Cranberry
Usually introduced around 6 months
Prep warning
Cranberries are naturally very tart, so they are usually cooked and blended with a sweeter fruit. Use unsweetened cranberries and skip sweetened dried cranberries and cranberry juice drinks, which carry added sugar.
Choking notes
A whole raw cranberry is firm and round, one of the riskiest choking shapes. Cook cranberries until soft and mash or purée them, or quarter any raw cranberry lengthwise so no round piece is left. Avoid whole or round-halved cranberries through the preschool years.
How to serve by age
6-9 months
Raw cranberries are firm, round and very tart, so they need cooking down. General preparation information: simmer cranberries until soft and burst, then mash or purée them smooth, on their own or blended with a sweeter fruit such as apple or pear to soften the sharp flavour. Keep it unsweetened.
Cooked-soft cranberries mashed or puréed smooth. Never serve a raw, whole or round-halved cranberry.
9-12 months
Keep cranberries cooked soft and broken up. General preparation information: stir a cooked cranberry mash or purée into yogurt, porridge or other fruit, or fold finely chopped soft-cooked cranberries through a meal. If you ever use a raw cranberry, quarter it lengthwise first so no round piece remains.
Cooked-soft cranberries mashed or finely chopped into food. Any raw cranberry quartered lengthwise; never whole or round-halved.
12-18 months
Cranberries work as a soft-cooked mash, chopped through a dish, or in baked food. General preparation information: a cranberry that has been simmered until soft is easiest. A round raw cranberry keeps its choking shape, so quarter any raw one lengthwise and avoid whole or round-halved pieces.
Soft-cooked cranberry mash or chopped soft pieces; any raw cranberry quartered lengthwise. No whole or round-halved cranberries.
2 years and up
Continue offering cranberries cooked soft or in small pieces. General preparation information: small airways and developing chewing mean a whole, round raw cranberry stays a choking shape through the preschool years. Keep quartering any raw cranberry lengthwise, or serve it cooked soft, until around age 4 when your child chews reliably.
Cooked-soft or quartered-lengthwise raw cranberries through about age 4. Whole or round-halved only once chewing is reliable.
Key nutrients
Common questions
When can my baby eat Cranberry?
Most babies can try Cranberry from around 6 months, once they show signs of readiness. Check the prep and cut-size notes above before you start.
Is Cranberry a choking hazard for babies?
Cranberry carries a moderate choking risk for babies. Follow the age-appropriate cut sizes and textures above, and always stay close during meals.
Is Cranberry a common allergen?
Cranberry is not one of the major food allergens. Any new food can still cause a reaction, so keep an eye on your baby the first few times.
General informational content, not medical advice. Always consult your pediatrician about introducing new foods, especially if your baby has any medical conditions or family history of allergies.
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