Veggies Food Library
When can babies have yardlong beans?
Can babies have yardlong beans?
Babies can have yardlong beans from about 6 months, cooked until very soft. Yardlong beans, also called long beans or snake beans, are firmer and chewier than green beans, and small round pieces can be swallowed whole. Start with a smooth puree, then offer long, soft lengths to hold or finely minced beans from 7–8 months.
How to serve yardlong beans by age
Shapes and textures change as your baby’s grasp and chewing grow.
6 months
Trim the ends and steam or boil yardlong beans until very soft, then blend them into a smooth puree, pushing it through a sieve if any strings remain. Mix it with potato or rice cereal and offer it on a spoon.
7–8 months
Mince cooked yardlong beans finely and stir them into mashed potato or rice for a lumpier texture. If you offer finger-length pieces, steam or boil them until they squash easily between your thumb and finger, since yardlong beans stay chewier than green beans.
9–12 months
Finely chop well-cooked yardlong beans and mix them into fried rice, omelets or noodles. Avoid short round pieces, which are the size and shape of a small airway.
12 months +
Toddlers can eat cooked yardlong beans cut lengthwise and then into short pieces, in stir-fries and curries. Keep cooking them soft, since stir-fried long beans are often left crunchy.
Why it’s good
Yardlong beans give babies folate, vitamin C, vitamin A, fiber and potassium, plus a small amount of plant protein. Their vitamin C helps the body absorb iron from beans, tofu or fortified grains at the same meal. They are a popular vegetable in Asian, Caribbean and African cooking.
Safety notes
- Never serve raw yardlong beans to babies. They are firm and tough to chew, and raw beans contain natural compounds that are reduced by cooking.
- Small, round crosswise pieces can be swallowed whole. Serve long soft lengths or mince finely for babies, and cut lengthwise for toddlers.
- Cook until very soft. Yardlong beans take longer to soften than regular green beans.
- Trim the stringy ends and any tough or dry parts.
- Restaurant stir-fried long beans are often salty and may be cooked with soy sauce or chili. Make a plain portion for your baby.
A low-allergy food, still worth watching
Yardlong beans are not a common allergen, though allergies to cowpea and other legumes have been reported. Offer a small amount and watch for hives, swelling or vomiting, especially if your child has a peanut or legume allergy.
Yardlong beans for babies: questions parents ask
Quick answers about yardlong beans for babies and toddlers.
When can babies have yardlong beans?
Babies can have yardlong beans from about 6 months of age, cooked until very soft and blended into a puree. From 7–8 months, yardlong beans can be served as long soft lengths to hold or minced into other foods.
Can babies have yardlong beans?
Yes, babies can eat yardlong beans once they are cooked until soft and cut safely. Yardlong beans are a nutritious green vegetable similar to green beans.
Are yardlong beans a choking hazard for babies?
Yes, yardlong beans can be a choking hazard because they are tough to chew and small round pieces can be swallowed whole. Cook yardlong beans until very soft, serve long lengths or minced pieces, and stay with your baby during meals.
Are yardlong beans a common allergen?
No, yardlong beans are not a common allergen. Yardlong beans are a type of cowpea, and legume allergies are possible, so introduce a small amount first.
How do I serve yardlong beans to a 6 month old?
To serve yardlong beans to a 6 month old, steam or boil them until very soft, then blend them into a smooth puree and offer it on a spoon. Finely minced beans, or finger-length pieces cooked until they squash easily, can follow at 7–8 months.
Are yardlong beans the same as green beans?
Yardlong beans are a different plant from green beans, though they look and taste similar. Yardlong beans are longer, thinner and chewier and need more cooking time to soften for babies.
Can babies have raw yardlong beans?
No, babies should not eat raw yardlong beans. Raw yardlong beans are firm and hard to chew and are best cooked, which also makes them easier to digest.
How long do I cook yardlong beans for a baby?
Steam or boil yardlong beans for a baby for about 8 to 12 minutes, until they bend easily and squash between your fingers. Yardlong beans usually take a few minutes longer than green beans.
Can yardlong beans help with baby constipation?
Yardlong beans contain fiber that can help support regular bowel movements as part of a varied diet. Serve yardlong beans with other vegetables, fruit and fluids.
The takeaway
- Babies can have yardlong beans from about 6 months, cooked until very soft.
- Trim the ends and steam or boil yardlong beans until very soft, then blend them into a smooth puree, pushing it through a sieve if any strings remain.
- Choking risk is medium. 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
- Choking Prevention American Academy of Pediatrics (HealthyChildren.org)
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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.