How To Cut Strawberries For 11 Month Old

Frequently Asked Questions – When can you introduce strawberries to baby? Whether you’re starting your baby on purees or are doing baby-led weaning, strawberries are a wholesome and enjoyable first food for your baby! When a baby can start on solids is determined by their own rate of development, which generally comes between 4-6 months of age for purees and or after 6 months for baby-led weaning.

1. Some of the developmental milestones your baby needs to reach in order to start on solids include: if your baby has solid control of their head and neck, if your baby has doubled in weight, and if your baby is reaching for or opening their mouth when you eat ( see my guide here ).
2. Before you start your baby’s feeding journey, you should consult with your pediatrician to make sure your child is developmentally ready.

Are strawberries a choking hazard to baby? Yes, strawberries can be a choking hazard, depending on how they are served and the developmental readiness of your baby. To minimize the risk of choking, serve soft and ripe strawberries in age-appropriate forms.

1. For babies under 6 months, serve mashed or as a puree.
2. For ages 6-9 months, you can serve them whole (stems removed), larger than a golf ball size.9 months and older can have quartered or thinly sliced strawberries, and if the pincer grasp has developed, you can serve them diced.
3. Never leave your baby unattended while eating.

Are strawberries a common allergen? Strawberries are not one of the top eight food allergens, so it’s not a very common allergy; however, a small percentage of children do develop an allergy due to a protein in the anthocyanins (what gives them their red color) in strawberries, making white strawberries more tolerable, but many do outgrow it.

Can my 11 month old have strawberries?

When can babies have strawberries? – Strawberries are sweet, nutrient-packed and easy to prep, making them a great food to serve your new nosher early on. You can offer strawberries whenever your baby starts solids, usually around 6 months.

How do I give my 11 month old fruit?

Vegetables and fruits can be introduced once iron-rich foods have been introduced. Vegetables and fruits have vitamins, minerals and fibre, and add new tastes and textures for your baby.

For information and tips on including more vegetables and fruits in family meals, visit the Vegetables and Fruit website,

Vegetables

You do not need to puree vegetables. You can offer your baby mashed cooked vegetables, and small pieces of soft or cooked vegetables as finger foods. See the section Food Choking Hazards for information on how to prepare vegetables to reduce the risk of choking. Offer a variety of vegetables such as:

broccoli brussels sprouts cabbage carrots cauliflower green or yellow beans parsnip peas squash sweet potato turnip

Use plain fresh or frozen vegetables. Wash fresh vegetables before you prepare them. You can use canned vegetables, but they may contain more sodium (salt) than fresh or frozen. If you use them, rinse them before you mash them. This helps wash away some of the sodium.

These vegetables will be best for your baby if you prepare them without adding salt (sodium). They should also be prepared without seasonings, sauces or condiments that have sodium in them, such as dry soup mix, taco mix, garlic salt, soya sauce, and ketchup. Check the list of ingredients on the labels of these types of products, to see if they contain sodium or salt. It’s okay to give your baby vegetables made with herbs and spices. If using a herb or spice mixture, be sure it doesn’t contain salt (sodium).

Cook fresh or frozen vegetables until just tender, not mushy. Baking, steaming or microwaving keeps the most nutrients. If you boil vegetables, use as little water as possible.

Caution: Do not serve your baby raw or undercooked sprouts such as alfalfa, clover, radish and mung bean, as they may contain harmful bacteria. Fruits

You do not need to puree fruits. You can offer your baby soft mashed fruits, and small pieces of soft fruits as finger foods. See the section Food Choking Hazards for information on how to prepare fruits to reduce the risk of choking. Offer a variety such as:

apples apricots bananas pears grapes kiwis mangoes oranges peaches strawberries blueberries

Use fresh ripe fruits (including berries), unsweetened frozen fruits, or canned fruits packed in juice, not in syrup. If canned fruits are packed in water, be aware that some manufacturers add artificial sweetener which the baby does not need (read the ingredients list on the label). Wash fresh fruits before you give them to your baby or cook them. When using a fresh hard fruit, such as an apple, wash it and remove the skin, pit and large seeds before cooking. Cook hard fruit until just tender, before chopping or mashing it. Offer fruits with little or no added sugar. Let your baby learn to enjoy the taste of fruits without added sugar or other sweeteners.

