Cut solid food for new eaters with an egg slicer
Here's how Margaret speeds up getting "first solid food" meals ready for her baby:
The trickiest - and the most important - thing when having an infant who just started having solids is to cut the food "to size" - not too big, not too small and small enough to eliminate the chocking hazard. After many hours spent doing just that I re-discovered a long-lost tool: the egg slicer. It can be used on chicken nuggets, hard-boiled eggs, cheezes, even strawberries and grapes (I peel the skin off the latter). The chunks come out small enough for the baby to enjoy and large enough for the little fingers to grasp.
Related: Mealtime hacks for new eaters
Something that everyone might already know: use a cake decorating star tip to core strawberries. It takes absolutely no time and I waste less strawberry than I would by cutting the tops off.
Posted by: Mrs. C | May 2, 2008 7:22:32 AM
I use a garlic press to break things down for my 8 month old. Peas, broccolis, cauliflower and such.
Posted by: Laura | May 2, 2008 7:57:21 AM
Pampered Chef fans...I love my mini food chopper for this same purpose. Every food becomes bite-sized quickly!
Posted by: Julie | May 2, 2008 5:34:30 PM
The egg slicer is also a fabulous tool for getting picky toddlers to eat. It's really two tricks in one - she can do it herself (with minimal guidance) and it cuts the food into cute pieces.
Posted by: erika | May 3, 2008 5:28:57 AM
Fabulous hack! My son has been eating solids for a couple of months now and sometimes it's just soooo tedious to cut everything into teeny pieces.
Posted by: Annette | May 4, 2008 7:21:17 PM
Even better is this banana slicer....I have twin babies who just started solids and I can't cut foods fast enough to feed them in time to get to my own meal. I love this thing. And my preschooler can even help...
http://www.small-kitchen-appliances.us/cooking_utensils/graters_choppers_slicers/Farberware-Banana-Slicer.html
And I also bought this food chopper for foods that don't work in the slicer....
http://www.amazon.com/KitchenAid-KG304BU-Multi-Food-Chopper/dp/B00008DHQ1
Two valuable tools to help prep food for first time eaters.
Posted by: JConroy | May 4, 2008 8:01:18 PM
@erika
you let your toddler use the egg slicer? yikes, finger sandwiches anyone?
Posted by: eric | May 10, 2008 9:57:30 PM