🥬 Sweet potato
Allergen note
Sweet potato is rarely an allergen and is a popular first food from around 6 months. Offer it plain the first few times and watch for hives or vomiting; get urgent help for facial swelling or trouble breathing.
How to serve
At 6–8 months, offer smooth or lumpy mash on a spoon, or thick, soft, peeled wedges your baby can grab. From 9 months, cut soft pieces about the size of a chickpea; toddlers can have bite-size cubes, unsalted oven wedges or mash in patties.
Preparation
Scrub well, then bake, roast or steam until very soft all the way through: about 45–60 minutes whole in the oven or 10–15 minutes steamed in chunks. Peel it for younger babies, and skip salt, sugar and syrups; its natural sweetness is plenty.
Texture and choking risk
Undercooked or crisp-roasted sweet potato can be firm, so check that each piece squashes easily between your thumb and finger. Avoid hard raw pieces and chewy dried sweet potato snacks for babies, and always supervise while your baby eats.
Sources: cdc.gov · cdc.gov · 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 sweet potato
Track first tastes and reactions
Log when your child first tries sweet potato, note any reaction and see it in the allergen tracker.
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