How do I cut my 11 month old blueberries?

The round shape, small size, and firmness of a blueberry makes it a choking hazard for babies. To minimize the risk, flatten fresh blueberries into a disc shape between your fingers, quarter them and stir into other foods, or cook them until they burst.

Can 11 month old have tomatoes?

By the time your child reaches toddlerhood, no one will be surprised if some of their favorite foods include tomatoes. Pizza, spaghetti with marinara, and French fries with ketchup are all surefire kid pleasers. (No wonder they’re on every restaurant kids’ menu.) With a lifetime of tomato-y meals ahead, when is the time “ripe” to give your little one their first taste of the juicy red fruits? Are tomatoes too acidic for babies? Too seedy? Too something else that you haven’t even thought of yet? Here’s everything you need to know about getting your baby started on the delicious, nutritious path toward tomato-based foods.

As a new parent, it’s always reassuring when a trusted authority can tell you how (and when and why) to do things just right for your baby. But when it comes to introducing your child to new foods, the instructions aren’t as specific as you might expect. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), children should begin eating solid foods around 6 months.

And, believe it or not, according to the AAP, their first foods don’t actually have to be rice cereal and mashed banana. In fact, the decision of when to give baby various foods is largely up to you. So is tomato on the table? You bet! “Babies can safely consume tomatoes as soon as they are ready for solids, which is generally around 6 months of age,” says pediatric dietitian Amy Chow, RDN.

• Just keep in mind that first foods should be rich in iron and protein.
• Tomatoes are not a good source of either of these nutrients so it’s important that tomatoes be one of many foods that are introduced during weaning.
• How you serve tomatoes depends on your baby’s age and their ability to properly chew foods.

Tomato purées or mashes without skin are good for young babies just starting to eat solids. Small, cut-up (and peeled) tomatoes also make an ideal choice for baby-led weaning if your baby is a bit older. This practice involves letting kiddos feed themselves — rather than be spoon-fed — to foster independence and self-determination with food.

Pieces of colorful, ripe tomato on a high chair tray may be just the thing to entice your baby into chowing down of their own volition. Homemade tomato sauce, soups, stews, and meat dishes are additional vehicles for allowing baby to try (and enjoy) tomatoes. Sure, tomatoes may serve as the base for less-than-super-healthy foods like pizza and ketchup, but the fruits themselves are extremely nutritious.

For babies, tomatoes provide a number of health benefits. They’re:

• High in vitamin C. Tomatoes are a great source of vitamin C. At 16.9 milligrams (mg), one medium fruit knocks out 34 percent of the daily vitamin C requirement for babies 7 to 12 months. “Vitamin C can help with iron absorption when consumed with a source of iron,” says Chow. Plus, this micronutrient boosts immunity and helps wound healing.
• High in provitamin A. Add provitamin A to tomatoes’ impressive micronutrient mix. (The body converts provitamin A carotenoids to vitamin A.) A medium fresh tomato contains 51 micrograms (mcg), or about 10 percent of 7- to 12 month-olds’ daily needs, This nutrient promotes cellular communication and growth, vision development, and immune function.
• Packed with antioxidants. If you’ve ever read a ketchup label, you’ve probably heard of lycopene, tomatoes’ power-player antioxidant. Lycopene helps protect against the damage created by free radicals, reducing oxidative stress in the body.
• Helpful for hydration. You know tomatoes are juicy, but just how juicy? The average tomato contains 94 percent water, If baby is struggling with constipation or jaundice, extra fluids from tomatoes can help.

Seems like — with any food — there’s always something to watch out for. Fortunately, tomatoes aren’t likely to pose serious issues for your baby. First, they’re not one of the top eight food allergens, so an allergic reaction to tomatoes is rare (though not totally unheard of).

