5 things you really need to know about transitioning from spoon food to table food

This is a companion piece to my post for Happy to Be at Home this week. I started a list of foods appropriate for beginning eaters and got on a soap box about food items marketed towards toddlers. I decided to take out my rant and move it here. Stay tuned later this week for a link to the H2B@H article with ideas of real food to feed babies and toddlers who are transitioning from spoon to table food. At some point the feeding tot job gets more complicated once your baby refuses the spoon. Between that list and these guidelines navigating this transition will be a little easier.

3 Reasons to avoid food marketed at toddlers

They aren't what they say they are
Gerber has a line of beginner snacks that attempts to reassure mom that nutrition is happening when she feeds these items to her baby. What is a fruit puff? Fruit is not "puffy" or "light and crunchy" like dry cereal. Fruit is juicy. Fruit is crisp, or soft. Fruit resembles something that grows in nature. Gerber's Fruit puffs are essentially fortified cereal with some added apple powder. Apple powder is the sixth ingredient, right after sugar. There is only 1g of sugar in a 1/2 cup serving, so however much apple is in this product, it is less than 1g per 1/2 cup serving. Further, they claim to have whole grain goodness, but rice flour is the first ingredient listed, and it is not whole grain. The whole grain part comes from the second ingredient, whole grain oat flour. I give Gerber some props though for using natural colorings for this product. So let me be clear. Gerber fruit puffs are not fruit. They are cereal. The amount of fruit in Gerber fruit puffs is negligible. You're better off feeding your baby cheerios when you're on the go, and letting them eat soft ripe fruit like pears, peaches, mangoes, or bananas when they're seated in a high chair. I'm not even going to get started on "Yogurt Melts."

They are expensive
You feel safe because the portions are appropriate, and the packaging says they are right for your child's age, but the ingredients are the same as other products. Look for canned/jarred fruit (packed in juice instead of syrup) in the canned food isle. The cereal isle is already full of low sugar, whole grain, bite sized crunchy appropriate toddler snack food. For finger food snacks that are ready for on the go, look for breakfast cereals that are whole grain and low in sugar in the breakfast food isle. Cheerios aren't the most wholesome cereal in a grocery store, but they are whole grain, vitamin fortified and low in sugar.

They will delay the transition to table food
Sure it's convenient, but all you've done is transition from baby food jars to finger food containers. Kids need real food, and the variety of nutrients in these pre-packaged meals and snacks is not as diverse as they would get on a diet of table food made from wholesome ingredients and low amounts of preservatives.

5 things you really need to know about transitioning from spoon food to table food


Protein and fat are key until tots are 2, and still very important between 2-3 years. In the early years of life the brain is in rapid development and the brain needs protein and fat to develop. Eggs and fish, nuts have both. Beans are good for protein. For fat, use olive oil to drizzle on veggies and pasta. Flaxseed meal is also a good source of omega three fat, you can grind whole seeds or buy flax seed meal and add it to batters (pancakes).

Feed them what you eat. They need to eat with you and eat what you're eating (unless what is cheetos and mountain dew). That's the way to get them at the table eating the family meal. Babies and young toddlers need to observe experienced eaters at as many meals as possible. Older siblings, parents, friends and relatives all count. The better diet their role models have the more likely they are to have a varied palate.

Practice. They will eventually master fork and spoon feeding, but only with lots of practice. Give them utensils at every meal, and let them practice. The younger they are the sooner they will tire of it, and start using hands, or welcome your assistance.

Snacks are universally appealing. Most toddlers love snacks and would choose snacks over "meal" food most of the time if given the choice. So don't offer snacks around meal times. Keep it out of eye-sight when meals are served. You can't rationalize with a baby about why they need to eat pasta instead of a granola bar at dinner. Thankfully young kids forget about what they can't see very quickly.

Gagging. From time to time your tot will gag on food, probably because they tried to swallow it before chewing (enough). That is part of the normal learning process of eating food that requires chewing before swallowing. In most EVERY case your baby's reflexes will expel the food and they will continue breathing. But, you need to be vigilant. When feeding a food for the first time, be seated and focused on how baby tolerates the new food. Watch carefully if gagging happens, and if he shows signs of choking and not breathing, be prepared to help him remove the food from his airway.