Published on
by Brittany Dixon
Simple and healthy baby led weaning meal ideas appropriate for an 8 month old baby and beyond. For more general baby/toddler and children’s food topics, click here for Munchkin Meals!
We started baby led weaning with Kaitlyn at 6 months old. She started with big pieces of food that were easy to grasp, like baked sweet potato sticks and steamed broccoli. At 7 months old she was getting more proficient and I started giving her smaller pieces of food to play with. Her pincer grip developed quickly with all the practice and now at 8 months, she prefers mostly smaller pieces. I find she gets more down the hatch this was too.
At 8 months old, Kaitlyn eats at least two meals a day, sometimes three. Her meal times are all over the place, but generally she eats about an hour after nursing.
For this Munchkin Meals, I wanted to give you a look into what typical meals look like for Kaitlyn!
1. Scrambled egg, avocado and homemade bread with a thin schmear of cream cheese
2. Frozen blueberries, shredded chicken and avocado
3. Lentils, avocado and red pepper strips
…sensing an avocado theme? I put forth a solid effort to include fat at each of Kaitlyn’s meals. It’s great for brain development and packing in as many nutrient-dense calories as possible. I use avocado a lot, but also olives, butter, olive oil, full fat yogurt, meat, egg yolks and cheese.
4. Shredded chicken, pear slices and sliced black olives
5. French toast and banana … though funny fact, the only food Kaitlyn will not eat right now is banana! She can pick out all the other food pieces around it and leave the banana untouched.
6. Baked sweet potato pieces (this recipe is a favorite!), black beans and steamed broccoli
7. Lentils, diced grape tomatoes and zucchini sautéed in olive oil
8. Crockpot pulled pork and frozen peas
9. Ground beef, cooked and dipped in guacamole with steamed broccoli
10. And when all else fails, serve mom’s famous spaghetti with meat sauce!
You may also like:
Vegetable Quinoa Biscuits for Baby
Baby-Led Weaning Freezer Food Favorites
Kaitlyn at 8 Months Old (what she’s eating, how she’s sleeping, and developmental milestones)
Hailey at 8 Months Old (what she’s eating, how she’s sleeping, and developmental milestones)
About Brittany Dixon
Brittany Dixon is a former health coach turned homeschooling mom of two girls. Her goal is to share her passion for healthy eating and natural living alongside the daily challenges and triumphs of motherhood. She shares her life through the lens of food, family, and travel.
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Reader Interactions
Comments
Brittany @ Delights and Delectables says
I LOVE it. I can’t get Baby D to not eat pureed food. He just spits it back out. AND I can’t keep the kid full! We do a lot of coconut oil and avocado over here. Thats the only way he stays full!
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John J. Stathas says
You just have to look at healthy smiling Kaitlyn to know this way is the best way. Brittany, you continue to inspire and lead people to better health!
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Katie Harding says
I love this! My littlest one will be 6 months old in just a few weeks and he is totally loving eating off of a spoon but I am going to try these meal ideas! I love that you switch up the proteins and the veggies so that she is exposed to different textures and flavors.
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Taca @ A Side Of Dessert says
I love the way you took the picture of the food! So cute! And what an adorable mess she made haha
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Jen says
AMAZING. Seriously. She eats such a huge variety of foods! I know my baby girl will get there…but she is far, far away from that! She shares Kaitlyn’s dislike of banana, though, ha!
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Brittany Dixon says
That’s so funny that she doesn’t like banana either. I always thought that was a universally loved baby food. Who knew?!
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Amrita Gupta says
My baby shares the same disliking!! She even hates avacado 😕 What can I do instead?
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Chelsea says
Have you ladies tried putting cinnamon on the bananas? My little girl didn’t like bananas until I put that on it! Now she loves it and it makes it easier to pick up also
Sam says
Do you heat up your bell pepper strips or you pear slices?
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Brittany Dixon says
I don’t, though I’m sure you could if you wanted them softer!
Arpita Thakore says
Hi Brittany, liked your ideas, but problem is my baby is 11 months old and teething has not yet started for her, so I give her pureed food only, can I let her eat this directly the way u have mentioned ??