To monitor potential allergic reactions, it’s best to introduce only one new food to your baby every 3 to 5 days. If a rash, diarrhea, wheezing, or other adverse symptoms show up after a few bites of diced Roma, it’s time to chat with your pediatrician about the possibility of an allergy. As for concerns about tomatoes being a choking hazard, you can take steps to ensure they go down easy.

“Tomatoes should be peeled unless offered in very small pieces,” Chow advises. Pieces should be no larger than a half inch. Oh, and good news about seeds: “The tomato seeds are very small and not a choking risk.” Finally, what about tomatoes for babies with reflux or otherwise sensitive tummies? Are the red fruits so acidic that they’ll come right back up again? It depends.

1. If your little one has reflux, keep a close eye on their reaction to Grandma’s marinara.
2. Tomatoes can increase acid production in the stomach and worsen reflux; however, the need to avoid tomatoes and tomato products is individually based,” says Chow.
3. If it doesn’t bother your child, there’s no need to avoid them.” Unlike other veggies such as carrots or peas, you probably won’t find jars of puréed tomatoes in the baby food aisle.

(After all, most grown-ups don’t sit around lapping up tomato sauce straight from the jar, either.) And while you may come across premade baby foods that contain tomatoes, such as meat or pasta blends, home-cooked meals can be even more nutritious and palatable for your child.

Can 11 month olds eat fruit?

What Foods Should I Introduce to My Child First? – The American Academy of Pediatrics says that for most children, you do not need to give foods in a certain order. Your child can begin eating solid foods at about 6 months old. By the time he or she is 7 or 8 months old, your child can eat a variety of foods from different food groups.

1. These foods include infant cereals, meat or other proteins, fruits, vegetables, grains, yogurts and cheeses, and more.
2. If your child is eating infant cereals, it is important to offer a variety of fortified infant cereals such as oat, barley, and multi-grain instead of only rice cereal.
3. Only providing infant rice cereal can increase the risk for children to be exposed to arsenic.

Visit the American Academy of Pediatrics’ Healthy Children website to learn more.

Can 11 month old have apples?

When can babies eat apples? Apples may be introduced as soon as a baby is ready to start solids, which is generally around 6 months of age, as long as the fruit is deseeded, cut in an age-appropriate way, and for young babies, cooked until soft to reduce the risk of choking.

How do I cut my 10 month old blueberries?

Blueberries for Self-Feeding – Blueberries are a great food for your baby to self-feed, whether for baby-led weaning, which happens around 6 months of age or during the finger foods stage, which is at 9 months. Flattened: the best way to serve your baby blueberries as a solid food at 6+ months is to gently pinch the blueberry into small, flattened discs.

• By pinching them into discs, makes the blueberries not as big of a choking hazard and gives your baby a nice flat surface to grab onto.
• Quartered: you can easily quarter blueberries with a small sharp knife or kitchen scissors for your baby when their pincer grasp starts developing, which is roughly 9 months of age.

Halved: once your baby has mastered the quartered blueberries, you can move into just halving the blueberries with a sharp knife or kitchen scissors. You can start serving halved blueberries to your baby around 10+ months.

What can I feed my 11 month old with no teeth?

Green beans and pears – Fiber-filled green beans, as well as mild-flavored pears, make excellent finger foods for babies with no teeth. As with other fruits and veggies, you can either puree them or chop them into soft, bite-sized pieces.

How much should a 11 month old eat at each meal?

Your 11- or 12-month-old baby is quickly approaching toddlerhood, and their eating may seem much more grown up. Your baby is likely eating three meals a day and some snacks, and can eat the same things as the rest of the family. Picky eating may come into play soon, but keep serving your baby foods with a variety of textures and flavors – it will help them in the long run.

