Your little one will start crawling, will want to explore new things, loses interest in food, doesn’t want to be spoon fed, throws things around and lots more !!!
By 8 months your baby would be able to sit without support for several minutes and have developed pincer grasp (able to pick things with forefinger and thumb) This is a good sign for starting finger foods for your baby which helps the baby to explore sizes, textures, taste and feel of the food.
After 8th month you can also introduce some interesting food for your baby. When your baby completes 8th month, you can start with
1. Egg (yolk)
2. Chicken
3. Cheese
4. Yogurt
5. Tofu
6. Cauliflower
7. Broccoli
8. Kiwi
9. Fish
10.Bread Sticks
Note -: You might be wondering why NO to Cow’s milk but YES to yogurt and cheese till 1 year. It is because in cheese and yogurt the lactose is broken down and so it is easily digestible and there is no danger of these 2 foods replacing breastmilk!!
Check out Here to know what are the requisites for solid feeding your baby.
Please follow the 3 Day Rule before introducing any new food.
When do I know my baby is ready for Finger Foods?
1. Baby is able to sit upright.
2. Baby does not thrust the food out. (Tongue thrust reflex)
3. Baby has a pincer grasp so that the food can be held in their fingers.
4. When the baby achieves hand eye co-ordination so that they can pick the food and put in their mouth.
Getting Started
1. It is best for the baby to sit on a high chair with the table while eating, as we will be able to control the messiness and the infant has a large surface to play with the food.
2. What type of food can be given?
Experts advise to give the food what the whole family has, but in India, our meals are so varied that some of the food items may not be suitable for the infant.
Boiled vegetables cut into strips make great foods, evenly cut fruit cubes (apple, pear) rice sticks, preloaded spoons with cereal and lots more.
3. Be prepared for the messiness!!!
4. It is not a “Hands off” approach, with the parent as a silent spectator. The parents should guide the baby to take the food to the mouth by themselves.
5. Allow the baby to try one food at a time, for example, try apple one day and pear another day, do not combine them as the baby will not be able to appreciate and distinguish the tastes.
6. The fast foods and foods with lots of sugar and salt should be avoided.
7. Strict meal times are not mandatory, follow your baby’s cues, feed when they are hungry, do continue breastfeeding.
8. Do not cut the food into mouth sized pieces, as they will not be able to hold the pieces and gnaw on them. The guide to the perfect size will be the size of the baby’s fist and preferably chip shaped.
9. Be patient, do not hurry your baby, many of the times you will be tempted to stuff the food into their mouth!!!.
10. Try rejected food after some days, they might like it.
11. There is a very rare chance for choking, so never leave the baby unattended.
8 Month Baby Food Chart
I have structured this 8-month baby food chart in such way that the baby is gradually introduced to heavier diets, so I would advise you to follow the same order.
The food schedule can be as follows
Breakfast – 9 am
Mid Morning Snack – 11 am
Lunch – 1 pm
Afternoon Snack – 4 pm
Dinner – 7 to 9 pm
In between these meals, breastfeed the baby, please don’t stop breastfeeding as it is still the main source of energy and nutrition for your little one.
