App First Foods® Database Gift Toddlers Book

Sage

Herb/Spice

Age Suggestion

6 months

Iron-Rich

Common Allergen

a photograph of a bunch of whole fresh sage leaves on a white background

When can babies have sage?

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

Sage has its origins in the lands around the Mediterranean Sea, from sunny parts of Europe to coastal regions of northern Africa. Part of the same family of plants as mint, sage has gray-green leaves that are often velvety soft to the touch, thanks to short, fine hairs that cover them, although today sage comes in many varieties with many colors. The herb has long offered its mild herbal flavor to sweet fruit dishes as well as to pasta dishes, sausages, and much more.

How do you serve sage 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 +:

Use finely chopped fresh sage or powdered dried sage to season sauces drizzled onto age-appropriate foods like chicken drumstick, pasta, or steamed vegetables, or mix the sage into stews and other dishes to share with baby.

9 months old +:

Chop fresh sage into thin ribbons or small pieces and serve raw or cooked, mixed into dishes or on their own so that the child can taste the herb’s flavor. Pieces of the leaf may stick to the inside of the child’s mouth and cause some gagging or coughing. If this happens, try offering a small drink of water to help wash the pieces down. Expect lots of spitting as babies learn to manage the leaf’s challenging texture. By 18 months of age or so, you should see more consumption and less spitting of sage leaves as the molars come in and toddlers get more skilled at thoroughly chewing.

24 months old +:

Continue to use powdered or chopped fresh sage to season dishes to share with the toddler, and when a child shows the ability to take bites and tear larger pieces of food, you can also offer a whole sage leaf to try, either raw or cooked.

Videos

Wei Wei, 7 months, eats flounder with cooked with finely chopped sage

Maëlys, 13 months, eats mashed sweet potato with chopped sage

Is sage a choking hazard for babies?

No. Sage 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 sage 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.

Is sage a common allergen?

No, sage is not a common food allergen, although allergic reactions to sage have been reported. When handling sage, make sure to wash hands and any skin that comes into contact with the sage, as its essential oils can be irritating to the skin and prolonged exposure can cause allergic or contact dermatitis.

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.

Is sage safe for babies?

Yes, in amounts that are typically used in cooking, both fresh and dried sage are generally recognized as safe. Avoid offering sage supplements, capsules, teas, tinctures, and essential oils to babies, as there have been reports of negative health effects, such as seizures in young children, and in general, these applications of sage have not been studied adequately in infants.

Note that sage is rich in vitamin K, an important nutrient for blood clotting that can interact with certain medications. Certain children may take medications that impact blood clotting, so check with your doctor if your child is on any medications before offering sage in the diet regularly.

Is sage healthy for babies?

Yes. While sage isn’t typically consumed in large amounts, it does offer a bit of various nutrients like fiber, calcium, iron, folate, vitamin B6, as well as lots of vitamin K, in addition to potential antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.

Can babies have sage tea?

No. Avoid offering babies and young children sage tea due to high risk of toxicity and, more generally, a lack of research on its safety in young children. Excess consumption of sage tea can be associated with toxic effects to the neurological system.