Moms of Late Teethers-Table Food?

How does one go about giving the toothless table food?

At almost 8 months, DD is still all gummies. Not a tooth in sight. I was a very late teether myself-13.5 months, so my SIL/dentist feels that Sienna just is following my footsteps. Besides chomping on her toys, we have no other signs that she might have teeth one day.

So that being said, how and what can I feed her as per table foods without pureeing them completely? She does mash food with her gums.

The other issue is she has a milk allergy, so things like yogurt are out. Same with eggs.

Should I just keep making baby food purees? Is there anything I can give her? She is very interested in what I am eating.

Re: Moms of Late Teethers-Table Food?

they dont' need teeth to eat. They chew with their gums.. most kids only have the 4 front teeth anyway..they don't eat with those.. go for it!! You can feed her everything from potatoes to chicken!!

Re: Moms of Late Teethers-Table Food?

my DD didn't get a tooth until she was 10.5 months old. We really didn't start alot of table foods until then but we did give her sweet potatos, mac and cheese, mac and sauce, hummus... She is now a little over 11 months with still just one tooth and I am actually amazed at what she can handle with no teeth! She now eats chicken, pancakes, cut up soft veggies (carrots, peas)...

Re: Moms of Late Teethers-Table Food?

braedan was eating everything including steak without teeth - i just cut everything into pieceses the size of a pinkie nail - he could mash well with those gums - just could not pull things apart -so small pieces worked

Re: Moms of Late Teethers-Table Food?

ITA. One of mine cut his first tooth at 9 months, the other at 10.5 months. They still only each have the two bottom ones. They have been on solely table food for over a month now (they are 11 months) and do great with everything.

I think I started with Cheerios, cheese, pancakes, waffles (very lightly toasted), all veggies cut up and cooked till soft, fruits, chicken, then tried pasta which they love (including ravioli/tortellini). They eat grilled cheese, turkey, ham, cream cheese & jelly sandwiches. Can you try lactose-free cheese?

Re: Moms of Late Teethers-Table Food?

Charlie has two teeth and I still give her very little table food. She hasnt mastered the chewing motion yet.

Re: Moms of Late Teethers-Table Food?

we are also dieting...
she has her pancake every morning with applesauce on top.
i looked up a recipe, i use rice milk and bananas as an egg substitute.
made pumpkin bread this weekend, she loved it.

she eats over cooked chicken soup and veggies.
over cooked pasta with sauce

no teeth in sight over here!
she loves puffs and cheerios

Re: Moms of Late Teethers-Table Food?

Posted by Linda1003

they dont' need teeth to eat. They chew with their gums.. most kids only have the 4 front teeth anyway..they don't eat with those.. go for it!! You can feed her everything from potatoes to chicken!!

Re: Moms of Late Teethers-Table Food?

I've been giving Adam steamed veggies like carrots and squash. I steam them long enough so that they are mushy and he will feed himself and gum them. He also likes overcooked pasta, hummus, matzoh balls, and fruits like peaches and bananas.

Re: Moms of Late Teethers-Table Food?

Thanks for all of the good ideas everyone!

Carolyn-no dairy at all. Maybe rice milk cheese but that tastes pretty nasty.

Re: Moms of Late Teethers-Table Food?

My DS is going to be 1 iIn 2 weeks and has no teeth.....he eats Better than his twin sister with 7 teeth! They don't need teeth.....they learn to gum things.

Re: Moms of Late Teethers-Table Food?

You already know I am doing a version of baby led weaning. But one of Evan's favorite food is Guacamole. He loves it and it is one of the first things I made for him to practice chewing. The avocado is nice and soft for him to chew.

I also steam veggies and cut them up very small. He also is obsessed with Lentil soup. It is great because again it is great chewing practice and has cooked veggies in it that are nice and soft.

Re: Moms of Late Teethers-Table Food?

Even though Luca has 2 little bottom teeth he doesn't use them AT ALL when I give him solid foods.

He eats puffs, cut up pasta, little pieces of bread, and avocado. He uses his back gums to mash stuff.

Re: Moms of Late Teethers-Table Food?

Re: Moms of Late Teethers-Table Food?

DS #1 didn't get a tooth until he was 10 months old. We were giving him very shredded chicken, which he loved! Like others said, we would steam veggies until they were very soft. He loved overcooked pasta with veggies. Mashed potatoes were also a hit. I used to make sure the food was cut up very well into small pieces and feed him just about anything. He was great gumming the food.

Re: Moms of Late Teethers-Table Food?

Mum Mums, these are great for teaching to mash food and move around, and they aren't that messy, they either dissolve in the mouth like cotton candy, or they break off in big pieces on to the tray easy to pick up.


Have you started meats yet, you can steam/boil/crock pot some chicken and shred it very fine by hand, crush it a little in your fingers and hand feed it, watch her and see if she understand what to do with it.

DS is 7.5m, and I shred some chicken for him on his tray, he picks it up pincer style, but still practicing with actually getting it into his mouth, he makes it half the time. Its a little messy but he loves to eat this way, especially when he's teething and pushing away the spoon.

eta: also I steam carrots, and then cut them up in little cubes. But I steam them to near mush. I do this with peas too, but I remove the skins.

I sit there and watch him really carefully when I introduce a new food. Otherwise he's got his food in the tray and I keep an eye.

eta#2: (I have a lot to say I guess )
DS has half a tooth, he's been eating shredded chicken since 6m, I had to try it, because he hated it pureed and my ped said either he eats meat, or he goes on vitamins.

eta #3: if he's eyeing what I'm eating and its not nuts or honey, I break a piece off, smoosh it in my hands, and hand feed it. Or I put a few bits on his tray when we are having dinner.

Message edited 10/25/2010 10:26:54 AM.

Re: Moms of Late Teethers-Table Food?

DS was completely on table food by 10ish months. He didn't cut his first tooth until 13.5 months. He ate virtually everything with just his gums: crackers, meat, grilled cheese, waffles, fruit, etc. I didn't really give raw veggies b/c I thought they would be tough to eat without teeth.

Re: Moms of Late Teethers-Table Food?

Posted by Linda1003

they dont' need teeth to eat. They chew with their gums.. most kids only have the 4 front teeth anyway..they don't eat with those.. go for it!! You can feed her everything from potatoes to chicken!!

Re: Moms of Late Teethers-Table Food?

DD didn't cut her first tooth until 2 weeks ago when she was 12.5 months. She has been on table food since she was 8.5 months. She knows how to gum everything, but I'm careful to chop things like grapes or cherry tomatoes up into quarters.

Re: Moms of Late Teethers-Table Food?

Derek got in his 2 bottom teeth around 10 mo. He only started getting more teeth, his top 2, this week at 13 mo.

Teething and how we get our teeth in is hereditary so I am sure she will be awhile They can still really eat anything.