1. By 11 and 12 months old, your baby is probably eating three meals and one or two snacks every day.
2. They’ll continue to nurse or take bottles, too.
3. Experts recommend transitioning from formula to cow’s milk at a year old, but you can continue breastfeeding as long as you want.
4. As your baby gets older, they’ll drink fewer bottles or have fewer nursing sessions, but eat more solid food.

It’s common to wonder whether your baby is eating enough – if you’re not sure how much food your baby needs, check out our age-by-age guide to feeding babies, Most babies at 11 to 12 months eat 8 to 12 tablespoons of food at each meal, as well as a few snacks of roughly a quarter cup of solid food.

Your baby can also drink water from an open cup or a cup with a straw. Your little one might have preferences for specific foods and textures, and turn other foods away, Keep giving a variety of different foods, and don’t be discouraged if your baby doesn’t like everything you serve. It’s also normal for a baby to eat a lot at one meal, while only eating a couple bites at the next.

Do your best to model healthy eating habits by joining your baby at meal time, and including them in your family’s meals. If your baby sees you and others eat, it may get them excited about eating, too. At 11 months, your baby might still be drinking around 24 ounces of formula each day, though they don’t need more than 32 ounces.

They’ll drink three or four 7- to 8-ounce bottles daily. (Here’s how to tell if your baby’s getting enough formula,) Beginning at 12 months, you can stop giving your baby formula and transition to whole cow’s milk, One-year-olds can drink 16 to 20 ounces a day; more than that can reduce your child’s appetite for solid food and can contribute to iron deficiency anemia.

If you’re breastfeeding, you can also give your baby cow’s milk once they’re a year old – and you can keep breastfeeding as long as you want, too. At 11 and 12 months old, you can expect your baby to nurse three or four times a day. (Here’s how to tell if your baby’s getting enough breast milk,) When it comes to feeding schedules, it can be a big help to see what other parents are doing.

What should an 11 month old be eating?

Now that your baby is eating solid foods, planning meals can be more challenging. At this age, your baby needs between 750 and 900 calories each day, of which about 400 to 500 should come from breast milk or formula (if you are not breastfeeding)—roughly 24 ounces (720 mL) a day.

Breast milk and formula contain vitamins, minerals, and other important components for brain growth. At about eight months, you may want to introduce foods that are slightly coarser than strained pureed foods. They require more chewing than baby foods. You can expand your baby’s diet to include soft foods such as yogurt, oatmeal, mashed banana, mashed potatoes, or even thicker or lumpy pureed vegetables.

Eggs (including scrambled) are an excellent source of protein, as are cottage cheese, Greek yogurt, and avocado.

What should 11 month old babies be doing?

Baby Development: Your 11-Month-Old Reviewed by on November 28, 2022 You’re almost at your baby’s first birthday, and so much has changed over the course of this last year. You may be having trouble keeping up with your little one, who is now, no doubt, moving about with ease – and getting into everything in your home, if you’re not careful.

• In this portion of WebMD’s month-by-month guide, you’ll discover what baby milestones you can expect your child to achieve when they are 11 months old.
• At 11 months, your baby should be cruising around while holding onto the furniture or your hands.
• They might even let go of your hands to try out a few tentative steps alone or they might even be walking independently.

Some babies at this age experiment by standing on their toes or on one leg. A few particularly adventurous 11-month-olds find that climbing is a fun way to explore. They’ll scale counters, get over their crib railing, and put themselves into some pretty precarious situations.

• If you have one of these little climbers, don’t provide an easy access route.
• Move chairs away from tables and countertops so your baby can’t get up high enough to take a nasty spill.
• Your baby will also love opening drawers and cabinets, so be sure to lock up any chemicals, cleaning products, or that are within their reach.

As your baby’s hand- coordination improves, they’ll enjoy learning how things work by arranging toys by size and color as well as taking them apart and putting them back together. Stacking blocks and nesting cups are excellent toys for these pursuits.

