First foods database
🌾 Pearl barley for babies: when and how to serve it
Can babies eat pearl barley? Yes, from about 6 months once it is cooked very soft. Pearl barley is a comforting, nutty grain that thickens soups and stews and offers fibre, B vitamins and some iron. It contains gluten.
Good source of: Fibre, Selenium, Manganese
How to serve pearl barley by age
6 to 9 months
Rinse the barley, then simmer for 40 to 50 minutes in plenty of water until the grains are plump and squash easily. Blend with vegetables and a little of the cooking liquid, or mash roughly for babies used to texture. Stir into puréed stews to add body.
9 to 12 months
Serve soft barley in a barley risotto (sometimes called orzotto) with squash and cheese, or in a mild lamb and vegetable stew. Babies can pick up sticky clumps.
12 months and up
Offer barley in family soups, casseroles and grain salads, alongside soft vegetables and meat or beans.
Choking safety
Undercooked pearl barley is firm and chewy, so cook it until each grain squashes between your fingers. Mixing it into a sauce or stew keeps the grains from scattering around the mouth.
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
- Pearl barley contains gluten. Introduce it in small amounts.
- Scotch broth mixes and stock cubes can be salty; cook barley in water or homemade unsalted stock.
Introducing it as an allergen
It contains gluten, one of the 14 major allergens. How to introduce gluten
Easy ideas
- Barley and butternut squash risotto
- Lamb, carrot and barley stew
- Chicken and barley soup with leeks
Goes well with
Recipes with pearl barley
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Questions parents ask
Can babies eat pearl barley?
Can babies eat pearl barley? Yes, from about 6 months once it is cooked very soft. Pearl barley is a comforting, nutty grain that thickens soups and stews and offers fibre, B vitamins and some iron. It contains gluten.
Is pearl barley good for babies?
Yes, it is a filling wholegrain with fibre, B vitamins and some iron. Serve with vitamin C rich vegetables like tomatoes or peppers to help iron absorption.
Do I need to soak pearl barley?
No, pearl barley does not need soaking, although it can shorten cooking time. Pot barley takes longer and benefits from soaking.
Can I freeze cooked barley?
Yes. Cool it quickly, freeze in portions and reheat until steaming hot.
Sources
- NHS Start for Life: Weaning
- NHS: What to feed young children
- NHS: How to stop a child from choking
- NHS: Food allergies in babies and 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).