From Sticks Of Butter To Big Hunks Of Meat, Why Is Baby Food Ridiculous Right Now?

When I had my son almost 13 years ago, I was a big fan of making his baby food. I found a few simple recipes to take whole fruits, veggies, and meats, and blended them into a yummy puree that was easy to eat and digest. And then we moved on to chunkier foods. So, you can imagine my surprise (and a bit of horror) when I started scrolling through social media to see a little one gnawing on an entire stick of butter.

I fell down the rabbit hole of posts as I started looking up more videos to see if this was really a thing. Not only are parents of babies giving them butter, but a lot of over-the-top first foods, like giant beef bones to suck on, and (would you believe it) toddler charcuterie boards.

Is this baby food now? When did parents get so gaga over first foods?

Baby-led weaning 2.0

Baby-led weaning (BLW) is a way to introduce solid foods to infants around 6 months old by allowing them to self-feed. The idea is to bypass spoon-feeding and purees altogether, letting babies grab, chew and explore soft, finger-sized foods on their own. It's meant to promote motor skills and instill independence while eating with the family.

BLW is popular, but somewhere along the way, moms started flexing their over-the-top baby food ideas on social media. This included whole sticks of butter, which apparently help babies sleep through the night, promote healthy development and longer satisfaction after meals. Kids who barely have teeth can be seen eating whole ribs, and toddlers are being served bougie charcuterie and dessert boards that are Pinterest-worthy.

What’s risky versus just ridiculous

"There are some ideas of merit with trying to offer children unprocessed whole foods, and this is extremely important in the early weeks of starting solids," said Nishta Saxena, a registered dietitian nutritionist at Vibrant Nutrition. "I love the idea of using things like meat or a chicken leg, but one thing to note: you don’t necessarily have to be this extreme. I'm not really sure if freezing a pound of butter and just handing it to your child serves the purpose. It may help with teething and may be enjoyable to some babies, but I'm not sure it’s necessary to help your child develop healthy eating patterns."

Saxena suggested, "You could easily use handle-shaped foods, which still give baby autonomy or control, such as a large steamed broccoli floret. Give baby a handle to bring the food to the mouth and hold on to it. This is an excellent and safe way to prepare foods for your child when starting solids."

She added, "You can use BLW as a technique and as part of your baby’s feeding journey, but it doesn’t have to be very extreme. It's not about making an Instagram video; it’s about being present for your child, being relaxed and calm, and offering texture-appropriate options that are really nutrient-dense and minimally processed."

Why this trend isn't worth trying

While the idea of giving our children oversized, “grown-up” foods creates an idyllic menu of options, it can be unrealistic and downright dangerous. While things like butter have some nutritional benefits, like healthy fats and fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E, K) that support rapid brain development, growth, and immune health, too much of a good thing is not a good thing.

It can also pose risks of choking. A large chunk of butter could break off without your noticing, and the same can be said about bigger pieces of meat that have small bones, tendons, and gristle. Not only does it create a (very) messy eating situation, but it's wasteful. After your child manhandles a stick of butter, you'll have a lot leftover and won't want to "reuse" it. The same goes for oversized pieces of meat.

It can also lead to hunger. "We see in children who are solely finger food fed that they can find it frustrating if meal time wraps up and they’ve played, but could potentially not be getting satisfied at meals," Saxena said. "This is where some lumpy texture foods may be beneficial." Purees are totally fine, along with a spoon and finger foods. Baby still hungry? You can feed them until they figure it out on their own.

What normal baby food still looks like

It may not be as exciting as toddler charcuterie boards, but dietitians still recommend pretty boring basics when it comes to starting kiddos on whole foods: things that are rich in iron and have soft textures. It’s also about repeated exposure to these items.

• Forget a baby-style charcuterie board, please. You can take all the individual components and put them on your child’s highchair tray. Trust me: it will have the same benefits without the headache of making it look like a Paw Patrol character.
• Begone, stick of butter (a greasy, oily mess of a choice). Opt instead for avocado or yogurt, which have healthy fats and provide great nutritional benefits.
• And your baby doesn’t need to gnaw on rib bones like Bam Bam. They will be just as satisfied with more manageable (and less risky) alternatives such as cut-up meat, poultry, fish and legumes.

Parents want to make meal time interesting and fun for their littles, but it shouldn't come at the cost of forgoing basic nutritional needs. It also shouldn't make parents feel like they need to pore over the internet to find "new" ways of feeding their child solid foods. Stick to the basics, and remember that variety is key. And please stop handing your children sticks of butter.