Quesadilla

Although your baby doesn't need teeth to effectively implement the baby-led solids method, there are times when they can be quite serviceable. I tried quesadillas a few months ago, before Buttercup had teeth, and it didn't go over too well. She tried a piece, spat it out then ignored it. 


Recently I made a quesadilla for my own lunch, and gave some to Buttercup. It was made with whole wheat tortillas, spinach, cheese, garlic and cumin. I cut it into little Buttercup-sized squares. She was much more interested now that she's got a few teeth. I've found she uses them to clamp on food while she pulls on it with her hand. Whatever works!


She definitely preferred the tortilla to the cheese. Whenever the melted cheese would squish out the sides and fall on her tray she would pick it up and try it, but spit it back out again. 


PROS: good and easy multiple-food-group meal
CONS: teeth make this food more manageable

Cereal, take 2

Contrary to popular myth, baby cereal should not be the staple of an infant's diet. The American Academy of Pediatrics has published new research that proves giving baby cereal to babies causes all kinds of health problems, obesity and diabetes to name just a couple. Check out this article for more information. That is why the basis of Buttercup's diet has always been fresh fruits and veggies. For her occasional cereal she gets plain old breakfast cereal. Her favorite is Multigrain Cheerios, which is a good thing since it happens to be among the healthiest cereals out there.


With all the snow we've gotten lately, I have regressed to my childhood "snow day" breakfast of Cream of Wheat, and I thought it would be fun to share the experience with Buttercup. I cooked it the way I always do, then set some aside to cool and set. When it was semi-solid I cut it into chunks. The first time we had this Buttercup wasn't such a fan. She liked it a lot more the second time around, though. It's always best to keep trying a new food -sometimes babies just aren't in the mood to try new things, but they later learn to love the new food. 


I would definitely consider Cream of Wheat to be a special treat breakfast since it is a "white" food, but as part of a balanced diet it is a-okay. 


PROS: another breakfast option, loaded with iron
CONS: white food, use sparingly

Quinoa

Quinoa: one of the most nutritious foods your baby can eat...and not available in jarred baby food! Quinoa is a complete protein and rich in essential nutrients. It's also highly tasty! I recently gave some quinoa to Buttercup to sample with her dinner. She ate it in the same manner in which she would eat rice or cous cous. So, not really anything new to report. But, seriously, buy some quinoa for your family. You'll thank me.

PROS: superfood!
CONS: none

Cracker

Teeth are definitely not required equipment when introducing your baby to "real" solid foods, but apparently they are somewhat helpful. Buttercup had no problems for the first 5 months she was eating solids with gumming her food into a pulp and swallowing it. I was amazed at the things she was able to eat, actually! But, having two brand spankin' new teeth has made it possible for her to take proper bites out of food. Although her foods are the same I'm finding that her technique has changed slightly. 


The other day I was eating crackers with egg salad while Buttercup ate her lunch of tofu and avocado. I gave her a cracker to see how she'd like it. And...she liked it! I rarely have crackers in the house, since most of them are so salty, processed, refined and trans-fatty, but these happened to be somewhat "healthy" crackers, so I didn't mind sharing them with Buttercup. She didn't mind either. I got a kick out of hearing her little teeth snap the tip of the cracker off. Oh, the things that amuse mothers!


I can definitely see the appeal of crackers as an away-from-home food. They are very portable and easily placate small children. I want to be careful not to rely too heavily on them, since there are lots of other foods that pack a higher nutrition punch.


PROS: very portable
CONS: watch out for non-nutritious filler foods

French Toast

Because Mommy and Daddy generally have more free time on Saturday mornings it provides great occasions for Buttercup to try breakfast foods that actually require preparation. We've recently been making quite the tradition of the family Saturday morning breakfasts, in fact. I'm so glad Buttercup is able to join us in these meals, since they just don't make scrambled eggs, pancakes, brown cheese, or french toast in pureed baby food versions. 


