Carrot
Usually introduced around 6 months
Prep warning
Do not serve raw carrot in hard rounds, coins, sticks, or chunks to babies and toddlers. Cook until fork-tender or grate finely. Skip added salt.
Choking notes
Raw carrot is one of the top choking hazards for young children: it is hard, firm, and breaks into round, airway-sized pieces. Always cook it until soft enough to squish between two fingers, or grate it finely. Avoid raw carrot coins, rounds, sticks, and chunks until around age 4, when chewing is reliable.
How to serve by age
6-9 months
Cook carrots until very soft, so a fork slides through with no resistance. Steam, boil, or roast, then serve as a smooth purée or a soft mash. For self-feeding, offer soft-cooked finger-length batons. Raw carrot belongs only as fine shreds. Skip added salt.
Soft-cooked finger-length batons (about thumb-width) for grasping, or smooth purée/mash. Raw carrot only as fine shreds. Press-test every piece: it should squish easily between two fingers.
9-12 months
Keep carrots soft-cooked as your baby's pincer grasp develops. Steam or roast until fork-tender, then offer small soft pieces. Finely grated raw carrot can also be folded into other foods. Avoid any raw hard rounds, coins, or sticks.
Small soft-cooked cubes or pieces (about ½ inch / 1 cm), or finely grated raw carrot mixed in. No raw hard coins or sticks. Cooked pieces must stay fork-soft.
12-18 months
Offer soft-cooked carrot or finely grated raw carrot in small pieces. Toddlers handle more texture now, but raw hard carrot stays risky without molars. Cook fork-tender or grate fine; small soft raw shreds are fine. Keep salt low.
Small soft-cooked cubes, thin cooked matchsticks, or finely grated raw carrot. Avoid raw hard coins, rounds, or thick sticks.
2 years and up
Raw carrot becomes more workable as molars come in, but it stays among the firmest choking shapes, so keep cutting it down. Serve it cooked fork-tender, finely grated, or as thin cooked matchsticks. Raw rounds, coins, and sticks are best avoided until around age 4, when chewing is reliable.
Thin cooked matchsticks or finely grated raw carrot. Avoid raw rounds, coins, and sticks until around age 4.
Key nutrients
Common questions
When can my baby eat Carrot?
Most babies can try Carrot from around 6 months, once they show signs of readiness. Check the prep and cut-size notes above before you start.
General informational content, not medical advice. Always consult your pediatrician about introducing new foods, especially if your baby has any medical conditions or family history of allergies.
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