Feeding a 9-12 Month Old

I can honestly say that when Keagan was 9 and 10 months old it was hard to think of things I could give him for meals. It was that awkward stage in an infants life where they don't have teeth and don't quite get how to "gum" the food before they swallow it. Well Keagan was at that point when he was 9 and 10 months. He just barely got his first tooth a couple of weeks ago at 11 months!! But anyway, he was at that stage where he can't eat everything that we eat. So I have put together a list of food ideas for 9-12 month olds. I hope someone benefits from this!!

Vegetables:

Cook until they are soft enough to be mashed

*Carrots

*Broccoli

*Cauliflower

*Sweet Potatoes

*Zucchini

*Peas

*Artichoke Hearts

*Sweet Peppers (all colors)

Fruit:

Ripe, peeled, seeded, cored, cut in chunks

*Peaches

*Bananas

*Pears

*Honeydew

*Cantaloupe

*Watermelon

*Strawberries

*Raspberries

*Grapes (quartered to avoid choking)

*Blueberries (quartered)

*Mango

*Papaya

*Lychee

*Kiwi

*Shredded Coconut

Other:

*Avocado
*Eggs (scrambled, boiled, etc)
*Cheese (clearly labeled as pasteurized)

Meat:

Cooked until it can be shredded

*Chicken

*Turkey

*Pork

*Lamb

*Ground Beef

Fish:

Even if you don't normally cook fish at home-you can use canned tuna and salmon.

*Salmon

*Tuna

*Cod

*Flounder

*Trout

Avoid mercury concerns by keeping the amount less than 1 ounce of canned light tuna for every 12 pounds (body weight) per week. To read more about mercury in fish and how it affects babies go here.

Pasta:

Whole wheat is best

*Any shape of pasta, but you may have to cut them up

Grains:

You could use tomato paste to roll these grains into little balls so that it is easier for your baby to pick up

*Brown rice

*Oatmeal

*Barley

There are so many more ideas out there on the internet! But just think about foods that you eat that are soft and could easily be "gummed"...obviously we know that they couldn't handle a big chunk of steak. Here are some of our favorites:

Oatmeal-unsweetened, made with breast milk, formula, water or even juice. Add small fruit chunks.

Yogurt-unsweetened with fruit chunks added.

Pancakes or Waffles-with pureed fruit on top, try to avoid sugary syrup.

Muffins-just plain yummy!!

Eggs-scrambled

Toast-very lightly toasted bread-plain or with pureed fruit on top

Sandwiches-endless possibilities...grilled cheese, peanut butter (very little amount of peanut butter because they could choke) and mashed bananas, mashed avocado, any type of pureed fruit

Cheese Tortillas-cheese on a tortilla, fold in half and microwave.

Soup-chicken noodle soup is our favorite. usually over cook the noodles and veggies so that they are easier for Keagan to eat.

Macaroni and cheese-we make this from scratch and sometimes like to add veggies to it. Broccoli, peas, carrots, etc. You could also puree any veggie and mix it in with the sauce.

Baked Potato-removed from the skin and mixed with a variety of ingredients. Veggies, sour cream, cheese, beans, etc

Pasta and rice-Keagan loves any kind of pasta and rice too! These are easy to make