This particular morning we made french toast, which was my favorite Saturday treat as a girl. It actually makes a great breakfast food for baby if you leave off the sugary syrup and other toppings. Because of the egg and milk, french toast is high in protein. Depending on what kind of bread you use it could become even healthier. I like flax seed breads, myself. Yummy! I cut a slice of french toast into one-inch squares for Buttercup and gave them to her when they were slightly cooled. She ate about half of the slice. 


Because I consider french toast to be a special treat I always forget how easy it actually is to make. There's really no reason to limit Buttercup's french toast eating to Saturday mornings. This would make a good lunch option, too, especially when my pantry is starting to look like Mother Hubbard's. 


PROS: easy, high in protein
CONS: not as easy as a pile of fruit or dry cereal

Oatmeal

I've said it before, but baby cereal really should not be a baby's first food. In fact, I don't think baby cereal should play any role in an infant's diet. It's full of empty non-nutritious calories, develops a taste for refined starches, increases the possibility of diabetes, causes constipation, and tastes disgusting. Not convinced? Check out this article in USA Today vilifying baby cereal. Also, see the BLS FAQ's for more information on baby cereal. 


So, what kind of cereal  does one feed their baby-led solids baby? How about oatmeal? Oatmeal is a whole grain, easy to digest, and high in protein, vitamins and minerals, and fiber. I have been hesitant to give Buttercup much "solid" breakfast because I am usually pretty engorged in the morning and want her to nurse really well. But, recently I decided to try oatmeal.


A great way to serve oatmeal to your self-feeding baby is to cook it with less water than usual, then allow it to cool. It is then thick enough that you can roll it into baby fist-sized balls (good for pre-pincer grasp babies) or break it into little chunks.


The first time we tried this, Buttercup ate a good amount of oatmeal. The second time I gave it to her I made the mistake of also giving her blueberries, which are her favorite.  The oatmeal was shunned. I don't think oatmeal will ever replace Buttercup's love affair with multi-grain Cheerios, but it is a great healthy morning option. 


PROS: surprisingly not messy, nutritious
CONS: none

Peanut Butter Toast

I always tell people that if they're going to do baby-led solids then they need to offer their babies nutritious, healthy foods. I'm shocked to hear stories of people who claim to be doing baby-led solids regularly giving their babies junk food. I am passionate about Buttercup loving healthy food. That is why I almost always give her fruits and veggies, and portions from our own healthily prepared meals. Sometimes, though, there is no food in the house. And for those times I am thankful for peanut butter toast. This isn't a regular food of Buttercup's, but I do bust it out when I haven't got much to offer her in the protein department. I use Smucker's natural PB, because it only has one ingredient (peanuts, duh), and I put it on whatever whole wheat toast I happen to have on hand. 

I mention in my previous post on spreads that the American Academy of Pediatrics has lifted their allergy "ban" on peanut butter for babies. If you have a family history then be more cautious than I am. I do make sure that I don't spread the peanut butter too thick, as that could gunk up the windpipe. 

When Buttercup was 6ish months, I would give her long strips of toast (look how teensy she was!) to make it easier for her to handle. But, now I cut one-inch squares for her. It is easier for her to eat, and less messy since she isn't squishing peanut butter in her fists. 

Buttercup does love her peanut butter and will eat 3/4 of a slice of peanut butter toast, all the while making smacking noises with her lips. Very funny. And, in case you're wondering if toast is too hard for babies without teeth? The answer is "no." Babies have so much drool in their mouths that toast instantaneously turns to mush. 

PROS: good source of protein and easy to prepare

CONS: messy hands

Pancakes

One of the things I've enjoyed most about using the baby-led solids method to introduce solids to my baby is having laid back family meals together. That doesn't mean that Buttercup always eats everything that Hubby and I eat, but for the most part I prepare one meal and everyone eats it.

One recent Saturday morning Hubby and I were in the mood for pancakes, and that is one mood that should be indulged occasionally! Buttercup had already had her breakfast of raisins (and mom milk, of course). Since we were already strapping Buttercup in her highchair to eat with us, we thought she might as well enjoy a Saturday morning treat, too.

