First foods database
🫙 Sesame oil for babies: when and how to serve it
Can babies have sesame oil? Yes, from about 6 months, once sesame has been introduced. Toasted sesame oil has a rich, nutty flavour, and just a few drops lift noodles, rice and vegetables without any salt.
Good source of: Healthy fats, Vitamin E, Vitamin K
How to serve sesame oil by age
6 to 9 months
Introduce sesame first with a little smooth tahini stirred into food. After that, add 2 or 3 drops of toasted sesame oil (about 1/4 teaspoon) to a baby portion of mashed vegetables, rice or soft noodles. Plain (untoasted) sesame oil can be used for gentle cooking.
9 to 12 months
Toss soft noodles, steamed broccoli or flaked fish with a few drops of toasted sesame oil, perhaps with a little grated ginger. Up to 1/2 teaspoon in a dish is plenty.
12 months and up
Use sesame oil in family stir-fries, dressings and marinades. Toasted sesame oil burns easily, so add it at the end of cooking for flavour. Avoid soy sauce in toddler portions, or use a tiny amount of low-salt soy.
Choking safety
Sesame oil itself is not a choking risk. If you add whole sesame seeds to dishes, keep them to a light sprinkle or grind them, and make sure noodles and vegetables are soft and cut to a safe size.
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
- Sesame is an allergen: introduce it on its own first.
- Oil is rich in calories, so a few drops is enough.
Introducing it as an allergen
It contains sesame, one of the 14 major allergens. How to introduce sesame
Easy ideas
- Soft noodles with sesame oil and grated carrot
- Broccoli with a few drops of sesame oil
- Salmon and rice with sesame oil and ginger
Goes well with
Recipes with sesame oil
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Questions parents ask
Can babies eat sesame oil?
Can babies have sesame oil? Yes, from about 6 months, once sesame has been introduced. Toasted sesame oil has a rich, nutty flavour, and just a few drops lift noodles, rice and vegetables without any salt.
Is sesame oil allergenic?
Refined oils contain less protein, but toasted sesame oil can trigger reactions in sesame-allergic children.
Can babies have toasted sesame oil?
Yes, in small amounts, once sesame has been introduced.
What is the difference between toasted and plain sesame oil?
Toasted oil is dark and strongly flavoured, used in drops for flavour. Plain sesame oil is lighter and can be used for cooking.
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).