Babies & Passover: Tips for Holiday Meals

The first Passover seder with baby is a special moment. There are lots of holiday foods that you can share with baby—and some to avoid. Read on for tips for how to include baby in the holiday, from matzah ball soup to kugel.

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Tips for feeding baby at the seder 

How to modify common holiday foods for babies

Asparagus

Asparagus is a staple of spring and one of the first vegetables to be harvested in the growing season, which is probably why roasted asparagus is such a popular dish at Passover seders in the Northern Hemisphere. Offer whole cooked asparagus spears that have been cooked until soft (you can test for doneness by piercing with a fork). If you’d like to maximize consumption, slice cooked asparagus lengthwise and then chop and mix it into scoopable foods like mashed potatoes for baby. 

Braised Lamb 

Braised lamb can be a wonderful food for baby. This tender meat is full of flavor and important nutrients for baby’s growth and development—like protein, fat, and iron. Just make sure the lamb is fully cooked to 145 F (63 C). For babies 6 to 9 months of age, consider chopping and mixing the meat with mashed potatoes to scoop with spoons or hands. If baby has their pincer grasp and is able to pick up small pieces of food, serve shredded pieces of lamb for baby to self-feed. 

Lamb Shank Bone

A large lamb shank bone can be a great resistive food teether for baby to explore. Baby won’t consume much, but simply grabbing, holding, and gumming the bone helps baby practice oral motor skills. Plus it keeps baby busy and gives you a breather at the table. To minimize the risk of choking, pick off the meat and any loose gristle, and check that the bone is sturdy with no loose "splinters" that could break off in baby's mouth. Avoid smaller bones that are thin as they can be sharper and more brittle. 

Brisket

Beef brisket is a wonderful first meat for babies because it naturally falls apart into strands and shreds. An added bonus: tough cuts of meat like brisket are relatively simple to prepare in advance in a pressure cooker or slow cooker, plus the flavor deepens over time. 

Chicken

Chicken is a potential choking risk for babies, but the meat can be cut in an age-appropriate way to share with baby. You can also save the drumstick bone to offer as a resistive food teether for baby to grab, hold, and practice moving in and around the mouth while you eat. Not only does the bone help baby’s brain make a mental map of the mouth, baby may teethe on it for quite a while, which might make it possible for you to finish your own meal.

Chopped Liver

Chicken liver may be introduced as soon as a baby is ready to start solids, which is generally around 6 months of age. Keep in mind that chicken liver has a ton of vitamin A—an essential nutrient that can be toxic when consumed in excess. For this reason, take care to limit the serving size and frequency; 1 to 2 tbsp (15 to 30 ml) of chicken liver is plenty.

Fish

From herring to gefilte fish, there are many preparations of fish that can be shared with baby at the family table. Make sure to remove all bones and skin to minimize the risk of choking, and make sure the fish is thoroughly cooked to 145 F (63 C). Take care with smoked salmon, gravlax, and lox a they pose a higher risk of foodborne illness, to which babies and young toddlers are more susceptible. Avoid raw or undercooked fish for babies and young children. 

Hard-Boiled Egg

Egg is a key symbol on the seder plate, and it is most often hard-boiled. The dry, chalky yolk and firm, slippery egg whites can be challenging for young babies to move around in the mouth on their own. Cut-up the egg into bite-sized pieces for babies around 9 months of age who have a developing pincer grasp (where the tips of the thumb and pointer finger meet) and let them practice picking up the pieces. To minimize the risk of choking for younger babies, peel, finely chop, and smash the hard-boiled egg with soft, scoopable food like soft, scoopable food like mashed beets or potatoes. And don’t be afraid of offering seasoning the mashed with strong spices! Babies are wonderful little explorers when it comes to bold flavors.

Horseradish

When it comes to horseradish, start with a small amount and taste it before offering it to baby. Horseradish can be full of zing! To help balance the spicy flavor, offer it to baby with a cooling food, such as sour cream or yogurt. 

Matzah

Crackers like matzah are a high choking risk for babies and young toddlers. To minimize the risk of choking, soak matzah in water, mashed vegetables, or egg until soft. 

Matzah Balls

Matzah balls are a wonderful food for babies. Just make sure the ball you select has cooled. Cutting in half will make it easier for baby to self-feed. If baby takes a too-big bite that makes you nervous, stay calm and coach baby to spit it out.

Parsley

You can let baby explore parsley from the seder plate or yours. Flecks of parsley and other fresh herbs are safe for baby, and they will be easier to manage in the mouth if they are blended into mashed potatoes or other soft, scoopable foods.

Potato Kugel

Kugel is a fantastic dish to share with baby. Soft, easily mashable and relatively easy for baby to practice eating. Just make sure to remove any crispy bits to minimize the risk of choking. Note that kugel typically contains egg and dairy, the two most common food allergens in babies. 

Pot Roast

As long as there was no honey used in the recipe, baby can share the pot roast as long as the meat is cut into age-appropriate sizes. For babies 6 to 8 months, a large strip about the size of two adult fingers pressed together will be best.or babies who can pick up small pieces of food with a developed pincer grasp (typically 9 months and older), shredded or minced pot roast can work well.