Grains Food Library
When can babies have noodles?
Can babies eat noodles?
Babies can have noodles from about 6 months when they are cooked until soft. Most noodles are made from wheat, and egg noodles also contain egg, both common allergens. Skip instant noodle seasoning packets, which are very high in salt.
How to serve noodles by age
Shapes and textures change as your baby’s grasp and chewing grow.
6 months
Cook noodles until very soft, then chop them finely and blend or mash them with a smooth vegetable puree or sauce so there are no long strands. Offer it on a spoon.
7–8 months
Cook noodles until very soft and offer a small handful of long, thick noodles like udon for your baby to grab with a whole fist, or cut them into short pieces mixed with sauce or mashed vegetables.
9–12 months
Cut soft noodles into short pieces, about the length of a fingernail, so your baby can practice picking them up. Toss with olive oil, a mild sauce, shredded chicken or soft vegetables.
12 months +
Toddlers can eat noodles in soups, stir-fries and pasta dishes, and many love practicing with a fork. Use low-sodium soy sauce or broth sparingly.
Why it’s good
Noodles give babies carbohydrates for energy, and enriched wheat noodles add B vitamins and some iron. Whole wheat, buckwheat and bean-based noodles offer more fiber and protein. Noodles are a great way to carry iron-rich foods like meat, tofu, eggs and lentils.
Safety notes
- Cook noodles until soft. Undercooked or dry, crunchy noodles are a choking hazard.
- Instant noodle seasoning packets and many cup noodles are very high in sodium. Throw out the packet and cook the noodles in water or low-sodium broth.
- Long, slippery noodles can be slurped in large mouthfuls. Cut them shorter as your baby gets better at self-feeding.
- Check labels for allergens. Wheat noodles contain wheat, egg noodles contain egg, and some noodles contain soy or buckwheat.
- Refrigerate cooked noodles within 2 hours. Cooked rice noodles left at room temperature can grow harmful bacteria.
Introduce noodles on its own, then keep it in
Most noodles contain wheat, a Top 9 allergen, and egg noodles also contain egg. Rice noodles are usually wheat free, and buckwheat (soba) is a less common allergen that can cause serious reactions, so introduce each type separately and watch for hives, vomiting or swelling.
Noodles for babies: questions parents ask
Quick answers about noodles for babies and toddlers.
When can babies have noodles?
Babies can have noodles from about 6 months when they are cooked until soft, chopped and mashed into a puree at first. Soft noodles become an easy finger food from 7–8 months and are a good way to introduce wheat or egg.
Can babies eat noodles?
Yes, babies can eat soft cooked noodles made from wheat, rice, egg or beans. Noodles should be served without salty seasoning packets.
Are noodles a choking hazard for babies?
Noodles are a low choking risk for babies when they are cooked soft. Dry or crunchy noodles and big mouthfuls of long noodles are riskier, so cook well and supervise meals.
Are noodles a common allergen?
Noodles often contain common allergens, including wheat in most noodles and egg in egg noodles. Rice noodles are usually free of wheat, but always check the label.
How do I serve noodles to a 6 month old?
To serve noodles to a 6 month old, cook them until very soft, chop them finely and mash or blend them into a smooth vegetable puree or sauce, offered on a spoon. Long, thick noodles like udon to grab can follow at 7–8 months.
Can babies eat instant noodles?
Babies can eat the noodles from instant ramen if you throw away the seasoning packet and cook them in water or low-sodium broth. Instant noodle flavor packets are far too salty for babies.
Are rice noodles good for babies?
Rice noodles are a good choice for babies and are usually gluten free and wheat free. Rice noodles are low in iron, so serve them with meat, tofu, egg or beans.
Can babies eat soba noodles?
Babies can eat soba noodles, but soba is made from buckwheat, which can cause allergic reactions. Introduce soba noodles on their own in a small amount, and check whether the noodles also contain wheat.
How long should noodles be for a baby?
At 6 months, noodles should be finely chopped and mashed into a puree. From 7–8 months, long noodles are easier to grab with a fist, and around 9 months, cut noodles into short pieces so your baby can practice the pincer grasp.
The takeaway
- Babies can have noodles from about 6 months when they are cooked until soft.
- Cook noodles until very soft, then chop them finely and blend or mash them with a smooth vegetable puree or sauce so there are no long strands.
- Choking risk is low. Wheat is one of the Top 9 allergens: offer a small amount first, watch for a reaction, then keep it in the diet regularly.
Read next
Sources
This guide follows current advice from these organizations.
- Starting Solid Foods American Academy of Pediatrics (HealthyChildren.org)
- When, What, and How to Introduce Solid Foods Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
- Choking Hazards Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
- Foods and Drinks to Avoid or Limit Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
- The Effects of Early Nutritional Interventions on the Development of Atopic Disease in Infants and Children Greer FR, Sicherer SH, Burks AW; American Academy of Pediatrics. Pediatrics. 2019;143(4):e20190281
Track every new food in your baby’s passport
Track the first 100 foods and the Top 9 allergens. 7 days free.
Recipes with noodles
More grains for babies
Updated November 2026. Reviewed by our dietitians. Based on AAP, CDC and NIAID guidance. Written for healthy, full-term babies; not a substitute for your pediatrician. If your baby was born early, has a medical condition, feeding difficulties or a known allergy, check with them first (medical disclaimer). Always stay with your baby while they eat.