As they play and explore, many objects end up in their mouth. If they are the baby of the family, make sure that older siblings keep smaller parts to toys out of reach. Your baby should be feeding themselves by now with fingers and starting to explore use of a spoon. Fill your 11-month-old’s diet with a variety of whole grains, fruit, vegetables, dairy products – cheese and yogurt – and protein – beef, chicken, fish, tofu.

Offer a snack in the morning and afternoon to give your baby enough energy to make it through the day. Crackers, fruit, and dry cereal are all good snack options. You will still give 16-20 ounces of breast milk or formula per day, increasing the use of the sippy cup during the day over a month until you switch entirely.

• Be careful to avoid grazing with a juice filled sippy throughout the day.
• Eep sippy filled with water and baby can stay hydrated.
• Your baby’s sense of taste is developing, so keep adding different flavors to the mealtime repertoire.
• If you have a particularly who constantly pushes away the spoon, don’t give up.

Keep trying new foods. Sometimes, babies have to be exposed to a food eight to 12 times before they’ll eat it. At the same time, never force your baby to eat. It’s better to let young children decide for themselves when they are full. Research has shown that kids who are made to clean their plates often turn into overeaters later in life.

Eleven-month-olds realize that they’re unique people. They have a strong sense of their likes and dislikes, and they’ve learned to use their emotions to get what they want – like throwing a when you try to take away a favorite toy. Your baby may already have discovered the word “no.” If so, you’ll probably be hearing it a lot.

Communication begins to take on a more mature rhythm at 11 months. Babies at this age can engage in a regular back-and-forth conversation. When you ask a question, you’ll get a response, although you probably won’t understand most of that response. When you name something – like the family dog – your baby can point at it.

Now that your baby is crawling and walking with help, let them explore many different types of textures, including grass, carpet, and the floor.Read together with your baby every day. Involve your child in the experience by pointing to people and things in the pictures and asking your baby what they are. You can also involve them by letting them turn the pages.Start reinforcing good behaviors with praise, and correcting inappropriate behaviors with a firm “no.”Encourage your baby to start becoming more independent while dressing, eating, and getting ready for bed.If your baby is now motoring around on two feet, put socks with treads on them or a pair of comfortable baby shoes when you go out. Stick to bare feet at home until your baby is actually walking.

© 2022 WebMD, LLC. All rights reserved. : Baby Development: Your 11-Month-Old

How do I cut my 11 month old raspberries?

How to prepare raspberries for your baby – The NHS recommends that you blend soft, ripe raspberries into a puree, or mash them for your baby to eat. This goes for any kind of fruit (though harder fruits may need to be cooked a little in order to be softened).

Once your baby is used to the flavour and texture of blended or mashed raspberries, you can offer them as finger food when they’re ready. To prevent choking, the NHS recommends cutting small round fruits, like raspberries, into smaller pieces before giving them to your baby. Pureed Start out by feeding your baby pureed or blended raspberries first so that they can get used to the taste.

Try this: For a raspberry puree, add 150g of washed raspberries to a blender with 2tbsp of cooled, boiled water or your baby’s usual milk. Blitz in the blender until you have a smooth puree, then feed it to baby and freeze anything that you have left.

Mashed If your baby is ready for more texture, move on to mashed raspberries as soon as they’re ready. This way, they’ll get to experience a different texture and will learn how to move solid food around their mouth and swallow solid food. Introducing lumpy foods and textures from around six to seven months is fine – just make sure that they’re swallowing correctly.

And remember that different babies will get used to lumpy textures at different rates. Try this: For mashed raspberries, take 150g of raspberries and 2tbsp of cooled, boiled water or your baby’s usual milk. Then simply mash up the mixture in a bowl with a fork.

Finger food Once your baby is OK with mashed raspberries, you can serve them as a finger food. Simply slice the raspberries in half, and make sure the pieces are still big enough for your baby to hold. Avoid serving raspberries and other round foods whole, as this can be a choking hazard. Your baby will enjoy picking up bits of food and feeding themselves – which is also great for developing hand-eye coordination.

