Black-Eyed Peas

Black-eyed peas may be introduced as soon as your baby is ready to start solids, which is generally around 6 months of age.

Despite their name, black-eyed peas are actually beans, and they are among the most nutritious plant-based foods you can offer your child. There are hundreds of varieties that vary in size and color, but the California Blackeye is the most popular. The small cream-colored bean with a black “eye” is also called a cow pea and a field pea—names that hint at the history of the plant. Black-eyed peas were a favored crop on farms in the American South and Caribbean islands, where black eyed peas traveled along with enslaved people from West Africa, the bean’s native land. Today, the black-eyed peas are a popular staple food in many cultures as well as a celebratory ingredient that symbolizes good luck and prosperity.

Yes! Black-eyed peas are one of the most nutritious plant foods you can offer your baby. They have a ton of calcium and protein, folate (for healthy blood), vitamin A (for eye, immune, and skin health), and zinc, which supports the immune system. But their true superpower: these little legumes are packed with iron, an essential nutrient that helps transport oxygen in the body.

Babies need increasing amounts of iron starting at around 6 months, when their reserves from being in the womb become depleted. This is why, for example, iron-fortified rice cereal for babies is sometimes recommended by pediatricians. But bland, textureless rice cereal need not be baby’s first food. There are plenty of whole foods that are naturally high in iron—like black-eyed peas—that can easily be worked into your baby’s diet. Tip: Serve iron-rich foods like black-eyed peas alongside fruits and vegetables high in vitamin C, which boosts your baby’s ability to absorb the critical nutrient.

Cooking dried black-eyed peas from scratch is more economical (and usually healthier!) but canned beans taste great, too. Just be sure to read the fine print on the labels:

No. Once cooked, black-eyed peas are not a common cause of choking. That said, in theory an individual can choke on any food. Always remain within an arm’s reach of your baby during mealtime.

For more information, visit our section on gagging and choking and familiarize yourself with common choking hazards.

No. However, it’s not impossible: there are some populations with legume allergies.

As with all new foods, start by introducing a small amount for the first couple of servings and watch closely. If there is no adverse reaction, gradually increase the serving size over future meals.