Table Food Ides for My 9 Month Old

My daughter was eating people food at 9 months. Evberything I will cook for us she will eat too, I didn't put much salt . She ate soops, rice, beans, fish , anything you can imagine, and she was really happy.

Also I bought some books from amazon :

First Meals and the healthy baby meal planner by Annabel Karmel and I got a lot ideas. I bought the books used and they were like new, and for a really good $$$.

Some different things to try would be meatballs (the frozen kind - they are very soft and can be cut into small pieces for her to pick up). Instead of mac n cheese buy some plain mac. noodles, boil and add a little butter and salt (quick and easy). Tyson frozen chicken nuggets are also very tender and easy for that age. If she likes vegi's then buy some small pop-top containers of green beans, corn, etc. (what ever she likes) and just toss a few on her plate/high chair tray (My boys prefer them not warmed up - probably because I never warmed them to start off with). Also, they have caned potatoes - sliced or chunked - heat them up a bit with some butter and salt & pepper and they are good to go (in the vegi isle). Fish sticks are also quick and easy - Gordon's are good in the microwave where as many are not (I have learned the hard way). Also, don't be afraid to give her different cereals as deserts - I use to give Cheereos, Frootloops, rice chex, Pops.

My boys are 4 and 2 and they both eat the same things now, but I am a working mother and my husband is not usually home during dinner time due to work, so I have learned to be quick! I do the freezing thing as well and I hate to give them frozen stuff all the time (which I don't), but these items became a must have in my house.

Good luck!
Sam

Hi B.!
One easy convienient thing I like to do for lunch or dinner for my daughter is lunchables minis. Granted it's not the pinacle of health but I look at it like she has a sandwich separately. My daughter is 14 months old but only has one tooth, and these still work out well for her. I also do the graduates mini meals. and another thing i do is get the purdue short cuts - precooked chicken then just chop into little pieces and she loves them. i do hotdogs sometimes too. hopefully one of these suggestions works out for you too. Good luck!

You can always buy frozen healthy meals you can nuke in a second. Peanut butter and crackers is a great idea and maybe the yogurt Go-Gurts in fun colors you stick in the fridge!! Good luck!!

My daughter was born 07-06-07 and isnt big on baby foods either!!!!! i usually feed her whatever i am eating but for lunch and nights i dont cook she is eating the toddler type meals. she LOVES the mashed potatoes with veggies in em!!! some stage 3 dinners. her fav. is the pasta ones! they actually smell like spaghetti os! IF you get any GREAT advice PLEASE pass it along to me too!!!! I am also a teacher in pasco, took 3 months off bu am fprtunate enought to have grandma avail. to watch her while i work and she is only 3 blocks from my school!!!! would love to hear from you!

I remember how that felt when my Jacob was 9 months. It's a hard stage because they also have a limited amount of teeth. Depending on how many your little one has, you could make food and then freeze it.

Jakers liked applesauce or banana pancakes with whole wheat pancake mix. They freeze really well. To get his veggies in, I make them soft, or use my leftovers, and maybe put it with a small amount of cheese (or soy if you limit his dairy) and make a small quesadilla. He still loves fruit smoothies with a banana, frozen fruit, some milk (dairy or soy), and a scoop of some green food.
Also, I can't remember when they can have eggs, but the only time he would eat eggs is if I put it in a veggie quiche. You can get a great whole wheat crust at Green Bean with no LARD like in the refrigerated pie crusts.

Some of these are not quick in the beginning, but they all freeze well, and are ready to be popped in the oven.

How is taking time off from teaching? I am doing the same thing. Hope this helps. If you want some recipes, let me know.

Both my kids refused baby food. If you are in a desperate situation and you don't have anything , you could give her some fresh fruit, cheese, crackers and that is a meal for her. I have had to do that from time to time. You can also purchase frozen veggies. The new ones steam in the bag are great for last minute food. They now have individual size ones. It takes 1 1/2 - 2 mins to heat up. One individual size package can feed her and my son along with something else added to the meal. I to would make some things ahead and bag them up or store them in the frig for a day or so (depending on what it was). She loved steamed apples with raisins and some cinnamon mixed in. I could make a those ahead and serve those at any meal or even snack. I also cooked carrots in small pieces so she could pick them up with her fingers. Easy to transport when your on the go and they are healthy. Good luck!

Wow, she wants to be a big girl already. Here are some great and healthy choices; whole wheat pasta, whole wheat noodles and brown rice. Just add and mix with vegetables, meats or fish. For snacks; whole wheat breads, whole wheat cheerios and whole wheat fish (crackers) Cut up apples, grapes, etc. In order to tell if she really likes something you have to introduce at least ten times. Since she is not 12m yet, please check with the pediatrician for any restrictions. Just offering her your food is a great way to see her interest. *Sliced quality cold cuts and cheese are great also. Don't give up on the baby food you aleady have, just add them as desserts or snacks to her big girl meals.

