First foods database
🌼 Vanilla for babies: when and how to serve it
Can babies have vanilla? Yes, from about 6 months, in small amounts in cooking and baking. Vanilla gives a naturally sweet aroma to porridge, yoghurt and bakes, which can make plain foods more appealing without adding sugar.
Good source of: Flavour
How to serve vanilla by age
6 to 9 months
Scrape a few seeds from a vanilla pod into porridge or fruit purée, or add a drop of vanilla extract to food while it is cooking.
9 to 12 months
Use vanilla in pancakes, rice pudding made with whole milk, and baked oats sweetened with mashed banana.
12 months and up
Add vanilla to family baking and puddings. Try it in homemade ice lollies made from yoghurt and fruit. Vanilla-flavoured yoghurts, custards and desserts usually contain added sugar.
Choking safety
Vanilla is a low choking risk. Remove any vanilla pod from a dish before serving, as it is tough and fibrous.
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
- Vanilla extract contains alcohol: use only a drop, cooked into food.
- Vanilla-flavoured shop products are often sweetened.
Easy ideas
- Vanilla porridge with mashed banana
- Rice pudding with vanilla and no added sugar
- Vanilla and banana pancakes
Goes well with
Recipes with vanilla
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Questions parents ask
Can babies eat vanilla?
Can babies have vanilla? Yes, from about 6 months, in small amounts in cooking and baking. Vanilla gives a naturally sweet aroma to porridge, yoghurt and bakes, which can make plain foods more appealing without adding sugar.
Is vanilla extract safe for babies?
A drop cooked into food is fine. Cooking drives off much of the alcohol, and the amount used is tiny. Choose pure extract over artificial flavouring.
Can babies have vanilla yoghurt?
Plain yoghurt is better, as flavoured ones usually contain added sugar. Add your own vanilla seeds and fruit to plain yoghurt instead.
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).