First foods database
🫐 Blackberry for babies: when and how to serve it
Can babies eat blackberries? Yes, from about 6 months. Soft, juicy and full of vitamin C, blackberries are a lovely seasonal fruit, but larger berries should be squashed or cut to make them safe.
Good source of: Vitamin C, Vitamin K, Fibre, Manganese
How to serve blackberry by age
6 to 9 months
Mash ripe blackberries with a fork and stir into yoghurt or porridge, or sieve if the seeds bother baby. For finger food, flatten each berry between your fingers or cut large ones lengthways into quarters.
9 to 12 months
Offer halved or quartered berries as baby practises the pincer grip, or bake them into soft muffins and crumbles made without added sugar.
12 months and up
Cut big berries in half lengthways until your child chews well. Small, soft blackberries can be served whole as they get older.
Choking safety
Large berries are round and can block a small airway. Squash or quarter them for babies and toddlers, and offer them when your child is sitting upright.
Gagging is common and noisy while babies learn to eat. Choking is usually silent. Always stay with your baby while they eat, sitting upright. How to help a choking baby (NHS).
Good to know
- Wash wild blackberries well and pick ones away from busy roadsides.
Easy ideas
- Blackberry and apple compote
- Squashed blackberries on toast with cream cheese
- Blackberry swirl in natural yoghurt
Goes well with
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Questions parents ask
Can babies eat blackberry?
Can babies eat blackberries? Yes, from about 6 months. Soft, juicy and full of vitamin C, blackberries are a lovely seasonal fruit, but larger berries should be squashed or cut to make them safe.
Are blackberry seeds safe for babies?
Yes, the tiny seeds are safe. Sieve the purée if baby dislikes the texture.
Why is my baby's nappy dark after blackberries?
Deeply coloured fruit can tint poo and nappies. This is normal and harmless.
Sources
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).