How to Safely Serve Strawberries to Babies - A Guide for Safe Weaning

Sweet, delicious and full of nutritious goodness, strawberries can be introduced as soon as your little one starts eating solid foods. These bright little berries are a great way to add vitamin C to your baby’s diet, strengthening their immunity, as well as fibre to help with gut health. However, like many berries, they can pose a choking hazard for little ones. To make sure you’re serving strawberries safely, we’ve put together a guide on how to prepare this yummy fruit at each stage of the weaning journey.

Serving Strawberries at Different Stages:

6-9 Months: When your baby is ready to explore the world of strawberries (typically around 6-9 months), safety is paramount. At this stage, whole strawberries are a choking hazard, so it's best to serve them in easily mashable portions.

We recommend slicing strawberries into thin, sheet-like pieces for the first few months of weaning. Make sure the slices are soft enough to squash between your fingers. Don't forget to remove the leaves and white tops before serving to ensure your baby's safety.

9-12 Months: At around 9 months, or once you feel they’re ready, you can introduce your baby to slightly larger pieces of strawberry. While a whole berry is likely still too big for them, you can try cutting it into quarters instead. Or, if it’s a larger berry, slice it into eighths. Again, be sure to remove the white tops and leaves before giving the strawberries to your little one.

18-24 Months: Around 18 months, your child may be ready to handle larger strawberry pieces. Observe how they manage with halved strawberries (remember to remove the tops), and you can even consider introducing whole strawberries. Keep a close eye on your child's readiness, as every child's pace is unique, and you can always go back to smaller portions if needed.

24 Months and Beyond: By the time your baby reaches 24 months, they are likely ready to enjoy whole strawberries, tops and all.

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Important Note: Remember, it's essential to supervise your child while they're eating. The age ranges mentioned here provide a general guideline for weaning stages, but each child's progress is unique, and their readiness may vary. Pay close attention to your baby's cues to determine when they are prepared to move on to the next stage.

For More Resources: For additional weaning recipes and ideas for your little one, consider subscribing to the eco rascals YouTube channel and exploring our weaning recipes on the eco rascals website.

Make the transition to strawberries a safe and delightful part of your baby's weaning journey!