When Kenya was 8 months old and teething non stop, I started giving him these whole wheat mini bagels. I would keep a few in a zip lock bag in my purse, in the car, and in the house for those times that I knew his little hands wanted something to hold to help soothe his gums. Somedays I could tell his gums were itching so much that he would rub the bagels on them until the dough was super soft.
Teething or not, bagels are a great first food for babies going beyond solids because they can gnaw on them at their own pace.
At my local Trader Joe’s, you get 18 “edible teethers” for $2.29 a bag which is a pretty good price. I realize that many people don’t have Trader Joe’s which is a total crime — Trader Joe’s, open more stores! — but there are lots of other companies such as Lenders and Sam’s
Bagels that sell mini bagels. Even better they contain no artificial colors or flavors, so you know you’re giving your little one a wholesome first food.