I make my pancakes from scratch; a habit I began while living in a country without pancake mix. It's a lot more economical, and you can tailor it to any dietary needs your family might have (substituting different flours, dairy, sugars etc). I might also add that making pancakes from scratch is so quick and easy I don't know why I would ever buy the boxed mix!

I'm sure it goes without saying that Buttercup loved her pancakes. I didn't give her much - maybe half a small pancake torn into smaller pieces, sans butter or syrup. While my standard practice is to give my baby healthy foods that will make her brain grow big and strong, I think it's important to have a healthy relationship with 'naughty' foods, as well. Besides, everyone deserves a treat now and again, especially when you're as sweet as Buttercup!

PROS: babies love them, literally no mess

CONS: not an 'everyday' food.

Couscous

I don't feel any pressure to give Buttercup a starch with every meal. I know they are the least nutrient-dense food I could offer her (next to things like candy and potato chips, ya know). I also feel totally secure knowing that she is getting all the nutrition she needs from her six nursing sessions a day, so I don't feel bad letting her experiment with these flavors either.

Buttercup has had similarly textured food items, including rice and bulgar wheat. We served this in the same way: in a little heap on her highchair tray. She took one bite and didn't really seem that interested after that. I am not sure why. Maybe she knew her body needed the salmon and veggies more. I just don't know. I thought it was really tasty, though.

I think it's important to continue to offer Buttercup whatever I'm making Hubby and I for dinner, so we will be trying this again in the future.

PROS: an easy starch option

CONS: didn't care for it

Spaghetti

Buttercup is mainly eating the same dinners as Hubby and I now. When we first started baby-led solids we would give her a single food item to work on. Now she happily chows down on complex meals. For example, I like to make a healthier version of spaghetti bolognese with: whole wheat noodles, Morning Star crumbles (meat alternative), spinach, mushrooms, garden tomatoes, and cream cheese. We gave some to Buttercup 's. The only difference I made to her portion was that I threw in some avocado, because I had to use some up and Buttercup hasn't been too thrilled with avocado lately (see Avocado, take 2). I made a little spaghetti pile on Buttercup's tray, since this is what's worked best with similar items (ex: tabouleh, rice).

Buttercup ate it all with gusto, even the mushrooms and tomatoes. I guess she likes those foods cooked better than raw. Also, this was the first time Buttercup had eaten dairy products that she didn't stink (see dairy posts). It was only a small amount, but maybe her body is getting better at handling it? Anyway, I love that her meals require so little preparation (and virtually no extra cost). BLS is so easy!

PROS: good way to combine lots of healthy foods

CONS: requires a bath afterwards

Rice

Baby-led solids is awesome when taking your baby to a restaurant! We took Buttercup out for dinner with us for the first time, and I purposely didn't bring anything with us: no baby food, no bib, no spoons, no wipes, not even a diaper bag. It was extremely liberating.

We gave Buttercup bits of food off of our plates, including: some baked cod, green beans, carrots, dinner roll and rice. Rice was the only new food she was offered. She managed it really well, scooping up little fistfuls and then opening her palm to get the rice in her mouth. I have to say she enjoyed the rice much more than the lemon we gave her (though it was fun for us to watch her little face pucker). The dinner roll was clearly her favorite food of the meal.

PROS: doesn't stain clothes

CONS: makes for messy high chair fallout (sorry, waitress)

Pasta

I made a vegetable lasagna for dinner one night and gave Buttercup a few leftover lasagna noodles. They were a bit tricky for her to pick up because they kept suctioning themselves to her highchair tray, but if we moved them to the edge she could pick them up easily enough. Obviously, something like a penne noodle would have been ideal for baby led solids, but sometimes you just have to make do with what you have! I have since tried rotini noodles and they were much easier for Buttercup to hold on to.

I only ever have whole wheat pasta in my house, so that's what Buttercup had. I read something once about making sure your baby doesn't eat too much fiber/whole grain before they're first birthday. Something about nutrient absorption and making them feel full too soon... I've scoured the internet for that article and can't for the life of me find it, so I guess it's not too important? I am definitely not giving Buttercup too many starches/grains. I want the bulk of her solid foods to be fruits, veggies and meats. Her carbs can come from breastmilk, which is still the best food for her.

