🥬 Butternut squash
Allergen note
Butternut squash is not a common allergen, and despite its name it is not a nut, so it also suits babies with nut allergies. Offer it plain the first few times and watch for rare reactions such as a rash or vomiting.
How to serve
From 6 months, offer smooth or lightly mashed squash on a spoon, or peeled wedges about the size of two adult fingers, roasted until very soft, for your baby to hold. From 9 months, cut soft squash into small cubes; from 12 months, add it to soups, pasta sauces and risotto.
Preparation
Peel the squash, cut it in half and scoop out all the seeds and stringy pulp, then steam or roast the flesh until a fork slides in easily. Mash or blend it with breast milk, formula or water, and skip salt and sugar; a little olive oil or cinnamon adds flavor.
Texture and choking risk
Raw or firm squash is hard for babies to manage, so cook it until it squishes easily between your fingers. Trim off chewy or crisp roasted edges, never offer the hard seeds, and keep your baby seated and supervised while eating.
Sources: cdc.gov · cdc.gov · healthychildren.org · healthychildren.org · healthychildren.org · nhs.uk · nhs.uk
Starting ages are typical guidance for healthy, full-term babies who show signs of readiness. Your paediatrician may advise differently, especially where there is a family history of allergy.
Recipes with butternut squash
Track first tastes and reactions
Log when your child first tries butternut squash, note any reaction and see it in the allergen tracker.
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