For more information on introducing your baby to solid foods, check out our article on getting started with weaning,

Can I give my 11 month old whole blueberries?

With antioxidants, micronutrients, and fiber galore — plus a delightfully sweet taste — blueberries aren’t just good for grown-ups. They offer fantastic nutrition for little ones, too! When you’re on the path toward solid foods, how exactly should you introduce blueberries? We’re so glad you asked! We’ve got the lowdown on giving your baby their first taste of these colorful summer berries, along with nutrition benefits, safety precautions, and how to make your own (super easy) blueberry purée.

• There’s good reason you may have heard blueberries referred to as a ” superfood ” — they’re bursting with important nutrients,
• One cup of raw blueberries contains 84 calories,,5 grams (g) fat, 21 g carbohydrate, 3.5 g fiber, 15 g (naturally occurring) sugar, and 1 g protein.
• Baby bodies and brains require plenty of carbohydrates for fuel.

(There’s so much crawling to do! So many animal sounds to learn!) Since blueberries are a natural source of carbs, they make an excellent choice for something sweet for baby without added sugar. Plus, their fiber helps promotes healthy digestion, which can sometimes be an issue as you navigate food sensitivities or the best choice of formula for your child.

Additionally, while other fruits like oranges and strawberries tend to get all the credit for vitamin C, blueberries are a surprising source of this micronutrient, at 14 milligrams (mg) per cup. (Babies 7 to 12 months old need 50 mg of vitamin C daily.) As for other micronutrients, blueberries provide smaller amounts of potassium, which is required for proper nerve function and muscle contraction.

They also contain certain B vitamins as well as manganese and copper, nutrients that are important for bone health. Meanwhile, antioxidant compounds in blueberries protect cells from free radical damage and help reduce inflammation throughout the body (yes, even baby bodies).

1. The decision of when to start solids will vary from child to child, but in general, it’s recommended to introduce foods other than breast milk and formula around 6 months.
2. While the pediatric powers-that-be used to outline a specific order in which to introduce certain food groups, these days, experts say order doesn’t matter so much.

“Blueberries can be introduced among the first foods,” says Yaffi Lvova, RDN, founder of Baby Bloom Nutrition, Of course, toothless gums won’t ready for full berries, so start out by serving blueberries in a purée. “Blueberries remain a choking hazard until baby is 12 months old, according to the CDC, and shouldn’t be served in whole form until baby is confident with chewing.

1. When baby can chew completely and safely, blueberries can be served in their raw, whole form.” Familiar with baby-led weaning ? This feeding strategy has gained traction in recent years as a way to let little ones take the lead on switching to solids.
2. In a nutshell, baby-led weaning involves placing appropriately sized pieces of food in front of baby, allowing them to self-feed, rather than be spoon-fed.

The idea goes that this creates independence, simplifies mealtimes, and teaches intuitive eating. (Big wins, if you ask us!) With their small size and compact shape, blueberries fit right into the baby-led weaning model. “They’re great for practicing the transition from palmar to pincer grasp as little one begins to develop more fine motor skills,” says Lvova.

• Just be sure to cut blueberries in half or into chunks until you’re certain baby can handle a full berry.
• When baby ain’t happy, ain’t nobody happy — and constipation sure doesn’t make baby happy.
• If your little one is all stopped up, it’s often best to first try to remedy the affliction through the most natural means: food! “Blueberries provide a natural sweetness, hydration, and fiber, all of which contribute to healthy bowel habits,” says Lvova.

“Including 1/4 to 1/2 cup blueberries over the course of the day helps contribute to the daily fiber intake needed to keep things regular.” In some cases, of course, blueberries may not be enough to get things moving again. “If constipation is an ongoing concern, speak with a pediatric dietitian for a plan specific to your child’s patterns,” says Lvova.

• You can start by directing your concerns to your baby’s pediatrician, who can refer you to a pediatric dietitian if necessary.) Got 10 minutes and a blender ? You’re well on your way to whipping up a simple blueberry purée for your little gourmand.
• No sugar required!) Start with fresh or frozen berries in any amount you like.

