Okra

Vegetable

Age Suggestion

6 months

Iron-Rich

Common Allergen

3 okra pods on a table before being prepared for babies starting solid food

When can babies have okra?

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

Okra comes from Africa, where the plant has long been used to flavor and thicken soups and stews. While the entire okra plant is edible, it is commonly cultivated for its seed pods, which typically toughen with age. That is why okra is typically harvested shortly after the flowers drop and seed pods emerge, to ensure tenderness and a mild, grassy flavor.

Is okra healthy for babies?

Yes. Okra is rich in fiber, fluid, and various micronutrients like folate, magnesium, potassium, zinc, and vitamins B6, C, and K. These nutrients work together to support baby’s developing gut microbiome, hydration, neurodevelopment, electrolyte balance, immune function, taste perception, metabolic processes, iron absorption, blood clotting, and more.

Is okra a common allergen?

No. Okra is not a common food allergen, though there have been reports of skin irritation from farm workers handling okra leaves and pods. There has also been a case report of okra causing FPIES (an allergic reaction causing delayed vomiting) in a toddler.

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

Is okra a choking hazard for babies?

Yes. Okra can be round, firm, and challenging to chew, qualities that increase the risk of choking. To reduce the risk, prepare and serve okra 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.

Videos

Kalani, 8 months, eats a whole cooked okra

Asher, 13 months, eats bite-sized pieces of cooked okra

How much food should I serve to baby?

When first getting started, offer a small amount and trust that baby knows how to show interest in wanting more by grunting, pointing, or reaching out. Keep in mind that most babies between 6 and 9 months of age do not consume much solid food at first. For babies between 10 and 12 months of age, work toward what a balanced adult meal would look like, just with smaller portions than what you might have. Follow the child’s lead: when baby indicates “more”, offer more food. When baby shows signs that they are finished, stop offering food.

How do I calm my own nerves around starting solids?

Knowledge and practice with rescue maneuvers. Parents and caregivers who watch the choking and rescue videos in our Starting Solids bundle often share how confident they feel.

How do you serve okra 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.

a Solid Starts infographic with the header How to Serve Okra to Babies: whole large cooked pods for 6 mos+, cooked bite-sized pieces for 9 mos+, and cooked as desired for 18 mos+

6 months old +:

Offer cooked, chopped okra mixed into scoopable foods like porridge, stew, or a thick soup for baby to eat with their hands or on a pre-loaded spoon. Okra seeds pose a low risk of choking, so there’s no need to remove them from baby’s portion before serving. The okra should be soft enough that it mashes readily when pressed between your thumb and pointer finger.

If you’d like to offer okra on its own, you can serve a whole large cooked pod, stem removed, for baby to munch on. The okra should be soft enough that it mashes easily when pressed between your thumb and pointer finger. Note that the act of biting into the pod may cause lots of okra seeds to scatter in baby’s mouth. While these seeds present a low choking risk, they may create a confusing sensation in the mouth and be difficult for baby to manage or spit out. As an alternative, you can remove the stem from the whole cooked pod, then gently squeeze the pod until all the seeds have been removed. This will likely cause the pod to break apart and unroll, creating a soft flat section of okra that you can offer for baby to munch on.

9 months old +:

When you see signs of a developing pincer grasp (where the tips of the thumb and pointer finger meet), you can move down in size and offer bite-sized rings or half-moon shapes of soft, cooked okra (stem removed) for baby to practice picking up. The okra should be soft enough that it mashes readily when pressed between your thumb and pointer finger. Cooked okra can get slick and slippery. If baby struggles to pick up the slippery pieces of food, you can roll them in a food like breadcrumbs to help add grip. Alternatively, continue to chop the cooked okra and stir into scoopable foods like porridge, stew, or a thick soup. It's okay to offer okra with the seeds, which present a low risk of choking, although you can remove them if you prefer.

18 months old +:

Serve cooked okra as desired, either chopped, in bite-sized pieces, or in longer sections for biting and tearing practice. At this age, you can serve cooked okra that has been stewed until very soft, or you can serve pan fried or stir fried dishes, where the okra remains a bit more firm. Because okra can be fibrous, the pod can be challenging to break down before the molars come in (typically around 18 months of age) so expect a toddler to spit out pieces as they practice biting and chewing.