Two solutions for slippery food

A few weeks ago, I wrote about Henry’s trouble with avocado. The slices were just too slippery for his little hands to hold. Since then, we’ve found two solutions to the slippery food problem.

Solution #1: Mesh feeder

A reader suggested a mesh feeder as one solution for this issue. I purchased the Sassy teething feeder. There are similar products made by Nuby and Munchkin, but those weren’t available at the store I visited.

We tested the feeder with fresh pineapple to see how Henry would do. The handle is very large and he had a bit of trouble maneuvering it to start. Once he figured out that food was in the mesh side, he started sucking on it and was able to get quite a lot of juice. The next day, I offered him pineapple again, but this time he was uninterested and flung the mesh feeder on the floor.

Henry slurps pineapple juice from his new mesh feeder.

I have two main complaints about the mesh feeder. First, it is difficult to get clean. You need to remove any remaining bits of food immediately after baby is done eating and thoroughly rinse it out. Otherwise, food dries to the mesh and it does not come out easily. Second, the feeder is very difficult to open. You need to use one hand to squeeze the locking mechanism and the other hand to untwist the cap. This is an especially difficult task when the feeder is covered in sticky food residue. Once Henry develops his fine motor skills, it is unlikely we will continue to use this product.

Henry examines a nectarine in the mesh feeder

Solution #2: Toast

Henry loves toast. In the mornings when I have toast for breakfast, I cut off a few pieces of crust for him. White, wheat and sourdough – he loves them all. Toast fingers are easy for him to pick up and get to his mouth. The bread slowly dissolves as he gnaws away at the crust.

Henry enthusiastically eats his morning toast.

Spreading slippery foods on toast is an easy delivery method for him to try out those hard to pick up foods. I just mash up soft fruits with a fork and spread it on his piece of toast. This does best with very ripe soft fruit. This has worked well for Henry with plums and blueberries.

Toast is an inexpensive tool for helping little mouths to experience a variety of flavors. It is quite versatile, since you can spread very soft foods like hummus, yogurt and pureed veggies on toast.

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