First foods database
🍠 Cassava for babies: when and how to serve it
Can babies eat cassava? Yes, from about 6 months, but only when properly peeled and thoroughly cooked. Cassava is a starchy root enjoyed in many cuisines, and cooked soft it mashes beautifully.
Good source of: Carbohydrate, Vitamin C, Potassium, Fibre
How to serve cassava by age
6 to 9 months
Peel thickly, remove the woody central fibre, then boil until very soft. Mash or blend with milk, or offer soft, finger-sized sticks. It has a mild, slightly sweet taste similar to potato.
9 to 12 months
Offer soft-cooked cassava pieces, or mash into stews with beans and greens. Cassava flour can be used in pancakes. Try cassava mashed with a little coconut milk for a creamy texture.
12 months and up
Serve boiled or baked cassava as part of family meals. Shop-bought cassava chips and snacks are often salty.
Choking safety
Cooked cassava can be dense and sticky. Serve it soft, in sticks or mash, not large dry lumps.
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
- Never serve raw or undercooked cassava: it contains natural compounds that must be removed by peeling and thorough cooking.
- Discard the cooking water.
Easy ideas
- Mashed cassava with spinach
- Soft cassava sticks
- Cassava in a mild bean stew
Goes well with
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Questions parents ask
Can babies eat cassava?
Can babies eat cassava? Yes, from about 6 months, but only when properly peeled and thoroughly cooked. Cassava is a starchy root enjoyed in many cuisines, and cooked soft it mashes beautifully.
Is cassava safe for babies?
Yes, when peeled, the central fibre removed and fully boiled. Never give it raw. Frozen, ready-peeled cassava from supermarkets and specialist shops is a handy option, still cooked thoroughly.
Can babies have cassava flour?
Yes, cooked into pancakes or porridge. Commercially produced flour is processed to be safe. Garri and fufu made from cassava are also traditional choices, served soft.
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).