from 6 months dd would snack on some stuff we were having - vegie sticks etc - from about 8 months, if we were having it, so was she! she would give anything a go - some got in her mouth, some spread all over the place, but we just accepted it was what it was. if we had to go somewhere, we limited lunch to a sandwich or similar - not too messy, and if she wasn't done in a little while, we just moved about doing our stuff, and i'd give her a snack later.
we have photos at 8 to 10 months with the poppet eating spag bol, burritos, fish - whatever we were having. we didn't bother preparing extra/different food for her.

enjoy letting her learn, set limits when you need to (like when you have to go out) - and the rest of the time, let her explore food - if she doesn't get much in, so be it - she is still learning about textures and tastes and things