It has been awhile since I have done a finger foods post. It's nap time, so I am going to get right to the point.
We have finally found our replacement for puffs and Cheerios. Let me introduce to our new love:
3 Ingredient Cheese Crackers. I got the recipe from
100 Days of Real Food, an awesome whole foods family blog. I made one small change from whole wheat flour to whole wheat pastry flour, and that's really a texture issue (I think they dissolve easier with the pastry flour).
All you do is throw
5 tablespoons of cold butter (cut into chunks), 1 [1/2] cup of shredded/grated cheese, and 1 cup of whole wheat pastry (or whole wheat) flour into a food processor. Process for a few minutes (yes, it takes a few minutes) until it becomes a ball. Take it out and place on a long strip of wax paper and form into a log. You can either cut it into crackers right away or throw it in the fridge for awhile. Bake for 12-15 minutes until golden brown and firm, and you have the most amazing, EASY crackers for your little one.
I keep these in my diaper bag as my emergency snack. Baby G likes to put the whole cracker in her mouth so I usually break them into smaller pieces. These freeze well so if you don't think you will eat them right away or want to make a double batch, throw them in the freezer until you need them.
I can't even express how happy I am to have a whole foods "puffs" snack for Baby G. It's such a lifesaver and she loves them.
Enough cracker love fest, here is what else we are eating:
Thawed frozen fruit: I bought a big bag of mixed tropical frozen fruit and I always have blueberries in the freezer. I either take these out the night before and put them in the fridge, or an hour before and put them on the corner. The fruit has no additives and all of its nutrition, yet it is soft and easy for Baby G to eat. She particularly loves the blueberries.
Grated apples: This was a great tip from a mom in my playgroup (Thank you Stephanie!). Baby G loves apples but I am worried about choking. This gives her the flavor and some texture and is easy to do.
Cheese curds- I warm them up in the microwave for a few seconds and break them apart. G loves them!
Peas and Carrots- I buy the frozen ones, cook them in batches, and try to always keep them in the fridge. Such an easy no-mess finger food!
Beans!- G loves brown beans, light red kidney beans, and pinto beans.
Toast in various forms- I make my own bread using an adapted form of
this recipe (I swap in maple syrup for honey and some bread flour for a few cups of whole wheat). I will do a separate post on bread, but if you have a stand mixer, you should try this recipe. So easy!
On our toast, we have had peanut butter and jelly, butter and jelly, yogurt and puree, and hummus. I also tried French toast but Baby G wasn't too interested.
Cheese- Cheese is another go-to for Baby G. This is a great on-the-go snack. I cut it up in little cubes and she loves them.
Things I want to try: Roasted baby carrots with spices. Roasting cauliflower with spices. Cutting up pears and apples, putting them in the freezer for 24 hours, thawing, and then giving them to Baby G as they will be soft and broken down. I will report back on what I learn!
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What are some of your favorite finger foods for your little one?
