Whether you say to-may-to or to-mah-to, there’s one thing we can all agree on: Tomatoes are a treat — and they deserve a spot on your tot’s menu early on.
Figuring out how to serve them can be a challenge, though. Should you slice them? Dice them? Here are the answers to your top tomato questions, along with some scrumptious serving ideas.
When can babies have tomatoes?
Although they're not an ingredient that parents typically purée for early eaters, your mini muncher can try her first bite of tomato any time after she starts solids, usually around 6 months. If you’re trying a baby-led weaning approach and will be serving tomatoes as a finger food, you'll want to wait until at least the 6-month mark, since younger babies aren’t typically capable of self-feeding.
How to prepare tomatoes for your baby
Raw tomatoes and whole cherry tomatoes can be a potential choking hazard. Stick with bigger tomatoes cut into age-appropriate sizes for younger babies. Your cutie can graduate to cut-up cherry or grape tomatoes once she’s able to pick up small pieces, but you should never serve the whole fruit to kids under 4.
As for canned tomatoes and jarred or bottled sauces? Canned diced or crushed tomatoes are perfect for making homemade marinara, sauces or soups — just stick with options that contain as little added salt as possible. Same goes for jarred or bottled tomato sauce: It’s fine to serve to your baby, but opt for a variety without a lot of added salt or sugar.
What about ketchup? While it's beloved by little kids (and adults!), it isn’t the best choice for babies and young tots. Experts recommend steering clear of added sugars for children under 2 — and since ketchup is loaded with the stuff, your best bet is to keep it off the menu altogether until your tot’s second birthday.
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The tips below can help parents determine how to serve tomatoes 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.
How to prepare tomatoes for a 6-month-old
Slice raw beefsteak or roma tomatoes into large wedges for your baby to palm and gum. If you choose to leave the skin on, remove any pieces that start to fall off while your baby is eating. And if the fruit is a little slippery, try rolling it in baby cereal to make the pieces more grippable.
How to prepare tomatoes for a 9-month-old
With her pincer grasp developing, your older baby is ready to practice picking up smaller pieces of tomato. Try dicing beefsteak or roma tomatoes, or quartering cherry or grape tomatoes.
How to prepare tomatoes for a 12-month-old
Young toddlers can try their hand at picking up small tomato pieces with a fork — and maybe even dunking them in a dip. Tomato pieces should still be very small.
How to prepare tomatoes for an 18-month-old
Your tot should still have tomatoes in small pieces, such as quartered cherry tomatoes that are no more than half an inch in any direction. Avoid serving whole small tomatoes until age 4.
Tomato recipes for babies and toddlers
Your baby isn’t ready for a BLT just yet. But there are still plenty of tasty, tot-friendly ways to put tomatoes on the menu. Just remember to always introduce one food at a time, especially top allergens like eggs, peanuts, soy, wheat, dairy and seafood.
- Open-faced tomato sandwich. Spread hummus or mashed avocado on whole grain toast and top with thinly sliced tomato. Slice into strips.
- Cheesy tomato scramble. Fold diced tomato and shredded cheddar cheese into scrambled eggs.
- Caprese plate. Serve tomato wedges or slices with strips of mozzarella cheese.
- Tomato-basil quinoa. Fold canned crushed tomato and finely chopped fresh basil into cooked quinoa.
- Tomato simmer sauce. Sauté diced onion and garlic in olive oil until softened; add canned crushed tomato and a dash of ground cinnamon and ground cumin and cook until thickened. Use for simmering meatballs, cubes or strips of baked tofu, or cooked chickpeas or white beans.
- Deconstructed salad. Serve thinly sliced tomato, shredded lettuce, shredded or finely chopped cooked chicken or hard-boiled egg, and shredded cheddar cheese in individual mounds on your tot’s tray or plate, with a side of homemade ranch for dipping.
- Tomato egg mini frittatas. Add finely diced tomato and cooked chopped spinach to beaten egg. Pour the mixture into mini muffin tins and bake until golden and puffed.
What are the benefits of tomatoes for babies and toddlers?
Like other red, orange and yellow fruits and veggies, tomatoes serve up vitamin A, which is a must for your sweetie’s developing eyes and immune system. They’re also a source of vitamin C, another immune system helper and a nutrient that aids with iron absorption.
Tomatoes — and especially cooked tomato products like tomato sauce or paste — are also rich in antioxidants to support your baby or toddler’s rapidly developing brain.
Can babies be allergic to tomatoes?
Notice some redness around your baby’s mouth after she chows down on tomatoes? These rashes aren’t unusual, and they’re not always a sign of an allergic reaction. More likely, it’s mild skin irritation from the tomato’s high acidity levels. You probably won’t need to take tomatoes off the menu (unless the rash bothers your baby), but bring up your child's symptoms with her pediatrician to make sure.
As for actual tomato allergies? Thankfully, they're not very common in babies and toddlers. Raw tomatoes do have the potential to trigger oral allergy syndrome — a condition caused by cross-reaction in allergens found in both pollen and raw fruits and vegetables. But kids under 3 aren’t typically affected.
All that said, it’s always a good idea to know the signs of a possible allergic reaction, especially when you’re serving 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
- Nausea, vomiting, stomach pain or diarrhea
- 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 tomatoes a choking hazard for babies?
Raw fruits and vegetables, especially small round ones like cherry or grape tomatoes, are a top choking hazard for children under 4. Prepare tomatoes safely by cutting them into an age-appropriate size, and never offer whole tomatoes to your baby or toddler.
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.
Tomatoes are tasty no matter how you slice them, though when it comes to babies and toddlers, you’ll want to keep those pieces small. Don’t be surprised if your sweetie gobbles them up — and signals for more!
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