Olives
Usually introduced around 6 months
How to serve by age
6-9 months
Pit every olive. Puree or finely chop and stir into mashed vegetables, or spread tapenade on toast strips and teething rusks. Limit salty olives before age 2.
Always pitted; finely chopped or pureed. Whole olives are a choking hazard at this age, even pitted, and pits cannot always be detected by sight.
9-12 months
Pit, then slice into thin rings for pincer-grasp practice. Tapenade or pureed olives spread on toast still work. Keep portions small to limit salt.
Thin rings, pits removed. Inspect each olive: check for hidden pits even on those sold as pitted. Avoid whole or halved olives.
12-18 months
Sliced rings, halved or quartered olives lengthwise, all pits removed. Tapenade still fine. Keep portions small; olives are salty.
Pitted, halved or quartered lengthwise. Inspect for hidden pits before serving. Pre-load a fork to encourage utensil practice.
2 years and up
Continue with sliced, halved, or quartered pitted olives. Whole pitted olives are still a choking hazard; only attempt with a confident chewer and close supervision.
If introducing a whole pitted olive, model biting and chewing, sit close, and coach calmly. Some pits remain even in jars labeled pitted; check first.
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.
Track Olives and every first food in nappi
Log solids, watch for reactions, and get reminders to reintroduce new foods. Free to try.