First things first, I am no chef. Though, I'd secretly love to be a bit more Nigella with my Micro-wav-ay (if you know, you know) 

My recipe repertoire is pretty limited, my time is in short supply and my energy dwindles as we go through the week! So for our family, quick, easy and tasty is definitely the order of the day when it comes to feeding everyone.

Ideally if our 4 year old will eat the snack as well as the baby, then even better – so that’s what I’ve aimed for! I follow a lot of baby food accounts on Instagram, I’ve bought a lot of weaning books so the 3 recipes I’ve chosen come from a mix of everything I’ve tried…to cut out the leg work for you!

I’ve also just chosen snack ideas for this blog as “Mummy’s Café” seems to be open 24/7 – anything to extend the time between snacks is a win for me. And if you are struggling for entertainment ideas for your toddlers, then get them involved in the making of everything too. Our boys love to mix and stir -brace yourself for the inevitable mess and repeat “they’re only little once” as necessary…

Snack 1

Pear/Apple and Cinnamon Wedges

What you’ll need: fruit – apple or pear, oil/butter, powdered cinnamon

Time: 15 minutes

(Either fruit works well for this quick and easy snack.)

Start by peeling and coring your fruit then slicing into wedges.

Heat some coconut oil/butter in a pan.

Throw your fruit into the pan and sprinkle with powdered cinnamon.

Cook until fruit is of desired softness…for younger babies the softer the better so as no harder pieces can break off and become a choking hazard.

Snack 2

Fruit Oat Pancakes

What you’ll need: 25g porridge oats, ripe banana, 1 egg, coconut oil/butter

Time: 15 minutes

(Feel free to replace the banana with other soft fruit like blueberries or raspberries)

Start by mashing the banana (or other soft fruit)

Add in the egg

Add in the oats

Mix together

Heat the oil/butter in the pan

Add a spoonful of the mix (you should get 5 pancakes in total) to the pan and brown each side.

Snack 3

Cheese and Apple on Toast

What you’ll need: apple, 35g cheese, slice of bread (can be as fancy or as plain as you like!)

Time: 15 minutes

Start by pre-heating your grill.

Then peel and grate your apple into a bowl.

Grate a handful of cheese and mix together with the grated apple

Sprinkle on top of your bread and pop under the grill until the cheese has melted

Allow to cool a little before serving (toasty hot cheese and little fingers doesn’t make for happy snack time!)

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Having a shop with pretty baby things has a few perks – I’ve popped our “go to” weaning essentials below for you to check out that we've tried, tested and absolutely love.

Mushie Silicone Bib (dinosaur print) – the softest of soft silicone is not only great for little necks, but it is so easy to clean. I stick ours in the dishwasher but they rinse well under the tap if its just a quick wipe that’s needed. Plus the prints are delightful. We have many… I've put a link to the dino one. Super cute!

Konges Sløjd Clam Snack Set – oh boy these are beauties. When we finally get to go to a café I cannot wait to bring these beauties along to hold our snacks. The tubs are easy for little hands to get snacks out, but stop the snack from falling out if they are randomly flung from the high chair – bonus!

Konges Sløjd Muslin Cloth  (Poire) – what can I say. They are so beautiful. They are so soft. They are not just for newborns and the “over the shoulder” protection – we use them for... wiping up spills, popping over little legs in the high chair, sitting on if you’re in need of a floor table emergency snack stop – the list is endless. I still use muslins for various 4 year old disasters. I may also have heard from a few friends that 8 years later they still use their muslins for dusters…that’s a decent lifespan on one purchase!

Happy weaning everyone!

Jude x