When can babies have pumpkin?

Babies can have pumpkin from about 6 months, as soon as they are ready to start solids. Pumpkin should be cooked until very soft and served as a smooth mash at first, then in large soft wedges your baby can grip from 7–8 months.

Yes, babies can eat pumpkin from 6 months, and pumpkin is a great first vegetable. Pumpkin is soft when cooked, naturally sweet, and full of vitamin A.

Pumpkin is a low choking risk for babies when it is cooked until very soft. Raw pumpkin and whole pumpkin seeds are choking hazards, so always cook the flesh, grind any seeds, and stay with your baby while they eat.

No, pumpkin is not a common allergen and is not one of the Top 9 allergens. Pumpkin seed allergy has been reported, so offer ground pumpkin seeds on their own the first time and watch for any reaction.

To serve pumpkin to a 6 month old, roast or steam peeled pumpkin until it squashes easily between your fingers, then mash or blend it smooth and offer it on a spoon. Pumpkin puree also mixes well into oatmeal, yogurt or lentils; soft finger-length wedges can follow at 7–8 months.

Yes, babies can have canned pumpkin as long as the label lists pumpkin as the only ingredient. Canned pumpkin is a quick, smooth puree that works well on a spoon or mixed into other foods, but avoid canned pumpkin pie filling, which contains added sugar.

Whole pumpkin seeds are a choking hazard for babies and toddlers, so do not serve them whole. Grind pumpkin seeds into a fine powder and sprinkle a little on yogurt, oatmeal or mashed fruit for extra iron and zinc.

Pumpkin pie and most pumpkin breads are high in added sugar, so they are best saved for after age 2 or kept to a tiny taste on special occasions. A homemade pumpkin muffin sweetened only with fruit is a better option for babies and young toddlers.

Eating a lot of pumpkin, carrot or sweet potato can give a baby's skin a harmless yellow-orange tint, often on the nose, palms and soles. This is called carotenemia and fades when you offer a wider mix of foods, but check with your pediatrician if the whites of the eyes look yellow.

Pumpkin contains fiber and water, so it can help soften stools as part of a varied diet. Offer pumpkin alongside other high-fiber foods like pears, prunes and beans, plus small sips of water with meals.

Yes, pumpkin is a great first vegetable for babies from about 6 months. It is soft when cooked, mildly sweet and rich in beta-carotene, which the body turns into vitamin A, plus fiber and potassium. Plain pumpkin puree, homemade or canned with pumpkin as the only ingredient, works well on a spoon.

No, babies should not eat raw pumpkin, because it is hard and crunchy and a choking hazard. Roast or steam peeled pumpkin until it squashes easily between your thumb and finger, then mash it or cut soft wedges. Never cook or serve pumpkin that was carved for decoration.