Prickly pear
Usually introduced around 6 months
How to serve by age
6-9 months
Wash and peel the fruit, mash the flesh, and strain out seeds, which can be aspirated. Use the juice as marinade or stir into porridge or mashed vegetables.
Mashed and seed-strained pulp or juice.
9-12 months
Continue mashed pulp with seeds strained, or use the juice in marinades and stirred into other foods. Seeds remain a concern at this age.
Mashed and strained pulp, or juice mixed in.
12-18 months
Continue mashed pulp with seeds strained. The fruit's seeds are still a concern, so keep using the deseeded pulp and juice in mixed dishes.
Mashed deseeded pulp or juice.
2 years and up
When eating skills are mature, offer a whole peeled prickly pear and model how to bite the flesh and spit out the seeds. Stay within arm's reach.
Whole peeled fruit, with bite-and-spit modeling.
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 Prickly pear and every first food in nappi
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