First foods database
🎃 Spaghetti squash for babies: when and how to serve it
Can babies eat spaghetti squash? Yes, from about 6 months. Once roasted, the golden flesh pulls into soft strands that babies can grab and squash, and it brings vitamin A, vitamin C and fibre with a mild, slightly sweet flavour.
Good source of: Vitamin C, Fibre, Vitamin B6
How to serve spaghetti squash by age
6 to 9 months
Halve the squash, scoop out the seeds and roast cut side down at 200C for 35 to 45 minutes until very tender. Scrape out the strands and mash them for spoon feeding, or offer a small handful of soft strands to pick up. Mix with a little butter or a smooth lentil purée.
9 to 12 months
Serve the strands with a mild tomato sauce, a spoonful of beef mince or red lentils, or stir through grated cheese. The strands help your baby practise their pincer grip. You can also bake squash strands into little egg fritters.
12 months and up
Offer spaghetti squash as a pasta swap or alongside it, topped with bolognese, pesto or a cheesy sauce. Toddlers enjoy pulling the strands from the shell themselves with a fork.
Choking safety
Fully cooked strands are soft and low risk. Undercooked squash is crunchy, so make sure it squashes easily between your fingers. Do not offer the seeds or the tough skin to babies.
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
- The raw squash is hard to cut; microwave it for a few minutes first to soften the skin.
Easy ideas
- Spaghetti squash with tomato and red lentil sauce
- Squash strand and cheese fritters
- Spaghetti squash with butter and grated parmesan
Goes well with
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Questions parents ask
Can babies eat spaghetti squash?
Can babies eat spaghetti squash? Yes, from about 6 months. Once roasted, the golden flesh pulls into soft strands that babies can grab and squash, and it brings vitamin A, vitamin C and fibre with a mild, slightly sweet flavour.
How do I cook spaghetti squash for my baby?
Roast halves at 200C for 35 to 45 minutes, or microwave halves covered for about 10 to 12 minutes, until a fork slides in easily. Then scrape out the strands with a fork.
Can spaghetti squash replace pasta?
It can sit alongside or replace pasta at some meals, but it has much less energy. Babies need plenty of energy, so also offer starchy foods such as pasta, rice or potatoes regularly.
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).