Cottage cheese and you can mix in some apples sauce or fruit cocktail. also maybe try some whole grain pastas and then buy sauce in a jar use as much as you need and either put the rest in the fridge or freeze it if you think you wont use it before it goes bad. Also try to give her just mixed vegetables my son would never eat it but I did when I was little. Oat meal is also good and easier for them to feed themselves from a spoon since it is kind of clumpy. They also sell pre-made meals for little ones that you just heat up. There called pasta pick ups I think and then there are other ones that are actual meals.

My lil one loved chicken noodle soup.You can use orzo and lots of carrots and peas.Then snamsh lightly when cooked.Maybe no chicken unless she can eat that yet.Make a big pot and freeze it in ziplocs.
Always freeze leftovers in little meals.Baked potates are good also.Sweet potatoes are even better.

Not sure if you have tried this yet but fresh fruits and veggies. Go for softer ones like mangoes(just be careful at first as many people are allergic to them), avocados, tomatoes, bananas, peaches, etc. Maybe cook an extra chicken breast or two when you do cook to freeze. You can reheat and shred with the above mentioned foods. Hope some of these ideas help.

Hi B.! Kaylie never ate store bought baby food either. I found it really easy for me to set a couple of hours aside on a Sunday and prepare a bunch of food for her. I used several cook books from Annabel Karmel and put together meals for her that I froze in small baggies. It was great because I would make (for instance) small pasta shells with chicken in a sweet potato sauce. I would spend a couple of hours making several sauces with sweet potato's or carrots and freeze them individually. Then I could thaw a bag and mix it with whatever I decided to make for that day. Each time I fixed a meal I made several portions and froze them. When she was younger I did the same thing and just pureed it with my magic bullet. As for mac n cheese and foods like that it is very easy to make from scratch. Cheese sauce-1 tsp unsalted butter, 1 tsp flour, 1 cup milk and cheese. Melt and add to noodles. I like to add broccoli to the cheese.
I hope this helps! Happy cooking!
J.

Hi B.
My little guy is almost 11 months and won't eat baby food anymore either. For breakfast he loves the eggo waffles diced up very small. Pancakes or whole wheat toast with a bit of butter. Other foods that he likes are scrambled eggs, yogurt and cheese too.
For dinners, I am starting to do the crock pot thing, since it makes all the food so soft. I just made a beef stew and he loved it. I just either mash his up more or put it in the food processor.
For a great snack the nutrigrain bars are yummy for them too.
Also, I made cut up chunks of sweet potato baked at 450 for 20 min and that was a real hit with my toddler too.
Good luck

Gerber has lil meals that are as close to people food that I have found. My son eats the chef boyrdee quickmeals. they also have chicken and rice, turkey, beef and potatoes. Good luck

Alot of kids don't like baby food. That is totally fine :-) Typically, fresh food you are eating is better for them anyway...less preservatives, colors, chemicals and other things their little bodies could really do without!

I don't cook at all, so I have been in the same dilemna... I usually make a half sandwich of sunbutter and low sugar jelly, sliced fruit, individual steam bags of veggies, soup with crackers, leftovers!, deli meat rolled with cheese slices, oatmeal with fruit, yogurt, anything we have! I have always fed our daughter adult food cut or mashed in small pieces so she really loves everything. I've avoided constantly offering the usual processed kid fave foods all the time like nuggets, hot dogs, and other ready to heat or open and eat foods....they are usually not the heathiest things to get them used to so I use those only on rare occassion. If you get her used to fresh foods she will learn to prefer the taste... :-)

Hi B.,
I also have a 9 month old born in late July and he HATES baby food as well... I have been strugling for ideas also and one idea that was given to me was turkey meatloaf that is frozen in to individual servings, you can put babyfood veggies right in it so if you are in a rush you have the whole meal in one. also homemade chicken noodle soup frozen with very little broth mostly rice or noodles and chicken and veggies, If your daughter likes veggies you can buy the individual peas,and carrots (bite size) in the little plastic containers at walmart they are the size of the dole fruit cups I always keep one in my diaper bag in case we are out for lunch it may not be the most "balanced" meal but at least it is a veggie and it isn't junk food. But honestly I am always looking for ideas myself so I am not much help. I have bought the Gerber finger foods the fruit jars and I keep them in my diaper bag also.

Good Luck!!!

Instant mashed potatoes with maybe some canned carrots mashed in with it and some canned beef,chicken and gravy with it, several meals could be made up and saved from the canned goods and the instant potatoes are quick and easy. Also a scrambled egg and those precooked frozen sausage patties. they take about 30 seconds in a microwave to warm up and the egg is so quick. There are plenty of small microwave dinners like the single serving stew and chicken and dumpling type stuff where the canned spagetti is. How about beanie weenies once in awhile.