Fennel
Usually introduced around 6 months
Choking notes
Raw fennel bulb is crisp and stringy, which is a choking risk for a baby. Cook it until a fork slides through easily, or shave or finely grate the raw bulb. Keep the tough core and any long fibers out, and avoid raw chunks, coins, or sticks until your child chews well, usually around age 4.
How to serve by age
6-9 months
Fennel has a mild, sweet anise flavor and turns silky when cooked. Steam, roast, or braise wedges until a fork slides through with no resistance, then serve as soft finger-length pieces or mash into a puree. Trim away the tough core and any stringy outer fibers. Skip raw fennel for now, since its crisp texture is hard for a baby to manage.
Cooked very soft as finger-length pieces or mashed; core and fibers removed.
9-12 months
Keep fennel soft-cooked and offer it in small bite-size pieces as the pincer grasp develops, or finely grate a little raw bulb into a dish. Cooked pieces should still be fork-soft, and raw fennel stays finely shredded rather than in crisp coins or sticks.
Small soft-cooked bite-size pieces, or finely grated raw.
12-18 months
Serve fennel soft-cooked in bite-size pieces, or finely grated and small soft raw shreds. Raw fennel in coins or sticks is still hard to chew without molars, so keep it cut down. Cooked thin matchsticks work well too.
Soft-cooked bite-size pieces or thin cooked matchsticks; raw finely grated.
Key nutrients
Common questions
When can my baby eat Fennel?
Most babies can try Fennel 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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