For baby-led weaning, make sure you read up on what textures, sizes, and shapes are appropriate to feed your baby based on their age and finger grasping and swallowing abilities. If your baby does not have good finger grasp, then you can give him/her long strips of the soft zucchini so that he/she has a handle to hold while nibbling at the zucchini. But if your baby does have good finger grasp, cut the zucchini up into chickpea-sized pieces to reduce risk of choking. I found out the hard way because my 6 month old had much better grasp than I realized, and giving her long pieces was a choking hazard.

What baby food is good for baby-led weaning?

In general, you want foods that are soft enough so that your baby can smash in their hands and in their mouths using their gums and tongue. Foods that are cooked until soft or easily smashable when raw are ideal.

1. Soft steamed vegetables: carrot, zucchini, squash, pumpkin, sweet potato
2. Soft steamed fruit: apples, pears, peaches
3. Soft raw fruit: mangoes, bananas, peeled peaches and necatarines, orange segments with pith and membranes removed, tangerines with pith and membranes removed

Print

Baby Food Roasted Zucchini

Roasted and steamed zucchini for babies

Course Baby Food

Cuisine Baby Food

Keyword baby food, baby led weaning, zucchini for babies

Prep Time 3 minutes minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes minutes

Total Time 18 minutes minutes

Servings 2 people

Cost $5

Ingredients

• 1/4 zucchini cut into thin 1 inch strips for babies with poor pincer grasp, cut into chickpea size pieces for babies with good pincer grasp
• 1/2 tsp canola oil
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
• Place zucchini on a roasting pan. Season with oil and garlic powder, mixing thoroughly.
• Roast zucchini for 4 minutes at 400 degrees. Then cover zucchini with another piece of foil, and place back into oven at 350 degrees. Allow to steam for another 7-10 minutes until zucchini is completely soft. Test the zucchini by smashing a piece with your thumb and forefinger. The zucchini is ready when it can be easily smashed.
• Allow to cool completely, then serve.

For more scrumptious baby food recipes, check out my salmon congee.