Why Feeding Therapists Love 'Food Teethers'

Food Teethers: A Simple Yet Powerful Tool for Starting Solids

If you’ve never heard of “food teethers,” you’re not alone — but once you learn about them, you’ll wonder how you ever introduced solids without them!

So, what are food teethers? Food teethers are large, hard, stick-shaped foods offered to babies starting solids. Think of them like flavored teething toys — only better. They're safe to hold, safe to mouth (with supervision), and offer rich developmental benefits beyond just satisfying sore gums for teething babies! Feeding Therapists love food teethers for how they support oral motor development, sensory exploration, and early food acceptance.

Let’s break down why these simple sticks of food can be so helpful:

⭐️ Benefits of Food Teethers

1. Stimulate Jaw Growth and Strength Gumming, gnawing, and mouthing hard foods provides resistance that helps strengthen the jaw muscles. This resistance is crucial for developing the strength babies need for a closed mouth posture, chewing and speech development. As babies strengthen the jaw through bite forces, this also promotes forward and downward jaw growth. This is important for oral development- making space for teeth, broadening a high palate or narrow arch, which also supports healthy airway space!

2. Encourage Side-to-Side Tongue Movements Babies need to learn how to move their tongue from side to side to successfully chew and manipulate food. Teeth or no teeth, the back gums are where we all chew. And the length and shape of food teethers help prompt these natural tongue movements to get foods over the chewing surface, and keep it there. When babies learn this skill before starting finger foods, they are much more skilled at moving those tiny food pieces to the back gums.

3. Practice Hand-to-Mouth Coordination Self-feeding with food teethers promotes early fine motor skills. Babies build strength in the arms and hands while learning to grasp, hold, and direct food to their mouths — all foundational skills for feeding independence.

4. Move the Gag Reflex Further Back When babies mouth firm textures, it stimulates the inside of their mouth and helps gradually desensitize the gag reflex. This is a natural part of learning to safely manage different textures and builds confidence around solids.

5. Map the Mouth Babies are still learning about their mouth: where food goes, where it’s felt, and how to move it. We call this “oral mapping.” Food teethers give their tongue and lips important feedback that guides this learning process and gives them greater awareness when small pieces are introduced later.

6. Increase the Mealtime Sensory Experience Food isn't just about nutrition — it's a full sensory experience. Food teethers help babies explore texture, temperature, smell, color, and taste, all of which foster exploration and build curiosity!

7. Add Nutritional Variety & Iron Opportunities Food teethers provide more opportunities to include nutrient-dense foods like iron-rich meats and legumes. Iron is especially important after 6 months of age, when a baby’s natural iron stores start to deplete.

🥦 What Foods Can Be Used as Food Teethers?

There are so many options! The key is choosing large, grabbable shapes that baby can gum without breaking off pieces. We especially love pairing iron-rich foods with vitamin C-rich foods, which boosts iron absorption.

Here are some of our favorite combos:

• Rib bone + red bell pepper strips A great pairing of iron (from the bone marrow and trace meat) and Vitamin C.

• Thick-cut steak strip + Sugar snap peas The texture encourages chewing and jaw strengthening.

• Chicken drumstick (skin removed) + Steamed broccoli florets Baby can gnaw on the drumstick for iron and explore the textures of broccoli.

• Carrot sticks (raw and quartered lengthwise or steamed until squishy) + Hummus for dipping Chickpeas are a great plant-based iron source, and the sensory bonus of dipping adds fun!

• Celery stick + bean dip or lentil mash Crunchy, engaging, and full of plant-based nutrition.

Always prep safely: Food should be the length of an adult finger, and a thickness that fits between the back jaws. Cut lengthwise into sticks — never round, which can pose a choking risk.

🔒 Safety Tips for Food Teethers

• Always supervise your baby during food exploration.

• Avoid round foods, like carrots or grapes in whole form.

• Discontinue hard food teethers once baby can bite off chunks, usually by 8 months or when crawling on hands and knees. That is sign that baby is ready to transition to finger foods and softer textures.

• Be mindful of developmental readiness — baby should be at least 6 months, bringing hands to mouth, and able to sit with support before offering food teethers.

👶🏽 Why Feeding Therapists Love Food Teethers

At first glance, it might look like just chewing on a bone or veggie stick, but from a developmental perspective, it’s so much more. Food teethers are one of the best ways to help babies get ready for a variety of textures while building strength, coordination, and confidence at the table.

They’re also a beautiful invitation to participate in mealtime in a meaningful way — without the pressure of swallowing large amounts of food right away.

👩🏽‍🍼 Want More Guidance on Starting Solids?

We’re here for you! Follow along on Instagram [@nourishfeedingtherapy] for daily tips, demonstrations, and Q&As on starting solids, feeding milestones, and texture progression. Or better yet — join our Intro to Solids Play Groups! These are fun, hands-on sessions led by a pediatric feeding therapist. You’ll get personalized support, guidance on your baby’s unique feeding journey, and a safe space to ask all your questions — all while giving your little one social mealtime practice.

Let’s make starting solids fun, safe, and nourishing — together. 💛