Oatmeal, Banana, Blueberry and Yogurt

Prep

Cook oats with plenty of liquid into a smooth, thick oatmeal. Use breast milk, formula, or water, and thin it as needed so it's easy to swallow. Iron-fortified baby oat cereal works well here too.

Cut

Smooth, thick oatmeal you can spoon-feed.

Prep

Use a fully ripe banana so it mashes easily between two fingers. Peel it and offer it as a smooth mash on a spoon, or hand over a finger-length strip the baby can hold with a bit poking out of the fist. A firm or under-ripe banana is harder to manage, so soften it by mashing.

Cut

Smooth mash, or a finger-length strip held in the fist.

Prep

A whole blueberry is a small round shape, so do not serve it whole. Squish each berry between your fingers until it bursts, or cut it into quarters. Mashed blueberry stirred into yogurt, oatmeal, or another purée works well too. Choose soft, ripe berries.

Cut

Squished until it bursts, quartered, or mashed; never whole.

Prep

Offer plain, full-fat, pasteurized yogurt on a spoon or preloaded for self-feeding. Skip sweetened or honey-containing varieties. You can stir in a little fruit purée for flavor, or swirl yogurt into other foods.

Cut

Spoonable. Serve on a spoon or preloaded; no cutting needed.