First foods database
🍑 Nectarine for babies: when and how to serve it
Can babies eat nectarines? Yes, from about 6 months. Ripe nectarines are juicy, sweet and full of vitamin C, and they make an easy purée or a slippery finger food once the stone is removed and the fruit is soft.
Good source of: Vitamin C, Vitamin A (beta-carotene), Fibre
How to serve nectarine by age
6 to 9 months
Choose a very ripe nectarine that gives when pressed. Remove the stone and mash or blend the flesh; peel it if the skin bothers your baby. For finger food, offer large wedges of ripe fruit with skin on for grip, or a halved nectarine with the stone out for gnawing. Firm fruit can be poached for a few minutes to soften.
9 to 12 months
Cut ripe nectarine into small bite-sized pieces, or stir chopped fruit into yoghurt, porridge or ricotta. Rolling pieces in ground oats or ground almonds makes them easier to pick up.
12 months and up
Offer thin slices or small pieces as a snack or pudding, or slice it over pancakes. Toddlers may like to bite from a whole ripe fruit, with the stone removed first.
Choking safety
Firm, unripe nectarine is a choking risk, so serve it ripe or cooked. Always remove the stone, which is large and hard. If the skin seems to make your baby gag, peel it.
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 the skin well before serving.
- Nectarine stones contain a bitter kernel that should never be eaten.
Easy ideas
- Nectarine mashed into Greek yoghurt
- Poached nectarine with porridge
- Nectarine slices with ricotta and raspberries
Goes well with
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Questions parents ask
Can babies eat nectarine?
Can babies eat nectarines? Yes, from about 6 months. Ripe nectarines are juicy, sweet and full of vitamin C, and they make an easy purée or a slippery finger food once the stone is removed and the fruit is soft.
Can babies eat nectarine skin?
Yes, nectarine skin is smooth and thin. If your baby struggles with it, peel the fruit or offer larger wedges so the skin gives them something to hold.
Should I cook nectarines for my baby?
Very ripe nectarines can be served raw. Firmer ones are better poached or roasted for a few minutes until soft enough to squash between your fingers.
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).