Blueberries are given whole if kind of mushy(we freeze then thaw out so it makes a lot softer) I don't give her a lot of cheese, I just don't think about it. But we keep mostly shredded cheddar so I will give her that. I do use spices and butter when cooking and if it's baby-safe for her to eat, I give it to her as long as it's not too spicy.

indy_chic

I cut up everything! @ 13 months, she still only as 2 teeth.  In fact, there are still somethings that I use the food processor with.  I've seen her gag on mor ethan 1 occassion and it scares me to death.  She is a savage (lol) when she eats and puts in more than she can chew.  She's been eating solids (purees) since 6 months old but someone.  There was a 2 year old girl who lives up the street from us who died earlier this year when eating a grape  Once she starts to demonstrates better eating habits (or gets more teeth), we will change it up a bit.