The months between your baby's very first mouthful of 'solids' (usually very runny!) and his first birthday go very fast. For some, they are still happy at 12 months to eat fruit and veg mushed up, or jars of food labelled 'suitable from four months'. Others have moved on to a portion of the family's meal that has been left unseasoned and really well chopped up. However, almost all will now enjoy the little snacks they can feed themselves.

It is important that, between six and 12 months, your baby is still getting enough milk and some solids - depending on his size and own needs. However, a few small snacks will not spoil his appetite if you give them away from mealtimes and don't leave him to scoff an entire packet of something on his own!

Use your instincts to see when your baby is ready for finger foods. Always make sure you are with him in case of choking, and if you are in doubt, ask your health visitor, who can see your child and will help you gauge how physically ready he is for finger foods.
You might find that during bouts of teething, your child is more or less inclined to eat these foods.
Think about any possible allergies your child might be prone to before giving any new foods. Your family history of allergies is a good guide.

Good first finger foods and snacks

  • Bread or toast - At first your baby will probably just suck toast or bread, but he will enjoy eating this soon enough. You can cut off crusts if they seem too hard for him, and avoid using very nutty breads that have hard bits he might choke on. Try to use wholemeal breads as these really are nutritionally better and a new palate won't be seeking particular tastes yet. However, if your own favourite breads have a very strong taste or rough texture, you can buy 'best of both' style breads where they are white with wholemeal grains left in. If you want to, you can spread a little butter or margarine on, but don't put spreads on as many with either be too sweet or salty for a small baby.
  • Breadsticks - Babies love gnawing on breadsticks, though they can be quite dry so make sure your child has a cup of water if he needs one. You can buy organic small bread sticks for babies, but many regular ones are just as good - so long as they are not flavoured or have salt in.
    You can also get rice cakes that are not flavoured. Again they are quite dry, but older babies and toddlers love them.
  • Dried fruit - The soft, squidginess of dried apricots make them a popular snack to chew on, but the organic ones which look more brown than orange are preferable as they do not have the sulphur found in regular dried apricots. They will be clearly labelled. The same goes for dried apple rings which can be a lovely, soft teether.
    Lilttle boxes of raisins are also popular, but given they are quite small in size, make sure your child is confident eating food with pieces in before giving them. When your child is over one, they will love having their own little box of these to carry around, and this also helps develop fine motor skills.
  • Fruit and veg - Slices of melon can be an easy and nutritious snack (honeydew, not watermelon), but do not give grapes that are whole to any children under three as these can be a choking hazard. Small children, over one, do love grapes, but cut them in half so that the skin isn't so likely to stick in their throats.