Family foods Food Library
When can babies have soup?
Can babies have soup?
Babies can have soup from about 6 months. Blend it thick enough to stay on a spoon at first, then offer soft chunks and small sips from an open cup. Homemade soup without added salt is best, since store-bought broth and canned soup are very high in sodium. Always let soup cool and check for bones before serving.
How to serve soup by age
Shapes and textures change as your baby’s grasp and chewing grow.
6 months
Blend homemade vegetable, lentil or chicken soup until smooth and thick enough to stay on a spoon, and offer it on a pre-loaded spoon. You can also let your baby take small sips of cooled, thin soup from an open cup with your help.
7–8 months
Mash soup so it keeps soft lumps, or strain out soft pieces of vegetable, beans or meat for your baby to pick up while you offer the broth on a spoon or in an open cup.
9–12 months
Serve chunky soup with soft pieces about the size of a chickpea. Thicken thin soups with mashed potato, oats or blended beans so they are easier to scoop.
12 months +
Toddlers can eat soup with a spoon or sip it from a cup. Let them dip strips of bread or toast in it, and keep soft chunks small until they chew well.
Why it’s good
Soup is an easy way to give babies vegetables, beans, lentils, meat and grains in one soft meal. Soups made with meat, beans or lentils add iron, zinc and protein, and the liquid helps keep babies hydrated.
Safety notes
- Store-bought broth, bouillon cubes and canned soup are very high in sodium. Make soup at home without added salt, or use no-salt-added broth for babies under 12 months.
- Hot soup can scald a baby's mouth. Let it cool and test the temperature before serving, and keep bowls of hot soup out of reach.
- Check chicken and fish soups carefully for small bones before serving.
- Soups can contain allergens, such as milk in cream soups, wheat in noodle soups, and fish or shellfish in seafood soups. Introduce each allergen on its own first.
- Cool leftover soup quickly, refrigerate it within 2 hours and use it within 3 to 4 days, reheating until it is steaming hot before cooling it again.
Check what's in the soup
Soup is not a single allergen, but what goes into it can be. Cream soups contain milk, noodle and dumpling soups often contain wheat and egg, and seafood soups contain fish or shellfish. Introduce each allergen on its own before serving soups that contain it.
Soup for babies: questions parents ask
Quick answers about soup for babies and toddlers.
When can babies have soup?
Babies can have soup from about 6 months. Blend it thick enough for a spoon at first, then offer soft chunks and sips from an open cup as your baby grows.
Can babies have soup?
Yes, babies can eat homemade soup made without added salt. Vegetable, lentil, bean and chicken soups are all great choices.
Is soup a choking hazard for babies?
Soup is a low choking risk when it is blended or the chunks are soft and cut small. Check for bones, and stay with your baby while they eat.
Is soup a common allergen?
Soup itself is not a common allergen, but many soups contain one, such as milk in cream soups, wheat in noodle soups or fish in seafood soups.
How do I serve soup to a 6 month old?
To serve soup to a 6 month old, blend homemade, unsalted soup until smooth and thick, cool it, and offer it on a pre-loaded spoon. Small sips from an open cup are fine too.
Can babies have store-bought broth?
Regular store-bought broth and bouillon cubes are very salty for babies. Choose no-salt-added broth, or make broth at home without salt.
Can babies have canned soup?
Canned soup is usually very high in sodium, so it is best avoided for babies under 12 months. For toddlers, choose low-sodium versions occasionally.
How do I thicken soup for my baby?
Thicken soup for a baby by blending in cooked potato, sweet potato, beans, lentils or oats, or by straining out the solids and mashing them with a little of the broth.
The takeaway
- Babies can have soup from about 6 months.
- Blend homemade vegetable, lentil or chicken soup until smooth and thick enough to stay on a spoon, and offer it on a pre-loaded spoon.
- Choking risk is low. Not a Top 9 allergen, but offer a small amount first and watch for any reaction.
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
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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.