Allergen note
Apricot allergy is uncommon, but many bright-orange dried apricots are preserved with sulfites (sulfur dioxide, E220), which can trigger wheezing in sensitive children, especially those with asthma. Choose unsulfured, darker apricots with no added sugar.
How to serve
From around 6 months, stir 1–2 teaspoons of stewed, puréed apricot into porridge or plain yogurt as a natural sweetener. From 9–12 months, mash or finely chop the stewed fruit, and offer dried fruit with meals rather than as a sticky snack to help protect teeth.
Preparation
Soak dried apricots in hot water, then simmer them for about 10 minutes until very soft and plump. Blend with a little of the cooking water into a smooth purée, or chop finely for older babies; keep leftovers in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Texture and choking risk
Dried apricots are dense, chewy and sticky, and dried fruit is a known choking hazard for young children. Serve them softened and puréed or finely chopped, save dry pieces for when your child chews well, cut them small even then, and always supervise.
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 dried apricots
Track first tastes and reactions
Log when your child first tries dried apricots, note any reaction and see it in the allergen tracker.
More Fruit
🍎 Blackberries
Blackberry allergy is rare. The acidic juice can redden the skin around the mouth, which usually fades soon…
🍎 Blueberries
Blueberry allergy is very rare. Blue-purple stains on the skin, dark blue-black stools and bits of berry skin…
🍎 Dates
Dates are not a common allergen, and reactions are rare. Packaged chopped dates are sometimes dusted with oat…
🍎 Freeze-dried strawberries
Strawberries are not a common allergen, though their juice often leaves a red rash around the mouth that fades…
🍎 Grapes
Grapes rarely cause allergies. A few children, often those already allergic to peaches or other fruits, react…
🍎 Kiwi
Kiwi isn't a top allergen but is one of the more common fruit allergies in young children, and reactions can…