Week 1
| Day | Breakfast | Mid Morning Snack | Lunch | Afternoon Snack | Dinner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monday | Steamed Dosa | Veg soup | Plain Khichdi | Fruit FF | Homemade Cerelac |
| Tuesday | Sooji Kheer | Boiled Egg Yolk/Veg FF | Plain Pongal | Grape juice | Oats Porridge |
| Wednesday | Idli | Apple Sauce | Carrot Khichdi | Veg FF | Wheat Almond Porridge |
| Thursday | Plain Pancake | Bread Sticks | Plain Ghee Rice | Chickoo Puree | Sooji Porridge |
| Friday | HM Rice Cereal | Veg FF | Flavoured Pongal | Banana Puree | Oats Apple Porridge |
| Saturday | Wheat Kheer | Mango Yogurt | Vegetable Khichdi | Fruit FF | Pongal |
| Sunday | Banana Pancake | Boiled Egg Yolk/Fruit FF | Tomato Khichdi | Veg FF | Brown Rice Cereal |
Week 2
| Day | Breakfast | Mid Morning Snack | Lunch | Afternoon Snack | Dinner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monday | Ragi Porridge | Cheese | Pumpkin Khichdi | Fruit FF | Wheat Cereal |
| Tuesday | Apple Pancakes | Scrambled Egg Yolk/ Bread FF | Sweet Pongal | Veg FF | Plain Khichdi |
| Wednesday | Oats Kheer | Apple Yogurt | Pepper Ghee Rice | Bread Sticks | Steamed Dosa |
| Thursday | HM Rice Cereal | Chicken/veg soup | Spinach Khichdi | Fruit FF | Homemade Cerelac |
| Friday | Plain Pancakes | Cheese sticks | Masala Pongal | Veg FF | Mashed Rotis |
| Saturday | Oats Banana Porridge | Plain Yogurt | Potato Khichdi | Fruit FF | Wheat Porridge |
| Sunday | Tofu Meal | Boiled Chicken/ Veg FF | Vegetable Rice | Bread Sticks | Idli |
Week 3
| Day | Breakfast | Mid Morning Snack | Lunch | Afternoon Snack | Dinner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monday | Ragi Sheera | Carrot balls | Plain Khichdi | Bread sticks | Barley Porridge |
| Tuesday | Home Made Cerelac | Pepper Egg/Fruit FF | Palak Khichdi | Tomato juice | Steamed Dosa |
| Wednesday | Wheat Pancakes | Arbi Fingers | Egg Yolk Rice | Cereal Snack Bars | Mixed flour roti |
| Thursday | Oats Porridge | Fruit FF | Ghee Rice | Tomato juice | Sooji Porridge |
| Friday | Ragi Dosa | Chicken/veg Soup | Mixed Veg Khichdi | Fruit FF | Sabudana Porridge |
| Saturday | Mini Idli | Flavoured Yogurt | Flavoured Pongal | Cauliflower Fry | Oats Porridge |
| Sunday | Plain Pancakes | Cheese | Louki Khichdi | Ragi Laddu | Plain Khichdi |
Week 4
| Day | Breakfast | Mid Morning Snack | Lunch | Afternoon Snack | Dinner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monday | Plain Pasta | Fruit FF | Tomato Khichdi | Louki Puree | Tricolored Idli |
| Tuesday | Veg Dosa | Watermelon Smoothie | Masala Pongal | Palak Soup | Oats Porridge |
| Wednesday | Ragi Cake | Cheese | Pumpkin Khichdi | Avacado Puree | HM rice cereal |
| Thursday | Banana Pancake | Egg scrambled/Veg FF | Chicken/Plain Rice | Veg Stock | Sooji Kheer |
| Friday | Homemade Cerelac | Fruit Yogurt | Ash gourd Khichdi | Carrot kheer | Wheat Almond Porridge |
| Saturday | Fruit Oats porridge | Chicken fry/ fruit FF | Sweet Pongal | Apple Smoothie | Masala Dosa for Babies |
| Sunday | Eggless Pancakes | Beet Halwa | Vegetable Khichdi | Cheese | Veg Khichdi |
Note – FF means Finger Food and Pancakes are always whole wheat pancakes
For the finger foods, offer 2 or 3 pieces of FF in the beginning and slowly increase the quantity. Don’t expect your little one to polish off the finger foods at first, they will slowly explore the taste and texture of the food before eating them.
You can plan your baby meals using a Printable Meal Planner.
You can start a “Baby Food Diary” to keep track on your little one’s favorite recipes and allergies to specific food.
Finger food options – Vegetable Finger Foods, Fruit Finger Foods.
The information presented here is meant as a guide and does not replace professional medical advice. You should always discuss your baby’s dietary requirements with your doctor.