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Erin @ Her Heartland Soul says
All her meals look yummy! Way to introduce her to such a diverse group of foods!
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Allison says
Hi Brittany! Thanks for sharing ! Is there a reason you serve the blueberries and peas frozen?
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Brittany Dixon says
Because I’m lazy 😉 I wink, but it’s mostly the truth. I found out with Hailey that she preferred peas frozen, so with those and the tiny blueberries, it’s cheaper and faster to buy the frozen version.
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Michele says
Hi Brittany.. I’m curious about serving the frozen peas and blueberries since they’re round.. do you ever experience choking with these foods?
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Brittany Dixon says
I did not, but if it makes you more comfortable, a great option is to squish the blueberry or pea slightly between your fingers before putting it on the baby’s tray. You can certainly cut it in half if you’d rather too. Hope this helps!
april says
Just wanted to say hi and congratulations on the new book! Such a wonderful accomplishment! I love reading your munchkin meal posts…they give me lots of new ideas for my sometimes picky eater and I definitely can use all the ideas I can get!
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Betsy says
These are such great meal ideas, I can’t wait to try. I’m also looking forward to getting a copy of your book!
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Kelli says
Did either of your girls choke on foods when you first started baby led weaning? I ask because I have a three year old who always choked as a baby whenever I tried to feed her this way so I ended up feeding her puréed foods for a long time. Now as a 3 year old she is a terrible eater and basically gags and spits everything back out unless it’s crackers or toast. I also have a 2 year old who I was determined to make a better eater so we tried baby led weaning again and she did awesome in fact she wouldn’t even eat puréed foods she spit those back out! Complete opposite of her sister and now at 2 she is a great eater. I also have a 7 month old and he is doing just what my oldest did and choking on solids and than vomits everywhere. Any recommendations you have for a baby that chokes on solids? I really don’t want to go down the same path I did with my 3 year old. Sorry for the lengthy questions! P.S. My 3 year old and 7 month old are just like me as a baby so says my mom so maybe it’s just pay back
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Brittany Dixon says
Choking and vomiting sounds terrifying, so certainly do what makes the most sense for your family! Neither one of my girls (knock on wood) has choked. They both have gagged on instances, but that is very different from choking. The gag reflex is actually located further forward on the tongue, instead of the back of the throat like adults, on babies, which acts as a natural safe guard against choking. If it’s just gagging, I’d encourage to stay the course with vigilance, but the throwing up is understandably worrisome, so I’d default to your gut instinct and doctor recommendation. Good luck!!
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Cassie says
My daughter is 6 months old and I am so interested in your baby led weaning approach! I have introduced her to mashed avocado and sweet potato, but nothing else. I love that you tried whole broccoli! My first though is what if they choke..but obviously that isnt a problem…can you share more? Im searching your blog now! =)
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Brittany Dixon says
Hi Cassie! Neither one of my girls (knock on wood) has choked. They both have gagged on instances, but that is very different from choking. The gag reflex is actually located further forward on the tongue, instead of the back of the throat like adults, on babies, which acts as a natural safe guard against choking. Starting with large pieces of appropriate foods has worked well for my girls and given them the chance to learn how to maneuver food effectively. My advice is to dip a toe into BLW and just see how it goes. I think you may be surprised at how well she does! GOod luck 🙂
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Kristen@Change of Pace says
Great meal ideas! I wish baby led weaning was around when my kiddos were little 🙂
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Jes says
I really want to try BLW but I am so afraid of the choking. My little man is at the 1% for weight, so I’m thinking some good fats and feeding himself would be great if we could figure this out!
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Heather says
Love how pretty the food pictures are! 😉 Bananas are one of those foods that our son didn’t like until he was almost 2 and that our 15 month old is still on the fence about. Heck, even I’m a little weirded out by the texture sometimes! 🙂
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Leah says
Great foods! Brittany I would love it if you could suggest the choking thing. I am worried. Just as other people are commenting. My baby boy is 4 months, so I am loving your ideas for these next few months to come!
