Pasta, Cheese, Peas and Tomato

Prep

Cook pasta until very soft, well past al dente, and serve plain or with a smooth, low-salt sauce. Larger soft shapes like penne or fusilli are easy to grab; you can also mash it. Wheat pasta is a common allergen, so offer it on its own first. Enriched pasta adds iron and folate.

Cut

Serve large soft shapes whole for grabbing, or mash. Cut long pasta into short pieces so it does not dangle. Keep small shapes lightly mashed.

Prep

Use pasteurized, full-fat cheese and offer it finely grated or as a thin smear rather than in pieces. Sprinkle a little grated cheese over soft vegetables or stir it into mash or a soft pasta so it melts in. Choose a mild, lower-salt cheese where you can.

Cut

Finely grated or a thin smear stirred through food; never cubes.

Prep

Cook peas until very soft, then burst each one or mash to a thick purée. The small round, firm shape is the part to soften, so press every pea flat before serving. Skip salt.

Cut

Burst or flatten each pea, or serve as a smooth thick mash.

Prep

Choose a ripe, soft tomato. Peel off the skin (it can bunch up and be hard to chew), scoop out the seedy core, and mash the flesh or stir it into a purée. If offering a piece to hold, give a soft finger-length strip of peeled flesh. Cherry and grape tomatoes are a round choking shape, so always quarter them lengthwise into small pieces and never serve them whole or halved.

Cut

Peeled, mashed, or a soft finger-length strip; quarter cherry/grape tomatoes lengthwise.