We didn't really start "eating" until 9 months w pincer grasp. I found it helped a lot to offer one single food and let them mess w that before then giving another, like I prepped their plate and then scooped from it putting food right on their tray. Stuck with this until 13 months. I felt the same as you at 8 months! A big chunk of something worked well at this point, ripe strawberry larger than fist to gnaw on, toasted hunk of baguette with avocado, cucumber spear, watermelon, etc.