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Brittany Dixon says
Hi Leah, understandably, choking is most parents #1 concern. Neither one of my girls (knock on wood) has choked. They both have gagged on instances, but that is very different from choking. The gag reflex is actually located further forward on the tongue, instead of the back of the throat like adults, on babies, which acts as a natural safe guard against choking. I found through my experience that choking is not nearly as much of a concern as parents think it will be, but I always recommend being up to date on all safety training, just in case. However, certainly always do what you are most comfortable with. Good luck!
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Ashley @ Running Bun says
This is awesome. We started with purees but once she was able to grasp (around 8 months) she wanted nothing to do with purees so now she eats what we eat! I felt (and still feel) pretty clueless at first so this helps!
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Abby says
We always did pureed foods with my girls, with mixed success. I always wonder if that contributed to some of the picky eating we encounter in our house. I would love to try BLW with any future babies… if I had known about it back when my other girls were babies I would have been all over that!! Will keep your book in mind as a reference! Super exciting!
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Nikki says
Any tips for me? My son turns 10 months old in just days. He eats both purees and meals like what you posted above. He is fine with chewing his food. My only issue is him feeding himself. He is not very good at it. He’s good with teething biscuits and not bad with Cheerios but I cut up pieces of oranges or broccoli and he just touches it and pushes it around the plate and starts whining because he can’t get it to his mouth!
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Brittany Dixon says
Hi Nikki! It sounds like you’re doing a great job. I’d just stay consistent and he’ll pick it up (both literally and figuratively) in time. Have you tried modeling it for him/showing him what to do? That helps with Kaitlyn! Try a few different flavors too. Overall, just keep offering and letting him practice. Best of luck!
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Kira says
Hi. I would love to do eggs with my 8 month old but I read to wait until after 1 for egg whites? Eggs seem like a great starter food, but I was avoiding it because of the caution. Any thoughts? I might just try it after looking at this blog. I love all your other ideas on this page. I have tried to do baby led eating, but haven’t done much yet, and he is mostly just tasting things so far.
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Brittany Dixon says
Hi Kira! Feeding is tough because there is a lot of mixed information on allergies. I took a looser approach to solids because we don’t have any allergies in the family and my pediatrician gave me the go-ahead. I even started peanut butter around 9 months (I’ll admit I let Hailey try it while sitting in the ER parking lot because I was a first time mom nervous nelly ;)).
The research does show conflicting things though- that early introduction can actually help reduce prevalence of allergies, so unfortunately this is one of those cases where it’s best to talk to your doctor and go with your gut. Good luck!Reply
Alisa says
Hi Brittany,
my LO is 9 months currently and is turning 10 months very soon. we do mainly purees with some finger foods to introduce texture and flavors. I make a lot of his purees, but when i am busy i have to admit i reach for a pouch(:( ) My question is, i have been giving him finger foods to play around with since he was 7 months old and he has the pincer grasp down and gets most of it in his mouth, but he really just kinda plays with it mostly.. Do i keep this up, introduce him spoon feeding himself(he sucks from the pouch and loves it), or do i introduce more stuff like spaghetti, chicken bites? i mainly do broccoli spears, sweet potato fries, mozzarella cheese bits, squash & zucchini sauteed in olive oil, tomato slices, egg white(just started), some teething wafers, yogi bites, dried puffs, bell peppers all colors, and that is about it. i’m stuck and need help. thanks! i was thinking of starting oatmeal with cinnamon and some diced fruit… should i even try that at this stage?
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Brittany Dixon says
It’s really a decision as to what makes you most comfortable and a conversation to have with your doctor. I subscribe to the “food before one is just for fun” mantra, but I do understand as a mom it is unnerving if your child isn’t eating. The thing is, at that age they really don’t understand solid pieces of food will fill their stomachs. In my personal experience, letting them explore solids while not full, but also not hungry (about an hour after nursing/bottle) is best. Don’t feel even a little guilty about pouches (I love those things), but I think it is great to keep offering different solid options, especially if you are eating the same thing at the same time (monkey see monkey do!) and letting him continue exploring food this way. Best of luck!
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Steph says
I’m a brand new mom and exclusively breast feeding. I’m intrigued by your post as I would think my almost 7 month old would be able to “chew” little pieces of food. So, at this age, if he’s interested, tiny pieces of food for him are okay even if he has no teeth yet?
