Sure, she’s too young to actually say, “More potatoes, please!” But chances are, your baby’s feelings towards the tubers will be the love-at-first-bite type. Here’s when potatoes can make their menu debut, plus finger food ideas and the best ways to serve spuds for your baby.
When can babies have potatoes?
Potatoes can have a place on your baby’s plate or tray whenever she starts solids. That's usually around 6 months.
Mashed potatoes can work for babies who were introduced to solids by being spoon-fed purées and are ready graduate to slightly thicker textures. If you’re trying a baby-led weaning approach (which introduces solids in the form of soft, gummable finger foods instead of purées), you'll need to do a bit more prep work to make spuds safe to eat as a finger food.
How to prepare potatoes for your baby
Spuds have a soft, squidgy texture that’s just right for new eaters starting to hone their chewing (er, gumming) chops. The key is making sure your potatoes are well-cooked: Baking, roasting, steaming or mashing are all good prep methods, as long as the potato is softened to the point where you can easily squish it between two fingers.
As for the skin? Remove it, either before cooking or serving, until your child turns 4. It’s too tough for babies to gum, and can still be a challenge for toddlers to chew.
Finally, while French fries, tater tots and chips are treats you might love, deep-fried fare isn’t the healthiest option and tends to be high in salt, too, which should be limited for babies.
The tips below can help parents determine how to serve potatoes at different stages, but keep in mind that all babies develop at their own pace. Speak with your pediatrician before beginning baby-led weaning, and talk to him or her if you have any concerns about your child's oral-motor skills, chewing skills, swallowing skills or if you're unsure whether or not your baby is ready for certain food preparations.
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How to prepare potatoes for a 6-month-old
Oven-baked potato strips are easy for your new nosher to grab or palm. Just peel the potatoes, slice into finger-sized strips bake or boil until softened but not crispy. You can also serve mounds of mashed potato for her to scoop or rake with her fingers, or little potato cakes cut into strips.
How to prepare potatoes for a 9-month-old
At this age, try cutting peeled, roasted potato into cubes that are no more than half an inch in any direction. This is a good size for your older baby to practice picking up with her pincer grasp. You can also cut potato cakes into pea-sized pieces.
How to prepare potatoes for a 12-month-old
All of the above methods still work well after your child’s first birthday. Now that she’s officially a toddler, you can encourage her to try picking up her potato pieces with a fork.
How to prepare potatoes for an 18-month-old
As your gourmand grows more adept with her utensils, encourage her to try scooping the flesh from a baked potato (just be careful she doesn't eat the skins) or even serving herself spoonfuls of potato chowders or soups.
Potato recipes for babies and toddlers
Spuds tend to be a solid favorite for most tots, no matter how you serve them. Just remember to always introduce one food at a time, especially top allergens like eggs, peanuts, soy, wheat, dairy and seafood. Some easy ideas that’ll please little eaters — and that you’ll love, too:
- Spiced oven fries. Give potatoes an extra flavor punch by dusting peeled, sliced strips with ground cumin and smoked paprika before baking until golden.
- Broccoli-yogurt mash. Swap the usual butter or sour cream in your favorite mashed potato recipe for protein-packed Greek yogurt. Fold in steamed or roasted, finely diced broccoli florets.
- Potato, salmon and pea cakes. Fold cooked, flaked salmon and thawed, frozen peas with leftover mashed potatoes. Form into small patties, dredge in flour and pan-fry until golden.
- Cheesy potato-egg scramble. Dice baked or roasted potato wedges and stir into scrambled eggs with shredded cheddar cheese.
- Beef, potato and pea stew. Let chopped potatoes simmer in the slow cooker with stew beef, onion, garlic and peas to make a hearty, all-in-one meal.
- Cheesy mashed potato veggie cups. Combine leftover mashed potatoes with beaten egg, shredded cheddar cheese and any cooked veggies you have on hand (cut into small dice). Scoop mixture into muffin tins and bake until crispy and golden on top.
What are the benefits of potatoes for babies and toddlers?
Potatoes might be mostly white, but that doesn’t mean they’re weak in the nutrition department. Spuds are a source of fiber-rich carbs, which are one of the best sources of fuel for your baby or toddler’s brain. The roughage can help keep constipation at bay, too.
There’s more. Potatoes are also packed with potassium, a mineral that plays a key role in building strong, healthy muscle tissue and supporting healthy nerve and brain function. They also contain vitamins C and B6, plus minerals like phosphorus, manganese and magnesium — all nutrients that support your sweetie’s rapid growth and development.
Can babies be allergic to potatoes?
Any food can potentially be an allergen, of course. But potato allergies are rare, so the chances of your child having a reaction are very small. But it’s always a good idea to be aware of the signs of a possible allergy, especially when you’re serving a food for the first time.
Your baby or toddler might have a food allergy if, soon after eating (within minutes to a few hours), she experiences:
- Hives
- Itching
- Skin, lip or tongue swelling
- Sneezing
- Wheezing
- Throat tightness or trouble swallowing
- Trouble breathing
Call your doctor right away if your child experiences symptoms of an allergic reaction. An allergic reaction may be more severe or possibly life-threatening (called anaphylaxis) if multiple areas of the body are affected. In the rare event that your child shows signs of a life-threatening allergic reaction like trouble breathing or swallowing, call 911 right away.
Are potatoes a choking hazard for babies?
Depending on how they're prepared, potatoes can be a choking hazard for children under 4. Always cut potatoes into small, age-appropriate pieces, fully cook them so they're soft and squishy (and not overly crispy or burnt), and remove the skins, which can increase choking risk.
Make sure, too, to always supervise your young child when she's eating, sit her upright during mealtimes and never serve food while she's reclining, walking, sitting in a car seat or playing.
Baked, roasted, steamed or mashed — potatoes are crowd-pleasers no matter how you prep them. Just remember to take the skin off those spuds to make them safe for your sweet pea.
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