First foods database
🥔 Turnip for babies: when and how to serve it
Can babies eat turnip? Yes, from about 6 months, cooked until soft. Turnip has a mild, slightly peppery taste that mellows when roasted or mashed with sweeter vegetables.
Good source of: Vitamin C, Fibre, Potassium
How to serve turnip by age
6 to 9 months
Peel, chop and boil or steam until very soft, then mash or purée, perhaps with carrot or potato. Soft roasted wedges make good finger food. Add a knob of unsalted butter to soften the flavour.
9 to 12 months
Offer soft roasted turnip chunks or wedges, or mashed turnip mixed into stews and pies. Turnip cubes cooked soft in stews soak up flavour.
12 months and up
Serve turnip roasted, mashed with carrot, or in casseroles and soups with the family.
Choking safety
Raw turnip is hard and can snap into chunks, so always cook it soft for babies. Check that it squashes easily between finger and thumb. Cut wedges large enough to hold.
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).
Easy ideas
- Turnip and carrot mash
- Roasted turnip wedges
- Turnip in a mild lamb stew
Goes well with
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Questions parents ask
Can babies eat turnip?
Can babies eat turnip? Yes, from about 6 months, cooked until soft. Turnip has a mild, slightly peppery taste that mellows when roasted or mashed with sweeter vegetables.
Is turnip the same as swede?
In parts of the UK people use the names interchangeably. Turnips are small and white with a purple top, while swede is larger with yellow flesh. Both are fine for babies cooked soft.
Does turnip taste bitter to babies?
It can be a little peppery. Mixing with carrot or potato softens the flavour, and repeated tastes help babies get used to it.
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).