Ideas for Food Textures to Offer to your Child

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Introduction

This sheet gives some ideas for different food textures that you can offer your child. Ensure you always supervise your child while they are eating and please avoid any foods that your child is allergic to.

Bite and Dissolve

This section is currently being reviewed and will be updated soon.

In the meantime, parents and carers should always follow advice from their health visitor or clinical team if they have concerns about feeding their child.

Dairy

  • Small pieces of crumbly cheese e.g., Wensleydale, Cheshire, Lancashire
  • Boiled or scrambled eggs mashed with mayo or butter
  • Strips of omelette

Fruit and vegetables

  • Soft pieces of cooked potato, sweet potato, plantain, the inside of chips or wedges
  • Well-cooked parsnip, carrot, beetroot, turnip, swede, broccoli, sweet potato, cauliflower
  • Banana (chopped)
  • Ripe peeled fruits e.g., pear, peach, mango, nectarine, melon, avocado, strawberries
  • Mashed tinned fruits e.g., pear, peaches (avoid pineapple)
  • Peeled grapes (cut in quarters and de-seeded)

Meat and Fish

  • Small pieces of pre-cooked or sliced meats e.g., ham, chicken, turkey
  • Small pieces of corned beef
  • Small pieces of sausages with the skin removed hot dogs
  • Small pieces of well-cooked fish (with skin, bones removed)
  • Fish fingers and fish cakes (may need to remove the coating)

Regular Foods

Once your child has made progress with their biting and chewing skills and can handle the above easy-chew foods easily, they should have adequate eating skills to handle just about anything they give you and then you can begin to enjoy your favourite meals and treats with your child.