First foods database
🌱 Fennel seeds for babies: when and how to serve it
Can babies eat fennel seeds? Yes, from about 6 months, ground or cooked into dishes. Fennel seeds add a sweet, gentle aniseed flavour to meatballs, dals and roasted vegetables, which many babies enjoy.
Good source of: Flavour, Fibre, Calcium
How to serve fennel seeds by age
6 to 9 months
Toast fennel seeds lightly in a dry pan, grind them finely and add a small pinch (about 1/8 teaspoon) to pork or lamb mince, lentils or vegetable purées. Cook it into the food rather than sprinkling raw powder on top.
9 to 12 months
Add ground fennel seed to homemade pork or lamb meatballs, sprinkle over carrots or squash before roasting, or stir a pinch into a mild tomato and lentil sauce. Up to 1/2 teaspoon in a family dish is plenty.
12 months and up
Use fennel seeds in family dishes, either ground or simmered long enough in a sauce to soften. Whole seeds on bread or crackers are fine for older children who chew well.
Choking safety
Whole fennel seeds are small and hard and can be breathed in or get stuck. Grind them finely for babies, or cook them in a liquid dish until soft. Avoid the sugar-coated seeds served after a curry, which are hard and sugary.
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
- Fennel teas and gripe waters are not recommended for babies.
- Grind or soften whole seeds before serving to young children.
Easy ideas
- Pork and fennel seed meatballs
- Fennel-spiced red lentil dal
- Roasted carrots with ground fennel seed
Goes well with
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Questions parents ask
Can babies eat fennel seeds?
Can babies eat fennel seeds? Yes, from about 6 months, ground or cooked into dishes. Fennel seeds add a sweet, gentle aniseed flavour to meatballs, dals and roasted vegetables, which many babies enjoy.
Is fennel tea safe for babies?
Herbal teas, including fennel tea, are not recommended as drinks for babies. Breast milk, formula and water are all they need.
Can babies eat whole fennel seeds?
It is best to grind them finely or cook them soft in a sauce for babies and young toddlers.
Do fennel seeds help with wind?
They are traditionally used for this, but there is little evidence for babies. If you are worried about wind or colic, talk to your health visitor or GP.
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).