First foods database
🌾 Sorghum for babies: when and how to serve it
Can babies eat sorghum? Yes, from about 6 months. Sorghum is a hearty, naturally gluten-free grain with a mild, slightly sweet taste. Cooked whole it is chewy, so for babies it works best as sorghum flour porridge or well-cooked and mashed.
Good source of: Iron, Fibre, Protein, Magnesium
How to serve sorghum by age
6 to 9 months
Make a smooth porridge from sorghum flour cooked with breast milk, formula or water, and mix with fruit purée. If using whole sorghum, soak overnight, simmer for about an hour until very soft, then blend or mash. For finger food, bake soft pancakes made with sorghum flour.
9 to 12 months
Offer well-cooked whole sorghum mashed slightly and mixed with stews, or stirred into soft vegetables. Sorghum flour also works in muffins without added sugar.
12 months and up
Serve cooked sorghum like rice or barley, in salads, soups and stews, or use sorghum flour in flatbreads.
Choking safety
Cooked whole sorghum grains stay quite firm and chewy, and popped sorghum is like popcorn and not suitable for under-5s. For babies, use flour or blend and mash well-cooked grains.
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
- Popped sorghum is a choking risk like popcorn; do not offer it to children under 5.
- Sorghum is naturally gluten-free but may be processed alongside wheat; check the label if this matters.
Easy ideas
- Sorghum flour porridge with mashed banana
- Sorghum and vegetable stew
- Sorghum flour pancakes
Goes well with
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Questions parents ask
Can babies eat sorghum?
Can babies eat sorghum? Yes, from about 6 months. Sorghum is a hearty, naturally gluten-free grain with a mild, slightly sweet taste. Cooked whole it is chewy, so for babies it works best as sorghum flour porridge or well-cooked and mashed.
Is sorghum good for babies?
Yes, it provides energy, fibre and some iron. Serve it with vitamin C rich fruit or vegetables to help absorb the iron.
Is sorghum gluten-free?
Yes, sorghum itself contains no gluten, so it is useful for families avoiding wheat.
How long does sorghum take to cook?
Whole sorghum takes about 50 to 60 minutes to simmer after soaking. Sorghum flour porridge cooks in a few minutes.
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).