First foods database
🍈 Cherimoya for babies: when and how to serve it
Can babies eat cherimoya? Yes, from about 6 months. Also called custard apple, cherimoya has creamy, sweet flesh that is easy to mash, but its skin and large black seeds must be removed.
Good source of: Vitamin C, Fibre, Vitamin B6
How to serve cherimoya by age
6 to 9 months
Scoop out ripe flesh, pick out every seed, and mash or serve on a spoon. Ripe cherimoya is soft and creamy.
9 to 12 months
Offer soft seedless chunks of ripe cherimoya, or mash it into yoghurt or porridge. Offer chunks with seeds removed. Mix with banana for a creamy fruit purée.
12 months and up
Serve seedless cherimoya pieces or in smoothies and fruit salads. It is a lovely tropical fruit for toddlers.
Choking safety
The seeds are hard, slippery and not safe to eat, and the skin is tough. Remove both completely and check carefully before serving. Check every piece carefully for seeds before serving.
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
- Cherimoya seeds and skin are toxic if crushed: remove all of them.
Easy ideas
- Cherimoya mashed into yoghurt
- Cherimoya and banana mash
- Cherimoya in porridge
Goes well with
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Questions parents ask
Can babies eat cherimoya?
Can babies eat cherimoya? Yes, from about 6 months. Also called custard apple, cherimoya has creamy, sweet flesh that is easy to mash, but its skin and large black seeds must be removed.
What does cherimoya taste like?
Like a mix of banana, pineapple and pear with a custard texture. Babies often love its sweetness.
How do I know when cherimoya is ripe?
It gives a little when pressed, like a ripe avocado. Keep at room temperature to ripen.
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).