Solids: Stage 4

Will is weaning himself away from nursing and from purees in favor of feeding himself.  Why fight it?  We are on to finger foods full force now!

So, in mapping out Will's food through the day, I think of these rules:

• Three meals a day, plus a snack if he misses that late-afternoon nursing time for whatever reason.
• Breakfast = Fruit & Grain
• Lunch = Fruit, Vegetable, & Protein
• Dinner = Meat, Fruit, & Vegetable
• I try to make sure the vegetables and fruits are different to ensure he's getting a variety of nutrients.

Types of finger foods on the menu vary.  

Fruits include:

• banana
• mango
• peach
• pear
• plum
• Clementines
• strawberries
• peeled grapes
• halved blueberries
• applesauce

Vegetables include:

• frozen peas
• frozen broccoli florets
• sweet potato
• potato
• green beans
• beets
• squash
• zucchini
• eggplant
• frozen corn kernels

Proteins include:

• black beans
• cheese
• yogurt

Meats include:

• chicken
• ground turkey
• ground beef

Grains include:

• oatmeal
• brown rice
• brown rice cous cous
• pasta