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Steph says
Would = wouldn’t
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Brittany Dixon says
Generally speaking, if a baby can sit up unassisted, reaches for and seems interested in food, then offering solids is a great idea! Typically it is best to start with 2-3 inch long “sticks” of appropriate food (baked sweet potato sticks, partially peeled banana, etc) because they are easy for the baby to grab and work into his mouth while his pincer grip develops. For more info, please check out my book, but always make sure to check with your pediatrician first. Hope this helps!
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Veronica says
Hi Brittany,
This is a great post for me as i’ve been struggling with what to give me 7 mo. beyond the basic fruits and veggies. Question about scrambled eggs. I’ve heard this is a potential allergic food. The whites more so than the yolk. Are the scrambled eggs only yolk, or the whole egg? Regardless, were you wear the first time you introduced eggs?Reply
Brittany Dixon says
For my first daughter I started with yolks only for this reason, but with my second, I scrambled the entire egg. I’ve heard mixed research and without any food allergies in the family, I felt OK trying it. We tried it at home, though I had my phone and benedryl at the ready, and all turned out fine. Best of luck to you!
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Jenny says
Hi, I was just wondering if your daughter had teeth while learning to eat?
My son is nine months and I’d love to learn how to feed him this way, but he doesn’t have any teeth yet.I have tried to give him puffs and he’s choked on them, so I cut them in half. But I pretty much puree his food with giving him small bits in his food.
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Brittany Dixon says
She started solid foods at 6 months and did not have any teeth at the time. It’s completely normal for a baby to gag once or twice as they learn to handle a new texture. The gag reflex actually starts further forward on the tongue to act as a natural safeguard against choking. Certainly do what feels right to you and your pediatrician, but perhaps also consider a softer food, such as baked sweet potato sticks, which may be an easier first solid food. Good luck!
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Jenni says
I love this post! My baby just turned 9 months and I’m ready to start foods but am a little nervous. Do you break the food in to small pieces like all the pictures show?
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Brittany Dixon says
At this age I often did because I found she ate more this way. Before 8 months I used larger pieces she could grab with a fist while she worked on refining her pincer grip!
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Shameia says
These options have given me the direction I need for my recently turned 9 month old daughter. I normally blow her food to cool it, and then place it on her tray. But are you serving your daughters food room temp? What is your gauge for the right temperature?
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Brittany Dixon says
I typically serve food warm, so not room temperature. I take one for the team and usually taste a bite or two so I know it won’t be too hot! 😉
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Elyane says
Hi thanks for the great ideas! I’ve been struggeling with me 8 month little girl. She used to eat really well but she’s starting to refuse most of the things I’m offering her. I try to give her different things, but i end up giving her the same things becuse she doesn’t eat the newstuff…
I will try to give her smaller pieces. I’m affraid she’s not eating enough. Do you have any advice for me.?
Reaally nice blog thank you 🙂Reply
Brittany Dixon says
Hi Elyane, Kids will go through countless phases with food. My best tip is to stay consistent with offering new foods. However, serve her 2 things you know she likes and put one new offering on the plate as well. It can take several exposures for kids to get comfortable with a new food. Whatever you do, don’t force her to eat a food she doesn’t want to eat. If she doesn’t eat it, that’s fine; you don’t want a power struggle. Just keep offering. Oh- and offer only a small bit of it to avoid wasting food because I know how frustrating that can be.
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Marisa says
I’m so glad I came across this. I wouldn’t have thought to give my son red pepper strips, that’s a great idea. He’s 7 months old and I’ve been weary about giving him big food items like diced pears. I’m afraid he’ll bite too big of a piece off and have trouble with that. You’ve given me some great ideas, thank you!
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Ashley says
I’m glad I stumbled upon your post! Thank you so much! My son is 11 months old and we’ve done BLW from the start, and he has done so well. Zero complaints! But I noticed that I put a lot more on his tray than you show on in the photos. He does stop himself whenever he’s full, though. Sometimes he’ll eat everything I put out, and other times he’ll eat what he wants and then he’s done. Am I maybe over feeding him? I read somewhere that you can’t over feed a baby with this method of introducing solids, but maybe that was misinformation and I need to be providing less during meal time. My son isn’t overweight either, and he’s been gaining about a 0.5 – 1lb per month since we started solids after his 6 month check-up. What do you think about portions?
