If you thought sleepless nights were the hardest part of parenting, wait until you tackle the toddler food fight. The struggle at mealtimes, with food getting tossed around the kitchen and frustration mounting, is a challenge all its own. One day they love bananas, the next, they act like you’re offering them something dreadful. Sound familiar?
But don’t stress, Annabel Karmel, one of the UK’s most trusted baby and children’s cookery authors, is here to help. With decades of experience and a dedicated team of mini taste-testers, Annabel knows exactly how to make mealtimes easier, more enjoyable, and packed with nutrition.
“Introducing your baby to solids can feel like a big milestone, but it can also be overwhelming,” Annabel says. “Most parents feel a little anxious at first, as your baby moves from milk to a whole new world of foods.”
The good news? “Don’t put too much pressure on yourself and make sure to enjoy it! Weaning should be fun, this is the exciting time when your baby gets to experience the world of food for the very first time.”
Annabel’s new book, Finger Foods for Babies and Toddlers, is here to take the stress out of feeding your little one. We caught up with her to chat about the benefits of finger foods, table talk, and her new cookbook.
Why finger foods matter
Annabel is passionate about self-feeding and its role in developing little eaters. She firmly believes it’s a baby's way to explore. So, when food gets thrown on the floor, it’s part of that exploration. The next time you feel frustrated, remember that your little one is learning.
“Babies love to explore, and most do so with their hands. It’s a big part of how they learn about new foods, how it looks, feels, and smells. How it squishes, smears, and splats likely on the floor,” she adds, saying, “When it comes to weaning, finger foods are an important part of your baby’s journey.”
“Finger foods and self-feeding are such an important part of a baby and toddler’s nutrition and development. I wanted to create a no-frills, advice-led, and nutrition-focused recipe book with lots of practical information on self-feeding, from weaning through to toddlerhood and beyond," Annabel adds.
And the best part? The recipes are designed to help lay the foundation for a lifetime of healthy eating!
The top benefits of finger foods
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Mastering hand-eye coordination
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Learning how to chew efficiently
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Helping develop self-confidence
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Introducing your baby to family meals and social eating
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Exercising all the senses (sight, touch, movement, smell, sound, and balance)
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Allowing them to trust their instincts with portion control
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Learning to accept different textures and flavours
“There are so many positives associated with finger foods, they encourage independence, offer essential hand-eye coordination practice, and, at the start of weaning, it’s a ‘less fuss’ method with no blending or mashing. The idea is that you can offer your mini food adventurer a little of what you’re having as a family, which, in turn, can have a positive impact on their social skills.”
Studies even show that families practicing baby-led weaning tend to eat together more often and find mealtimes less stressful. Plus, mums feel less pressure and worry around weaning compared to those who follow a more traditional approach.
The NHS recommends introducing your baby to solid foods when they are around 6 months old. This is also a great time to start offering finger foods.
A new poll for the British Nutrition Foundation found that more than half of parents make their children eat everything on their plate, at least some, if not most of the time.
Health experts warn that force-feeding can disrupt a child's development. It can lead to acute malnutrition or obesity, and ultimately poor self-regulation.
Annabel says to remember, “Sometimes they’ll eat the food, sometimes they won’t. Letting your baby take charge helps them learn the art of self-regulation and the ability to recognise when they are hungry and when they are full.”
How to get your baby or toddler to actually eat their food
Annabel knows first hand the struggles of a picky eater. “My own son was the world’s fussiest eater, so believe me when I say I know how you feel if you’ve entered the dreaded ‘fussy phase.’”
Annabel’s top tips for fussy eaters
Give lots of praise
"Picky eaters at whatever age and stage can certainly test us! However, the golden rule is to hide any frustrations and instead give them lots of praise when they eat well."
A hungry child is a less fussy child
"I often say that a hungry child is a less fussy child. If your child refuses the meals that you give them, it’s sometimes not such a bad thing to say, ‘Fine, you are obviously not hungry,’ and let them go play."
Switch it up
"Babies and toddlers can get fed up when the same foods are on offer day in, day out. Why not present them in a slightly new way to keep it interesting?"
Make food fun
"Without going to unnecessary lengths, try to make your child’s food not only taste good but look good too. A bunny pancake with strawberry ears? Yes, please!"
Annabel’s favourite ways to make veggies more appealing
Courgette Spaghetti (Courgetti!) – Kids love picking up spiraled veggies!
“I love to use a spiralizer to add a bit of magic to mealtimes. Little ones will love to use their hands to pick up (and play!) with spiraled courgetti! Toddlers will love to help and watch courgettes transform into wiggly worm spaghetti!”
Butternut Squash Stars – Use cookie cutters for fun shapes!
“You can easily get hold of some fun cookie cutter shapes such as stars, teddy bears, or dinosaurs (the options are endless!) and stamp out shapes from butternut squash slices. Simply roast in the oven for a fun, healthy veggie mealtime side.”
Crunchy Vegetable Crisps – Bake root veggies with olive oil for a healthier ‘chip’
“It’s no secret that children love crisps, so why not give this popular snack a healthy makeover? Bake peeled strips of root veggies in the oven with a little olive oil and a sprinkling of herbs for seasoning as a healthy alternative to the usual packet of crisps.”
