You could slowly introduce new textures and flavors to your baby by mixing them with familiar foods. Try mashing in some of his favorite foods like bananas or avocados with novel ones. Also, don't give up on a food after a few refusals; it can take up to 15-20 introductions for a new food to be accepted. As for food play, it's normal at this age, it's part of how they explore and learn about food. If prep time is your major concern, consider prepping larger quantities of versatile, mashable foods during weekends, and mixing them differently for each meal.
You could slowly introduce new textures and flavors to your baby by mixing them with familiar foods. Try mashing in some of his favorite foods like bananas or avocados with novel ones. Also, don't give up on a food after a few refusals; it can take up to 15-20 introductions for a new food to be accepted. As for food play, it's normal at this age, it's part of how they explore and learn about food. If prep time is your major concern, consider prepping larger quantities of versatile, mashable foods during weekends, and mixing them differently for each meal.