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Brittany Dixon says
I’m totally on board with you- I don’t think you can overfeed a baby with this method. My girls just did better with a few items on their tray at a time so they didn’t get overwhelmed, but if your son is handling it just fine, rock it! 🙂
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Gwen says
This was SO helpful, especially with pictures! All my 9month old will eat is bananas… Too funny! She also doesn’t like avocados, but I’ll keep trying!
Her favorite is cube steak in strips so she can suck out the juices. Haha!
Keep up the good workReply
Linzi says
Great meal ideas, thank you! Do you prepare her meals ahead of time and just warm up when it’s eating time or do you make it fresh each day? If you prepare ahead, how much do you make and how long do you keep it for? I only ask because my girl is quite impatient when it comes to meal time, I barely have enough time to mash a banana before she is loosing it, she is also very busy and all over the place so I have a hard time peeping anything in the moment! Thanks again!
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Brittany Dixon says
It really ranges! If I’m making it fresh, it’s warm and sometimes I would microwave a food I made a day or two prior. Since she eats/ate the same meals we do, I usually save a small portion for a day or two. I don’t keep anything for longer than 3-4 days in the fridge. My mantra is whatever is easy (thus the frozen peas! ;))
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Susie says
I thought BLW was bigger chunks of food. This looks like (mostly) normal finger food introduction. From what I learned BLW is mainly strips the width of your pinky. Just curious about the difference here.
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Brittany Dixon says
Hey Susie! You’re right! BLW starts with big slices or chunks of food around 6 months old then progresses into smaller, pea-sized pieces as the baby further develops their pincer grip.
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Justine says
Hi Brittney,
Thank you for the post! My baby is 8 month old and I would love to start BLW..so far, she’s had carrots, sweet potatoes and strips of beef..
One question, though you cut the food into small chunks, wouldn’t that still be dangerous if they choke on it? I guess that is my biggest concern/fear when doing BLW…..
Would love to know what you think…thank you~
Justine
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Brittany Dixon says
Hi Justine! You start with larger chunks of food so they are able to grasp it, then can move to smaller pieces as their fine motor skills and pincer grip develop. When they are really young, the gag reflex is actually located further forward on the tongue which helps act as a natural safeguard against choking. I was actually surprised with my girls how well they were able to handle foods of all sizes from young ages!
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Justine says
Thank you for the reply Brittney~
Yeah my baby is starting to grab the food with her thumb and index finger, though she hasn’t mastered the skill but she is doing it and trying to put the food in her mouth.
So I should just do the small pieces now or I should still do strips…sorry about the silly questions…I guess I am just being panicky easily and should just relax more…
Thanks again!
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Brittany Dixon says
No need to apologize! I know how scary it can be at first. I’d start doing a blended approach if I were you- a few large chunks and a few pea-sized pieces of food (squished blueberries for example). I found the girls’ pincer grip development really took off when food was a motivator 😉
Justine says
Thanks again~
Haha I was really impressed that she learned how to pick up small pieces quickly and I feel guilty sometimes cuz being scared of her choking, I make small pieces for her so in order to eat, she has to learn how to pick it up…okay, I will try both! She just loves feeding herself!
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Heather says
What bread do you feed your children? I have an almost 9 month old and unsure about bread filled with gluten. Is there a particular bread or wrap you fed them? Also, I have read giving grains to a baby is not good as they don’t have the enzymes to digest it well…curious to your thoughts and if you’ve researched it. I don’t eat a lot of grains, just bc I know it’s not good for us. I don’t eat a whole lot of red meat either. My son has yet to have anything out of a jar or pouch! I love your thoughts on the Plum brand (I do have their puffs) but they just seem watered down and I’m afraid I’m feeling him up on wasted calories that lack nutrients. I may be way off! I never in a million years thought I’d be so anal over everything. Our FDA is too lenient about what goes into our foods unfortunately!
