Baby and toddler recipes
🎃 First sesame tahini and butternut mash
Soft steamed butternut squash mashed with a little smooth tahini to introduce sesame safely. Tahini adds calcium, iron and healthy fats, with a mellow nutty flavour babies often enjoy.
Makes about 4 baby portions
Ingredients
- 200g Butternut squash (peeled and diced)
- quarter of a teaspoon for the first taste Tahini (well stirred)
- a few drops Lemon (juice)
Method
- Steam the squash for 12 to 15 minutes until very soft.
- Mash or blend until smooth.
- Stir in the tahini thoroughly so it is completely mixed through, then add a few drops of lemon.
- Cool to warm and serve.
Serving it to your baby
Offer a new allergen on its own, earlier in the day when baby is well, so you can watch for any reaction over the next couple of hours. If baby has severe eczema or a known food allergy, speak to your GP before introducing egg and peanut. Once sesame is tolerated, increase to around half to one teaspoon of tahini and keep offering it a couple of times a week.
For the rest of the family
Drizzle extra tahini, lemon, garlic and a pinch of salt over roasted squash for adults.
Storing and reheating
Cool quickly (within an hour), then keep in a covered container in the fridge for up to 2 days, or freeze in ice cube trays for up to 3 months. Defrost in the fridge overnight, reheat until steaming hot all the way through, stir, then cool to warm before serving. Never reheat more than once.
Weaning with OBubba
Plan meals and log what your baby loved.
OBubba keeps a record of every food your baby has tried and spots the allergens for you, so you always know what is next. Free to download.
Questions parents ask
When can babies have sesame?
Sesame, as tahini or finely ground seeds, can be introduced from around 6 months. Whole sesame seeds are fine scattered on bread but are less easily digested.
Is hummus a good way to introduce sesame?
Hummus contains tahini, so it is a good option. Choose a lower-salt version or make your own without salt.
OBubba gives general information based on UK guidance. It is not medical advice and does not diagnose anything. Every baby is different. If your baby has a known allergy, severe eczema or a medical condition, speak to your doctor or health visitor before starting solids. Learn baby first aid, and in an emergency call your local emergency number (999 in the UK).