Hellobee Boards

C is such a messy eater! But when we go out some things that are less messy are cheese cubes (like you said), cubes cooked chicken or fake chicken nuggets (like Morningstar farms, just microwave or toaster oven them), steamed carrots, blueberries sliced in half are her favorite and not as messy as some, cut strawberries. Regular Pasta and tortellini are easy and not messy if you don't use sauce.

Also easy but more messy (good for bath night) are pita or cracker dipped in hummus, and microwaved sweet potato. C also likes shredded chicken better than cubed but it's messier.

I'll be watching this since I often feel in a rut too, though c is a little older and has 6 whole teeth.

@irene: do you have the link to the recipe?
@daniellemybelle: FYI I learned on the boards that too much sweet potato can be constipating. C had a lot of issues with that but it fixed itself when she started crawling.

I found these on HB somewhere:

Broccoli-Cauliflower Quinoa Bites
Ingredients:
• 1 cup broccoli
• 1 cup cauliflower
• 1/2 cup cooked quinoa
• 1 egg
• 1/4 cup shredded cheese
• dash of a few spices: garlic powder, onion powder, mustard powder
Steam broccoli and cauliflower until they are soft. Mix together all ingredients in a bowl. Press into mini muffin tin. Bake for 15 minutes at 350F or until tops are golden brown. I froze 3 bites in individual ziplock bags so they are portioned and ready to go.

Butternut Squash, Apple & Chicken Bites
Ingredients:
• 1 cup butternut squash, roasted or steamed
• 1 cup finely diced apple
• 1 cup cooked and shredded chicken
• 1 egg white
• 3 T. bread crumbs
• dash of garlic powder, dash of thyme
Mix up all ingredients, press into mini muffin tin. Cook for 15 minutes at 350F, until the tops are golden brown.

Banana Oat Mini Muffins
Ingredients:
• 1/2 cup quick cooking oats
• 1/4 cup skim milk
• 2 ripe bananas
• dash of cinnamon
Same drill – mix all ingredients up, scoop into mini muffin tin. Bake for 10 minutes at 350F or until muffins are set.

Banana Bites      (Makes 2-3 Servings)
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 15 minutes
Ingredients
2 bananas
1 cup pancake batter (whole wheat oat pancakes, raspberr-wee pancake)
Preparation
1. Cut the bananas into 1/4 inch slices (I like to make slices on a diagonal bias so they’re a little bit longer than circles).
2. One at a time, dip the banana slices into the batter, coating all over, shaking off the excess batter into the bowl and place on a buttered griddle or skillet over medium heat.
3. Cook for 1 minute on each side or until golden.
4. Serve with desired accompaniments.

@daniellemybelle: My Lo is 8 months + too and had just Two bottom teeth so far. I've been feeling the same lately too about her food choices. I'm interested in trying her on eggs but am nervous about the whole possible allergy thing. I've heard that babies that have a reaction do so because they were given the entire egg, instead of just the yolk. There's a protein in the whites that the allergen come from. I know all to well from personal experience being that I'm allergic to just the whites. Just curious if your lo had the whole egg? I'm thinking of trying just the yolks with her.

black beans, fresh mozzarella cut into tiny pieces, and meatballs were a favorite at that age. and i also used to give LO frozen bagels to gnaw on when teething - they melted/disintegrated slower than frozen waffles (which we also loved!). I'd quarter a fresh bagel, freeze it, and give him one piece at a time. it's messy though!

@Seattlemom: Thank you for posting those recipes on here - and thanks @daniellemybelle: for starting this thread! I need some ideas too

Steamed butternut squash, parsips, and sweet potato. Steamed broccoli stems (the flower part makes a HUGE mess!)...

@MamaPhoenix: I found out with copious amounts of vomit, no matter what part I gave her. I would try giving her just the yolk first and watching for a reaction. Then after you know she's not having a reaction to the yolk after giving it several times, you could try the white. I would hard boil to separate them more easily.

@Foodnerd81: our tins are non stick but just in case I grease them with a little coconut oil first

I really needed these ideas too! I feel like such a boring mommy. Don't worry@daniellemybelle: I hate messes!

@daniellemybelle: So glad the flax seed egg substitute worked well for you!!

@MamaPhoenix: We found out the second time my son had scrambled egg yolks when he broke out in hives all over, runny nose, and he was itchy. The pediatrician had us take him to the allergist (we used one that specializes in kids) to confirm the allergy. It depends on the severity of the allergy, but I am really glad we went b/c they recommended we carry an epi-pen due to the type of reaction we was having. I would much rather be safe than sorry.

@daniellemybelle: beans! chickpeas, black beans, etc.

Yeah Ladies, this is really helpful. We have been pretty boring around our house with food choices for our 8 month-old daughter. Can I give her whole yogurt? Or am I supposed to wait until 1 year for cow's milk?

@Weagle: Thank you the great advice!
@daniellemybelle: @LiveLove: Oh those poor babe's! I'm so nervous about eggs!!!! I screwed up once with srtawberries and now I'm paranoid. We bought a flat from the local festival and I pureed, cooked and jarred them. DD ended up with a huge rash, hives and itchy/very cranky. I didn't know that they we're even a potential allergen! She was eating the Heinz jars stuff before with no problem. I took her to the Doc and he said the processing in the plants is a much higher temp and kills that protein that causes the reaction. Stupid first time mom mistake. I felt so guilty that she went through that because of me. Would she have a higher chance of reacting to eggs because of my sensitivity?

@MamaPhoenix: Yay! Thanks. We'll try it tonight! Meanwhile, I had no idea about eggs. And of course, DD projectile vomited after having them. Major fail.

Has any one else done pickles yet? DD loves them. I quarter the pickle length ways and she sucks it dry!!! I sit with her and watch closely when she gets them.

@ShootingStar: I would love that to be true, but I'm the opposite! never had a problem when I was a kido. About two years ago I started reacting. I went to an allergist and sure enough I was allergic. I also somehow became allergic to my bunnies at the same time after many years with them.

@daniellemybelle: I don't know how anti-canned foods you are, but I kept cans of black olives and beets around for when I ran out of ideas. Only a couple olives at a time (cut up) because they're pretty salty. For canned beets I would rinse them off first because otherwise the juice they sit in gets *everywhere*.