Huckleberry

Fruit

Age Suggestion

6 months

Iron-Rich

Common Allergen

a pile of huckleberries ready to be prepared for babies starting solids

When can babies have huckleberries?

Huckleberries may be introduced as soon as baby is ready to start solids, which is generally around 6 months of age.

Huckleberry is a common name for different plants bearing small black, red, or purple berries, and for centuries, the fruits have nourished humans. Like blueberries, huckleberries are tundra plants that emerged across the Northern Hemisphere after the Ice Age. Even today, huckleberries mainly grow in the wild, thriving in alpine fields, boreal basins and bogs, and highland forests. Huckleberry is particularly popular in the northwest region of North America, where the fruit is gathered at berry-picking parties, a longstanding tradition across cultures.

How do you serve huckleberries to babies?

Every baby develops on their own timeline, and the suggestions on how to cut or prepare particular foods are generalizations for a broad audience.

6 months old +:

Cook fresh or frozen huckleberries into warm cereals until the berries burst. Alternatively, smash whole berries that have been cooked until soft, then stir the smashed berries into soft, scoopable foods like porridge, ricotta cheese, or yogurt. You can also flatten uncooked huckleberries into a disc to reduce the choking hazard, but know that babies at this age may struggle to pick up the small pieces of food, and placing food in a baby’s mouth significantly increases choking risk.

9 months old +:

Flatten huckleberries to make little discs and let baby try to pick it up. As you see signs that baby’s chewing skills are maturing, consider flattening the berries a bit less over time. Of course, you can also continue to serve cooked, burst huckleberries on their own or stirred into other foods.

12 months old +:

At this age, many toddlers are ready to eat a whole ripe huckleberry. Before you offer one, assess the ripeness of the berry and the child’s eating ability. If you see the child consistently chewing well and not overstuffing the mouth, and you feel comfortable, you may offer a whole huckleberry in a safe eating environment. Make sure to model how to crush the berry with your teeth and stay within arm’s each of the child. If the child is not quite ready for the whole berry, build up eating ability by flattening the berries a little less each time you serve.

Mix up your mornings with ideas from our guide, 50 Breakfasts for Babies & Toddlers.

Videos

Maya, 8 months, eats huckleberry in strips of pancake.

Cooper, 12 months, eats cooked huckleberries.

Julian, 2.5 years, eats huckleberries in a yogurt parfait with granola.

Are huckleberries a choking hazard for babies?

Yes. Huckleberries are small, round, and often firm, qualities that increase the risk of choking. To reduce the risk, prepare and serve huckleberries in an age-appropriate way as described in the How to Serve section. As always, make sure you create a safe eating environment and stay within an arm’s reach of baby during meals.

Learn the signs of choking and gagging and more about choking first aid in our free guides, Infant Rescue and Toddler Rescue.

Are huckleberries a common allergen?

No, huckleberries are not a common allergen, though information is limited.

As you would when introducing any new food, start by offering a small quantity for the first few servings. If there is no adverse reaction, gradually increase the quantity over future meals.

Are huckleberries healthy for babies?

Yes. Huckleberries offer carbohydrates, fiber, fluid, vitamin C, and a variety of antioxidants. Together, these nutrients support baby’s energy to play and explore, flourishing gut microbiome, hydration, skin health, immune function, and iron absorption. Huckleberries also contain plant compounds such as polyphenols and anthocyanins which offer antioxidant properties to support baby’s overall health.

★Tip: If you are foraging for your own huckleberries, make sure that the berries that you are picking are safe and edible.

When can babies eat whole huckleberries?

Once an older baby or toddler is taking bites and not stuffing their mouth with food, they can typically manage fresh whole huckleberries in a safe eating environment. For many babies, this can occur between 9 and 12 months, but after the first birthday is more typical. You may decide to work your way up to whole huckleberries by flattening them a little less each time you serve them.

Can babies eat dried huckleberries?

Yes, but only after the dried huckleberries have been rehydrated in hot water until fully softened, to reduce choking risk. Hold off on serving unmodified dried huckleberries until sometime after the second birthday, when the child has molars for chewing more challenging textures and is consistently chewing well and not stuffing their mouth, as dried fruit is challenging to chew and a potential choking hazard.