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Heather says
*filling him up. Ugh, I hate typing via IPhone 🙂 I love your website and am doing Led Weaning and love it! thanks for all your ideas and I love your outlook on eating healthy!
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Brittany Dixon says
Hi Heather! Everyone obviously has different opinions on what healthy looks like, so I can only answer for me personally. I bake homemade sourdough and it’s a family favorite, but when we run out I usually snag Dave’s Killer Bread or Eureka Bread. I will also sometimes get the frozen Food for Life brand, but it can be hard for babies and toddlers to chew. Hope this is helpful!
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Ashley says
Are frozen peas and frozen blueberries thawed or isn’t safer to feed them to my 10 month old frozen ?
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Brittany Dixon says
I just would pull them straight from the freezer and plop them on the tray- so easy! But always do what feels best/safest for your child.
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Sophia says
May I ask how do u work the beans?? Were they dry beans or can?
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Brittany Dixon says
I use both, but definitely canned for convenience. Just rinse them under water to knock out a lot of the sodium.
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Suzanne Walker Jones says
My one yr old granddaughter feeds herself off her tray with her hands. She only has 3 teeth in now. Her parents cut everthing up but she eats well. She loves scrambled eggs, french toast, strawberries, bananas, oranges,& does well with fruit in the cans or individual cups. She eats vegetables, chicken, ice cream, meat loaf, PBJ sandwiches, spaghetti, just about anything.
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Kassy says
Could I store these foods in the same container? I am thinking of when I take my little guy to the babysitter. Could I make these ahead of time, put them all in one container, and send them for him to eat the next day?
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Brittany Dixon says
Absolutely!
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Nova says
I’m trying this but i’m so bad when it comes to trying to actually cook when I get home from work. My girl is almost 10 months and primarily only consumes breast milk. Occasionally, i’ll give her something easy like bread or chicken (whatever i’m having if there’s no sodium or can be sliced) but it’s not balanced like what you have for your daughter. Are there any suggestions to achieve balance in an easier, non-stove, or very quick, way?
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Brittany Dixon says
Absolutely! I would just give my daughters little bits of whatever I was eating (as long as they were appropriate- no nuts, hard foods, etc). But frozen peas, or small bits of other foods were quick and convenient!
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Nova says
Thank you so much! I really appreciate it!!
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Stacey Rae says
Does it matter how many teeth your baby has with baby led weaning? My LO is 8 months old and has 1 tooth, but I want to get him feeding himself.
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Brittany Dixon says
No teeth is just fine! Start with soft foods like baked sweet potato sticks 🙂 Have fun!
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Brittany Dixon says
Hi Brittany! Love the name 😉 I love this post, my son is 8.5 months and I am trying to offer him more variety of finger foods and trying to introduce meats. They scare me (I am a peds nurse and see the worst from choking even if most of the time it’s not even from feeding but a baby stealing food) my son only has two bottom teeth and I was just curious how many teeth your daughter had/any tips / thoughts on if you think he would be able to handle these meal options. I am so paranoid of choking I feel like I’m holding him back because he is interested in it all. I also like the zucchini I have made him sautéed zucchini but haven’t given him the peel. Is that something that goes down pretty easily. Any guidance you can give this nervous first time mom is greatly appreciated!
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Brittany Dixon says
I was super scared of choking too so I totally understand where you are coming from. I found chopping it into tiny pieces and letting her grab them in a fist to eat worked well for meats. As for veggies, I just tried to roast them or steam them until they were really soft and she did well with that. Good luck! I understand the nerves so just go at a pace you feel comfortable with!<3
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Dave says
Hey Brittany, thanks for the ideas. I’ve been doing baby led weaning for about a month now and it’s quite difficult to find new meals, with most of the ones I find being purées! My baby is 8 months next week and he’s generally not very picky, although looked repulsed when I tried to give him tomato 😂 at least he tries everything though. Good to see other people that don’t stick to strict times etc too. Meal times are all over the place here!
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Casey says
Blueberries are considered a major choking risk food…
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Brittany Dixon says
You can squish them between your fingers to make them easier to grip and less of a choking hazard, but as always, do what is most comfortable for you.
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