First foods database

🍅 Tomato for babies: when and how to serve it

Can babies eat tomato? Yes, from about 6 months. Ripe tomatoes add juicy flavour and vitamin C, and serving them alongside iron-rich foods like lentils or meat helps your baby absorb that iron.

From 6 monthsTake care with shape and texture

Good source of: Vitamin C, Vitamin A, Potassium, Lycopene

How to serve tomato by age

6 to 9 months

Offer large, ripe tomato wedges with the skin on for grip, or cook tomatoes down into a simple sauce without salt to stir through pasta or lentils.

9 to 12 months

Chop ripe tomato into small pieces, or peel and dice for babies who struggle with skins. Homemade tomato sauces work well with meatballs and pasta.

12 months and up

Serve chopped tomato in salads, sandwiches and sauces. Keep offering cooked tomato dishes made without stock cubes or added salt.

Choking safety

Large firm wedges are safer for young babies than small cubes. Cherry tomatoes are a separate higher risk: always quarter them lengthways. Skins can be tricky; peel if your baby gags often.

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

Easy ideas

Goes well with

🍝PastaFrom 6 months · Gluten🫘Red lentilsFrom 6 months🧀MozzarellaFrom 6 months · Milk🥩Beef minceFrom 6 months

Recipes with tomato

🍆Baby aubergine and lentil moussakaFrom 9 months · Dinner · 85 min🍅Baby friendly shakshukaFrom 9 months · Breakfast · 35 min🍲Baby-friendly Moroccan lamb and apricot tagineFrom 7 months · Dinner · 105 min🍅Baby-friendly West African jollof riceFrom 7 months · Dinner · 55 min🍝Batch cook beef and red lentil baby bologneseFrom 7 months · Dinner · 55 min🍛Batch cook mild chickpea and spinach curryFrom 7 months · Dinner · 35 min

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Questions parents ask

Can babies eat tomato?

Can babies eat tomato? Yes, from about 6 months. Ripe tomatoes add juicy flavour and vitamin C, and serving them alongside iron-rich foods like lentils or meat helps your baby absorb that iron.

Why does my baby get a rash from tomatoes?

Acidic foods can irritate the skin around the mouth, causing redness that fades quickly. A wider rash, swelling or other symptoms should be checked with a GP.

Should I peel tomatoes for my baby?

Not necessarily. Many babies manage skins on large wedges, but peeling helps if skins cause gagging.

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).