First foods database
🌿 Parsley for babies: when and how to serve it
Can babies eat parsley? Yes, from about 6 months. Fresh or dried parsley adds a bright, green flavour to savoury dishes, and offering herbs early helps babies enjoy tasty food without needing salt.
Good source of: Vitamin K, Vitamin C, Folate, Iron
How to serve parsley by age
6 to 9 months
Finely chop fresh flat-leaf or curly parsley and stir a little into vegetable purées, mashed potato, fish or lentils. Dried parsley can be sprinkled in during cooking.
9 to 12 months
Add chopped parsley to omelettes, pasta, couscous, fishcakes and meatballs, where it is mixed through.
12 months and up
Use parsley generously in family dishes like tabbouleh, soups, stews and herby sauces.
Choking safety
Large fresh sprigs and whole leaves can stick to the back of the mouth and cause gagging. Chop parsley finely and mix it into food, and remove tough stalks.
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
- Parsley is safe in normal food amounts. Large medicinal amounts, such as concentrated extracts or teas, are not suitable for babies.
Easy ideas
- Flaked cod with parsley sauce
- Parsley and new potato mash
- Couscous with parsley, tomato and lemon
Goes well with
Recipes with parsley
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Questions parents ask
Can babies eat parsley?
Can babies eat parsley? Yes, from about 6 months. Fresh or dried parsley adds a bright, green flavour to savoury dishes, and offering herbs early helps babies enjoy tasty food without needing salt.
Can babies eat fresh parsley?
Yes, chopped finely into food from about 6 months. Flat-leaf parsley is softer and easier to chop than curly.
Is dried parsley OK for babies?
Yes. A sprinkle in sauces or mash is fine, and it has a milder flavour than fresh. Parsley also adds a little vitamin C and iron.
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).