Dunk and Dip! – Serve colourful veggie platters with hummus, salsa, or yogurt dips
“Babies and children often like to eat with their fingers, so why not get creative and make your very own colourful crudité platter? Use as many different veggies as you can and serve with a bowl of hummus, salsa, guacamole, or minty yogurt for them to dunk and dip.”
Pantry staples for stress-free meal prep
Ever been excited to try a recipe only to find you’re missing half the ingredients? Annabel shared some of her pantry staples you can always have for when you are feeling inspired to whip something up for your little eaters:
Frozen fruit and veggies – More nutritious, budget-friendly, and less waste.
Tins and cans – Beans, pulses, and tinned fish like salmon and sardines are packed with nutrients.
Herbs and spices – Baby food doesn’t have to be bland! Think curry powder, cumin, cinnamon, and oregano.
Oats – A great source of fibre and iron, perfect for energy-boosting snacks like Annabel’s Mini Energy Balls!
Batch cooking and meal rotation hacks
Because who has time to cook fresh meals every day?
“Batch cooking a few different dishes at the weekend or at the start of the week can help make mealtimes less stressful and save you money too," Annabel says.
Try:
Roasting a whole chicken and using it for mini chicken balls, croquettes, quesadillas, and pies.
Prepping mini muffins or pancakes for on-the-go breakfasts.
Freezing extra meals – most recipes in Annabel’s book include storage tips!
Annabel's top 3 kitchen gadgets for weaning
Food Processor – Great for blending ingredients into easy-to-shape bites.
“A food processor is so useful for making lots of finger food recipes. I love recipes where you can throw all the ingredients in a blender, then shape into balls, croquettes, or mini bites.”
Silicone Moulds – Perfect for freezing mini muffins or frittatas.
“Silicone moulds are great as they are so easy to wash up. I love batch cooking mini frittata muffins and freezing them—it will save you lots of time, plus freezing straight after preparation locks in those all-important nutrients.”
Splash Mat – A lifesaver for messy eaters!
“A splash mat, or at least some kind of protective mat, is also really useful to have under their highchair and surrounding area—particularly if you have carpets. Even if you’re spoon-feeding at the start, they’ll soon want to explore and hold the spoon and bowl for themselves, so you’ll want to give yourself an easy ride on the clean-up front.”
Table talk: Why family mealtimes matter
Did you know? Research shows that children learn more rare words during mealtime conversations than through reading!
“Talking is key to developing language skills, and there is no better place for this than the dinner table," Annabel says.
She encourages families to eat together whenever possible. “If you can sit down to eat together, do it. Babies and kids are so impressionable – they’ll want what you’re having, so try new healthy, nutritious foods with them. Enthusiasm is contagious.”
Even if daily family dinners aren’t doable, aim for two to three meals a week. Let older kids choose the menu—it makes them feel included and more likely to eat what’s on their plate!
“Weaning is a gradual process. While there are nutritional needs to be met from the outset, babies only have very tiny tummies. But, as long as you’re regularly giving new foods, trying new textures, and letting your baby explore, you’re well on your way to weaning success," Annabel concludes.
Annabel Karmel Make mealtimes fun, nutritious, and stress-free with over 100 delicious finger food recipes for babies and toddlers. From 6 months onward, Annabel Karmel’s new cookbook offers essential advice on introducing finger foods safely, along with easy-to-follow recipes like Tofu Veggie Stars, Cottage Pie Bites, and Mini Mac & Cheese Muffins.
“My new book is packed with over 100 nutritious, delicious recipes and the latest advice on how to safely serve finger foods to babies from the start of weaning,” Annabel says. “I cover how to prepare individual foods, plus practical tips on progression as your baby grows and develops.”
“As well as those first foods, I’ve included advice on how and when to introduce different shapes, sizes, and firmness depending on your baby’s age. I always try to make sure my recipes are balanced and packed with nutrition—in one very delicious mouthful!” Annabel adds.
“I rigorously test my recipes on my team of mini taste-testers to make sure they’re perfect for little eaters,” she continues. “And one of the best bits about this book is that grown-ups will love the recipes too!”
Anne Lora Scagliusi, Senior Digital Writer at Mother and Baby, says, “This cookbook is not complicated to read, really straightforward, and answers all new parents' questions in an easy-to-read format. The recipes are simple, delicious, and made with wholesome ingredients. From Sticky Mango Chicken Goujuns to Mini Animal Face Pancakes, it’s a cookbook you’ll keep for a lifetime because adults will love it too. The advice is spot on, and the images are salivating!”
Annabel’s followers asked for more easy finger food recipes, and she’s delivered. “So many of my followers have been asking for more simple, tasty foods for self-feeding, so I really hope everyone enjoys making these recipes for their family,” she shares.
With key nutritional information and air-fryer-friendly recipes, this book is designed to help your baby become a confident self-feeder, while also making it easy for parents to create balanced, tasty meals for the whole family.
About the author
Anne Lora Scagliusi is a Senior Digital Writer at Mother & Baby. She is a Scotland-based journalist with over a decade of international writing experience, specialising in women’s health, maternal mental health, and wellness. Her work has been featured in Vanity Fair, Marie Claire, and Glamour and has appeared on several Vogue global editions. She is mum to a one-year-old bambino and lives between Italy and the UK.