First foods database
🍓 Jam for babies: when and how to serve it
Can babies eat jam? Babies do not need added sugar, and most jam is around half sugar, so it is best left out before 12 months. After that, a thin scrape now and then with a meal is fine, though mashed fresh fruit does the same job without the sugar.
Good source of: Carbohydrate
How to serve jam by age
6 to 9 months
Not yet. Instead of jam, mash ripe raspberries, strawberries or blueberries with a fork and spread them thinly on toast fingers, or stir them into plain yoghurt and porridge. Chia seeds mixed into mashed berries make a quick no-sugar 'jam' that thickens in the fridge.
9 to 12 months
Still best skipped. Keep using mashed or stewed fruit as a spread. If baby has a taste of jam from a family meal, that is fine, it just should not become a regular food.
12 months and up
A thin layer of jam on toast or in a sandwich occasionally is fine, ideally at mealtimes rather than as a snack. Reduced-sugar jams or 100% fruit spreads are a better choice, and homemade chia berry jam is an easy everyday swap.
Choking safety
Jam itself is smooth, but thick sticky layers on soft white bread can form a gummy ball in the mouth. Spread thinly, and choose toasted bread fingers. Watch out for whole fruit pieces in chunky jams and conserves, and mash them down.
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
- High in sugar.
Goes well with
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Questions parents ask
Can babies eat jam?
Can babies eat jam? Babies do not need added sugar, and most jam is around half sugar, so it is best left out before 12 months. After that, a thin scrape now and then with a meal is fine, though mashed fresh fruit does the same job without the sugar.
Can babies have jam under 12 months?
It is best not to, because jam is very high in sugar and babies do not need any added sugar. Mashed fresh fruit or a simple chia berry spread gives the same fruity flavour.
Is no-added-sugar jam OK for toddlers?
Fruit spreads sweetened only with fruit juice are a better choice than standard jam, but they are still concentrated sugars, so keep portions small and serve them with meals to protect teeth.
Sources
- NHS Start for Life: Weaning
- NHS: Foods to avoid giving babies and young children
- NHS: What to feed young children
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).