(Half a cup of blueberries will yield about 4 ounces puréed.)

Wash berries thoroughly with water and a splash of white vinegar for disinfecting purposes. Let dry.If using frozen berries, you’ll need to quickly steam them before mixing them into a purée. Pop frozen berries in a steamer basket and steam for a couple of minutes.With clean, dry berries, you’re ready to blend! Run berries in the blender or food processor (or mash by hand) until puréed.Store your tasty creation in the refrigerator in a jar with a lid that reseals tightly.

The possibilities for blueberry purée are endless. Swirl a bit into yogurt or dollop a spoonful atop waffles or teething crackers — or spread a couple of teaspoons on mini PB&Js for little fingers. (You may end up sneaking some for yourself.) Cut-up blueberries, meanwhile, can be served as a garnish on cereal or make their way into a fruit salad for baby.

If you feel like baking, cooking full blueberries in oatmeal, pancakes, or muffins allows them to soften, reducing the risk of choking. Blueberries are not among the top eight most common food allergens, which account for around 90 percent of all food allergies, A blueberry allergy is considered quite rare, and it’s unlikely that a reaction to blueberries would indicate a need to steer clear of all berries.

However, if you have any concern that your baby may be sensitive or allergic to blueberries, speak with your pediatrician. Although rare, some children may have a sensitivity to certain compounds found in blueberries called salicylates, which have been known to cause allergy-like symptoms like hives and nasal congestion in some people.

How do I cut my 11 month old cucumber?

Cucumber for Babies – Can Babies Eat Cucumber? – Solid Starts Every baby develops on their own timeline, and the suggestions on how to cut or prepare particular foods are generalizations for a broad audience. Your child is an individual and may have needs or considerations beyond generally accepted practices.

1. In determining the recommendations for size and shape of foods, we use the best available scientific information regarding gross, fine, and oral motor development to minimize choking risk.
2. The preparation suggestions we offer are for informational purposes only and are not a substitute for child-specific, one-on-one advice from your pediatric medical or health professional or provider.

It is impossible to fully eliminate all risk of a baby or child choking on any liquid, puree, or food. We advise you to follow all safety protocols we suggest to create a and to make educated choices for your child regarding their specific needs. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read or seen here. If you feel comfortable with it, offer large cucumber spears with the skin on to make it easy for baby to grab and munch on. New eaters closer to 6 months of age are less likely to bite off a piece of the cucumber spear. Baby will not likely swallow much, potentially just small amounts of the flesh.

Starting around 7 months, many babies are more likely to successfully bite pieces off a cucumber spear, so consider cutting the cucumber into long, ruler-thin slices. Either way, if baby breaks off a too-big piece, stay calm and give them a chance to work the food forward before intervening. You can model how to spit out by sticking out your own tongue while saying “ah” and/or tilt the child forward gently and put your hand underneath the chin to signal that they can spit out the food.

At this age, babies have built-in reflexes to help keep food forward on the tongue and learning to spit out pieces of food is a critical skill. No matter what, refrain from sticking your fingers in your baby’s mouth, which can push food further back into the throat.

1. Offer cucumbers cut into long, wide, flat slices with the skin on or off (either is fine) and serve along a food high in protein or fat for a boost of nutrition.
2. When baby has developed a pincer grasp, consider offering cucumber that has been cut into thin rounds.
3. Feel free to leave the skin on or remove it, as desired.

At this age, serve cucumbers cut into thin rounds or bite-sized pieces. If you are comfortable with their eating skills, this is also a great time to move back up in size to spears, too. Coach the child to take small bites by modeling taking bites yourself in an exaggerated way. A long cucumber spear with the skin still on for babies 6-7 months Ruler-thin slices of cucumber for babies 6 months+ Thin cucumber rounds for babies 9 months+ Find out if your baby is ready to start solids on our FAQ page. : Cucumber for Babies – Can Babies Eat Cucumber? – Solid Starts