PROS: easy to chew

CONS: a little tricky to handle

Breakfast Cereal

I've been putting Buttercup in her exersaucer to play while I eat my breakfast and clean the kitchen in the mornings. The past few days I've put a handful of breakfast cereal in the "dog bowl" section (as Hubby and I call it). I didn't really expect Buttercup to be able to pick them up and eat them, but I thought she could kind of play with them and work on her pincer skills. Well, she surprised me - she did eat them! Although she can't pick them up with her index finger and thumb, she worked out a method where she rakes them up into her fist, then sticks her whole fist in her mouth. Clever girl! All in all Buttercup probably eats 15-20 pieces in a sitting now.

Buttercup is so in love with cereal. It makes me glad that it wasn't one of her first foods, because I'm convinced she would be a carb addict. She whines like a puppy when there's no cereal in her bowl. So far she's had Kix (43% RDA iron) and Multigrain Cheerios (109% RDA iron). I love that Kix was my baby's first cereal. So much more fun than shoveling awful-tasting mush into her mouth. For more information on commercial baby cereal check out the BLS FAQ's.

PROS: high in iron, easy snack-type food, non-messy

CONS: difficult for younger babies to handle

Spreads

Along with rice cakes, toast makes a good carrier for spreads. Other spreads worth trying are: smashed avocado, smashed banana, cream cheese, and thinly spread peanut butter. Interesting to note that the American Association of Pediatrics has changed their recommendations on delaying giving peanut butter to children under a year. That practice hasn't been shown to reduce peanut allergies in children so pediatricians have lifted the advice. The only thing to keep an eye out for with peanut butter is its consistency. If you put too much on, it can be too thick for your little one to safely manage without gagging and possibly choking.

By the way, we use Smucker's natural peanut butter. One ingredient = good. Although I think cream cheese is a good idea, we are waiting on that one because of the "cheese incident." Since discovering an easier way to serve bananas and avocados we haven't done as much of those as spreads, but I would recommend them to babies having issues with hand-mouth coordination.

PROS: a great way to boost nutritional value of grain foods and add variety

CONS: messy.

Rice cakes

I read somewhere that rice cakes were a good first food so I picked some up at the store. I couldn't find unflavored mini ones so I bought the big ones, selecting the salt-free version. I was disappointed when I later read the package to see that there wasn't much to recommend the rice cakes nutritionally. I guess they are a whole grain, but there were no vitamins, minerals, protein... Oh well, I figure I can always spread stuff on them. Maybe they will prove an easier way to transport slimy things like avocado and banana? For the first experiment I gave Buttercup a few strips I'd cut off the rice cake.

After she smashed the strips of rice cake into smithereens I was impressed to watch her still going after the smaller pieces. Thus far she hadn't managed to pick up small chunks and get them to her mouth. I think it helped that rice cakes become tacky as soon as little hands get a bit of drool on them.

Buttercup swallowed all of the rice cake but the tiniest crumbs (unless she's hiding it somewhere, and I wouldn't put it past the clever girl).

PROS: easy handling

CONS: low in nutritional value

Toast

I toasted myself some whole wheat bread for a PB&J lunch, and a little scrap of heel fell off in the toaster. I thought, "perfect size for baby!" I know some people have qualms about introducing wheat products to babies under a year due to possible allergies, but Hubby and I are both non-allergic-types, and I didn't think that Buttercup would end up swallowing much of it at this stage anyway. So, I handed it over.

I've read that toast is better for BLS than bread, as the bread can get mushy and stuck to the roof of baby's mouth. I have to admit I was still a little nervous about that, but Buttercup didn't really seem to have much of an issue with it. She gagged maybe once?

I've been meaning to mention: Buttercup has no teeth. Didn't know if you were wondering that or not...Teeth are not necessary equipment for baby-led solids.

PROS: I imagine this will be a good grain staple in future, especially with healthy toppings as Buttercup grows
CONS: A tiny bit nerve-wracking for the BLS newbie

P.S. Have you noticed how happy Buttercup looks in all these pics? I like it.