Dairy Products

• Many infants enjoy very small chunks of cheese. Cheese melts easily in an infant's mouth but is solid enough that he can practice chewing. Mozzarella, cheddar, provolone, baby Swiss or Colby are all good choices because of their mild flavor. Avoid cheeses with strong flavors such as Gouda because the infant will probably not appreciate the taste, or cheeses that are soft like brie because they have active bacteria cultures that may make some infants sick.
  
  

Cereals

• Cereals with small pieces are good options because infants can pick them up easily and they do not require a lot of chewing. Some experts recommend o-shaped cereals because the pieces have a hole in them that will allow air through in case it becomes lodged in the baby's wind pipe. Choose a cereal that is low in sugar. Babies do not require extra sweetener in their foods.
  
  

Fruits

• Babies often enjoy the taste of fruit over all other foods, which makes them a perfect transition to finger foods. Small pieces of soft and ripe fruits like bananas, strawberries, mangoes, soft peaches or pears are all excellent choices for finger foods. Avoid fruits that are hard or very firm, like apples, very firm pears or peaches, because a baby can easily choke on hard fruits.
  
  

Vegetables

• It takes time for some infants to learn to appreciate the taste of vegetables. The transitional months of finger food feeding are a good time to introduce the infant to new vegetable flavors. Carrots, peas, zucchini and small pieces of sweet potato are fine to feed an infant. Avoid firm vegetables such as asparagus or broccoli stems. Some parents also choose to avoid vegetables with a very strong flavor like cooked spinach because the infant is less likely to eat them.
  
  

Proteins

• Many infants appreciate small pieces of hard-boiled egg, cooked chicken or other very soft meats like turkey or ham. Quinoa is another protein that many infants enjoy but which can get messy when she feeds herself. Do not feed your baby shellfish or organ meats because many people are allergic to these and your baby may be too young to survive a bout with shock resulting from allergies.