Dragon Fruit

Texture Tips

• Ensure the dragon fruit is ripe and soft to make it a safe texture.
• The texture is slippery with tiny, edible seeds that provide a subtle, crunchy, and slightly gritty sensation.

Feeding Tips

• The flesh of dragon fruit can be either bright purple (with black seeds) or white (with black seeds). If you have access to both colors, offer them to your baby as the differences in sweetness, juiciness, and color provide a variety of sensory experiences.
• Dragon fruit's vibrant appearance makes it more enticing for babies to explore and eat, whether served in strips or as popsicles. (Try our Tiny Pops).

Next Food To Try

• Try kiwi! Dragon fruit and kiwi are similar in that they both have a juicy, slightly creamy texture with speckled interiors that add a subtle crunch.

Avocado

Texture Tips

• Ensure the avocado is ripe and soft to make it a safe texture.
• Avocado has a heavy and creamy texture that makes it easy for your baby to ‘find it’ in their mouth. This sensory feature is why avocados are a popular first food.

Feeding Tips

• Taste the avocado before serving it to baby, as an overly ripe avocado can have a metallic or bitter taste.
• Offer strips of avocado one week, then change up the sensory experience by cutting most of the flesh off and giving your baby the whole avocado pit to explore and chew on.

Next Food To Try

• Try sweet potato! Baked sweet potato provides a similar texture to avocados but offers the sensory opportunity to add spices such as cinnamon, nutmeg, and a hint of ginger.

Egg

Texture Tips

• Experiment with eggs in various textures. Try offering strips of hard-boiled egg, fried egg, and scrambled eggs too!
• Reduce the risk of foodborne illness by ensuring the egg is well-cooked but has a soft texture.

Feeding Tips

• Eggs are one of the nine foods (called the ‘Big 9’) that account for 90% of allergic reactions. However, research shows that introducing these nine foods early and often can decrease the risk of developing an allergy.
• The egg protein that can cause allergies is found in the egg white, but it’s important to serve both the yolk and the white together. The yolk is high in iron and adds more sensory complexity to the texture, color, and flavor.

Next Food To Try

• Try cottage cheese! Scrambled eggs and (low sodium) cottage cheese are similar in texture and are easy for babies to chew and swallow.

Banana

Texture Tips

• Ensure the banana is ripe and soft to make it a safe texture.
• Bananas have a smooth and cohesive texture that makes it easy for babies to safely practice their biting and chewing skills.

Feeding Tips

• Remove the strings and the tip of the banana, as they are harder to chew and may have a bitter taste.
• Bananas are popular first foods because they provide babies with a new sensory experience through their distinct smell and pleasant flavor.

Next Food To Try

• Try pear! When fully ripe, pears have a fragrant smell and a cohesive texture similar to bananas, making them an excellent next food for your baby to explore.

Tofu

Texture Tips

• Tofu comes in many different textures that your baby may enjoy such as 'silken' (soft) to 'extra-firm' (dense and moist).
• If the texture is too watery, press with a paper towel to remove excess moisture then cut into strips.

Feeding Tips

• Tofu (soy/soybean) is one of the nine foods (called the ‘Big 9’) that account for 90% of allergic reactions. However, research shows that introducing these nine foods early and often can decrease the risk of developing an allergy.
• Change the texture, color, and flavor of tofu by marinating it and then baking or frying it.

Next Food To Try

• Try cauliflower! Tofu and cauliflower are similar in color, and when steamed or roasted, cauliflower resembles the soft texture of tofu but offers a delightful sensory experience with its florets.

Mango

Texture Tips

• Mango is smooth with a juicy, slightly fibrous consistency. After cutting the mango, use your fingers to remove any visible fibers.
• Ensure the mango is ripe and soft to make it a safe texture.

Feeding Tips

• Offer strips of mango at mealtime and provide the whole mango pit for oral exploration and teething.
• To add sensory opportunities to the strips of mango, incorporate a squirt of lime or lemon juice or a light sprinkle of mild chili powder.

Next Food To Try

• Try papaya! Ripe papaya is soft and juicy, much like mango, with a unique flavor profile and aroma.

Honeydew

Texture Tips

• Honeydew is juicy and the inner flesh is smooth and tender, with a velvety texture that often develops a slight stickiness.
• Cut off the rind and make sure all the firm green skin is removed. Scoop out all seeds before serving.
• Ensure the honeydew is ripe and soft to make it a safe texture.

Feeding Tips

• Honeydew is juicy, which may be challenging for your baby to handle without drooling. Have baby take sips from an open cup to practice lip closure movements in between bites. (Try our Tiny Cup).
• Avoid using a melon baller, as the circular shape of the fruit balls can pose a choking risk.

Next Food To Try

• Try cantaloupe! Honeydew and cantaloupe have similar tastes and textures, but the different colors provide a new sensory experience for your baby.

Consult with Professionals

If you have any concerns about starting solids or your baby is not eating and swallowing by eight months, consult with your pediatrician. Ask them for a referral to a speech-language pathologist or occupational therapist who specializes in feeding.