Finger Food Favorites

I have to tell you, while I am a big fan of toddler recipes and inventive ingredients, there is nothing I love more than opening up the fridge or freezer and tossing some ready-to-eat bites onto the high chair tray. I'm sure you have tried many of these finger foods already, but here is a list of our favorites for you to pick and choose!

Veggies:  (Note:  I always start the meal with veggies, since that's the most important part and usually the last consumed if given the choice).

• Frozen baby sweet peas (Yes, frozen!  They thaw quickly in the mouth, and are great for those sore gums).
• Steamed, sliced baby carrots
• Steamed butternut squash, cut into bites (Optional: Sprinkle with cinnamon.  Note:  I have found that the best way to do this is to boil the whole squash in a big pot of water for about 2-3 minutes.  This makes the skin much softer.  Then cut the squash in half, use an ice cream scooper to scoop out the seeds, and peel off the skin with a knife.  Then cut into bites, steam, and serve).
• Peeled, steamed sweet potatoes, cut into bites

Meats:

• Imitation crab meat (or go for the real stuff - Daddy just happens to have a seafood allergy, so we have to stay away from that until later)
• Freshly-cooked ham, cut into bites

Fruits:

• Blueberries, gently "popped" between your fingers, to prevent choking
• Raspberries, cut in half
• Strawberries, cut into bites
• Bananas, cut into bites and sprinkled with wheat germ (makes the bites easier to pick up)
• Mango, peeled and cut into bites
• Pineapple, cut into bites
• Peaches, peeled and cut into bites (must be pretty ripe)

Dairy:

• Cheddar cheese, broken into bite-sized crumbles
• Yogurt melts (available in the baby section of most grocery stores, in a resealable bag)
• Yogurt pops (Buy individual yogurts at the grocery store, stick a popsicle stick through the foil top, and freeze.  When ready to eat, just pull the yogurt out by the stick and serve).

Other:

• Avocado, cut into bites (Easiest way:  Slice avocado in half, use knife to cut lines one way and then the other into the "meat" of the avocado, then use a spoon to scoop the pieces out).
• Peanut butter & jelly on multi-grain bread, cut into bites