Potato

Vegetable

Age Suggestion

6 months

Iron-Rich

Common Allergen

2 white-fleshed potatoes before being prepared for babies starting solids

When can babies have potatoes?

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

The potato is a staple food around the globe, including in South America, where Aymara and Quechua farmers first learned to cultivate the native plant thousands of years ago. Spanish colonizers brought the hardy tuber to Asia and Europe, where potato became an essential food. There are thousands of different varieties to seek out, each with a unique color, shape, and taste.

Are potatoes healthy for babies?

Yes. Potatoes are an energy powerhouse for growing babies, with essential nutrients like folate, iron, vitamin B6, and zinc. The tubers also contain other B vitamins, vitamin C to boost the immune system, and choline—an important nutrient for brain development. An important type of fiber called “resistant starch” in potatoes helps grow beneficial gut bacteria to support a baby’s body.

★Tip: Toss any potatoes that have sprouted and peel away or carve out any “eyes” (the common name for those dark spots) before cooking and serving. Sprouted potatoes contain more of the tuber’s natural toxin called solanine, which can be harmful when consumed in large amounts. Cooking potatoes at high heat can significantly decrease its solanine content.

Are potatoes a common allergen?

No. Potato allergy is uncommon, although not unheard of. Some babies and toddlers who have eczema and/or pre-existing food allergies may be more at risk of sensitivity to potato. Also, individuals with Oral Allergy Syndrome (also called pollen-food allergy syndrome) may be sensitive to potatoes, especially if eating the peel or if the potatoes are raw or undercooked. In particular, individuals who have birch, grass, or mugwort pollen allergies may be more sensitive to potato. Oral Allergy Syndrome typically results in short-lived itching in the mouth and is unlikely to result in a dangerous reaction.

Although severe allergic reactions (anaphylaxis) to cooked potato are uncommon, there have been isolated reports of contact hives and rash after contact with raw potato. Some individuals with pre-existing allergy to natural rubber latex develop a cross-reactive allergy to potato.

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

Are potatoes a choking hazard for babies?

No. Cooked potato presents a low risk when safely prepared for a child’s age and developmental ability, though, in theory, an individual could choke on any food. To reduce the risk, prepare and serve potato in an age-appropriate way. 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

Juliet Rose, 8 months, eats wedges of potato with oregano.

Isar, 11 months, eats mashed purple potatoes.

Julian, 13 months, eats potato wedges.

What utensils do I need to get started?

None! Put solid food directly on baby’s tray, plate, or bowl, then let baby explore with their hands. If you like, keep a baby spoon or fork nearby to help familiarize the child with utensils, but the skills to use them are not expected until early toddlerhood.

How many meals per day should baby eat?

It’s flexible. Generally speaking, bring baby to the table at least once per day between 6 and 7 months of age, twice per day between 8 and 9 months of age, and 3 times per day starting at around 10 months of age. See our sample feeding schedules for details.

How do you serve potatoes 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.

an infographic with the header "how to serve potato to babies": cooked wedges for babies 6 months+, cooked bite-size pieces for 9 months+, bite-size pieces with a fork for 12 months+

6 months old +:

Offer large wedges of cooked potato (or even whole potatoes) that baby can grab and munch. Make sure the potato has been cooked all the way through and mashes readily when pressed between two fingers. If offering a whole potato, the potato should be substantially larger than baby’s mouth, but small enough that baby can hold it on their own. No need to remove the skin, unless it makes you nervous. Alternatively, you can offer mashed potato that baby can scoop with hands or eat from a pre-loaded spoon. To boost nutrition, consider stirring in breast milk, formula, your milk of choice, fresh ricotta cheese, or whole milk yogurt and drizzle with a healthy oil or a sprinkle of finely-ground nut. Mashed potatoes are an excellent base for hard-to-scoop foods like amaranth, lentils, quinoa, and rice to minimize the mess and make it easier for baby to eat these foods.

9 months old +:

At this age, babies begin to develop the pincer grasp (where the thumb and forefinger meet), which enables them to pick up smaller pieces of food. When you see signs of this development, try serving bite-sized pieces of cooked potato for baby to try and pick up. Leave the skin on or remove it, it’s your choice. Babies often chew on the skin and spit it out, and while this seems like waste, building familiarity with skin can help encourage a child to eat fruits and vegetables with the skin later in life. You can also continue to offer wedges of cooked potato for practice with biting and managing bigger pieces of food, as well as mashed potato.

12 months old +:

Offer small, bite-sized pieces of cooked potato as finger food or utensil practice (pre-loading the fork as needed), coaching how to spear the food with the fork. Don’t worry if the child is not interested in using a utensil and wants to continue eating with their hands. Many toddlers prefer to use their fingers to self-feed and toggle back and forth between using a utensil and their hands. This is age-appropriate and a healthy part of development. Try not to apply too much pressure—consistent and accurate utensil use will come in due time—probably after 24 months of age.