Table Foods

Our rule of thumb was always to allow mushy type foods as soon as the doctor said baby foods could be introduced. Things like plain pasta, green beans, and oatmeal were some of the first foods we did. Really any table food can be used if it is put through a food mill and if you are using fresh fruits and vegetables then it is probably healthier to use than the processed baby foods.

I don't actually remember the specific ages of my children when I started feeding them table foods for the first time. What I do remember is that after I'd started them on baby food if there was something that I cooked for a meal that I thought they'd be able to deal with, then I would at least let them have a taste of whatever it was that I'd fixed. With that kept in mind, by the time that both of my children were a year old we'd given up baby food completely and they were exclusively eating table food.

My son started to eat table food when he was 8 months old, his first table food was cerelac and my mom also give him some fruits and vegetables to add more nutrients. And then slowly by slowly we give him some solid food after his first year, and then after a few months he eats everything that we served in the table.

I don't have any kids yet, but I do have memories that give me an idea of when I can feed my own (future) kids table food. My parents started feeding me with fried chicken. My earliest memories were when I was 4. Mom would tell me about how I'd only eat the skin of friend chicken then demand for more chicken because I claimed that I was "done with my chicken." My friend actually had her 5 year old try sashimi. He was curious about how pink it was and asked what it was. She then told him it was raw fish and it was eaten that way, with wasabe and soy sauce. The kid then said he'd like to try after being asked. To my friend's surprise, he actually liked it!