Ribs
Meat
Age Suggestion
6 months
Iron-Rich
No
Common Allergen
No
When can babies have ribs?
Ribs, when well-cooked, may be introduced as soon as baby is ready for solids, which is generally around 6 months old.
The meat and bones from the ribs of various animals are a popular dish across the globe, from pork spare ribs, to beef short ribs, to rack of lamb, and more. There are many ways to prepare ribs to share with baby: rubbed with spices and grilled, marinated in flavorful sauce and slow-cooked, or roasted as a rack like ribbe, a pork belly centerpiece of holiday meals in Norway.
How do you serve ribs 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 +:
Shred or finely chop the meat (bone, fat, and gristle removed) from ribs that have been cooked until the meat is so soft that it falls off the bone, then mix the meat into mashed vegetables, porridge, or another soft food for baby to scoop.
Alternatively, offer just the bone from a well-cooked rib as a food teether. The rib bone is easy for babies to pick up, hold, and move in and out of the mouth, which promotes key oral development skills like biting, chewing, and tongue movement with low risk of choking. Any type of rib (baby back ribs, short ribs, spare ribs, rack of lamb) works; just make sure the bone is not brittle enough to break or splinter. To test the bone, try to bend it and run your fingers over the edges to check for sharp spots. Serving ribs as a food teether won’t result in any food in the belly, and that’s completely fine. If you like, you can leave some meat on the bone for baby to munch, just be sure to remove any loose pieces, large chunks of fat, and all gristle before serving. If baby takes a bite, give baby a moment to work with the food; baby will likely chew and swallow it or gag it forward and spit it out. If baby seems to need extra coaching, start by kneeling next to baby so they look down at you, which helps to keep the food forward in the mouth, and then wait. You can provide additional coaching if needed by opening your mouth wide and sticking out your tongue while holding your hand under their chin. Finally, know that it is okay to flavor ribs with your favorite seasonings or sauces as long as they are free of honey, which is associated with a risk of infant botulism for babies under 12 months of age.
9 months old +:
Continue to offer finely chopped or shredded meat from well-cooked rib bones or rib bones as a food teether, with all or most of the meat removed. Before serving ribs as a food teether, make sure the bone is not brittle enough to break or splinter. To test the bone, try to bend it and run your fingers over the edges to check for sharp spots. If you choose to leave some meat on the bone, just be sure to remove any loose pieces, large chunks of fat, and all gristle before serving. At this age, you can also tear small, flat shreds of the meat from the rib and let baby practice picking up the pieces with their developing pincer grasp (where the thumb and pointer finger meet). Seasonings or sauces on the ribs are fine as long as they are free of honey, which is associated with a risk of infant botulism for babies under 12 months of age.
12 months old +:
Serve well-cooked ribs as desired. At this age, you can leave the meat on (but remove all loose pieces of fat, gristle, or meat) and let the toddler practice biting and tearing, or you can continue to remove all or most of the meat. For toddlers who struggle managing the consistency of meat and often spit it back out, serving ribs with the meat still on is a great way to help them build the skills needed to more effectively chew. Before serving, make sure to test the ribs to make sure the bone is not brittle enough to break or splinter by trying to bend it and running your fingers over the edges to check for sharp spots, then remove any loose pieces, large chunks of fat, and all gristle.
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Are ribs a choking hazard for babies?
Yes. Pieces of meat, especially when cut from the bone in chunks, can be small and challenging to chew, which are qualities that increase the risk of choking. With all or most of the meat removed, the rib bone 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 ribs 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 ribs a common allergen?
No. Beef, lamb, pork, and other meats are not common food allergens, although allergic reactions to these meats have been reported. Note that ribs are often prepared using common food allergens, such as soy, wheat, and others.
Certain tick bites (mainly the Lone Star tick in the continental United States, but other ticks in different parts of the world), are associated with the development of an allergy to galactose-alpha-1, 3-galactose (“alpha gal”), a sugar which is present in all non-primate mammalian meat. This results in a delayed allergic reaction 3-8 hours after red meat, such as beef, is consumed. However, some individuals with alpha gal allergy also react to small amounts of the sugar present in dairy products, gelatin, or organ tissues (such as liver) from mammals. Alpha gal allergy is more prevalent in the southeastern United States, but is starting to become more common in other areas as the geographic distribution of the Lone Star tick expands. While uncommon, individuals with a dairy allergy may also have a slightly increased risk of being sensitive to beef. Although rare, some individuals with cat allergies may also develop a cross-reactive allergy to pork, a condition known as pork-cat syndrome.
As you would when introducing any new food, start by offering a small quantity for the first few servings and watch closely as baby eats. If there is no adverse reaction, gradually increase the serving size over time.
Are ribs healthy for babies?
Yes. Ribs are rich in protein and often fat, both of which are essential in fueling baby’s growth and development. They are also rich in other essential nutrients, such as iron, choline, selenium, zinc, and vitamins B6 and B12. Together, these nutrients support growth, brain development, energy to play and explore, healthy red blood cells, taste perception, immune health, hormone function, metabolic processes, and more. Babies need increasing amounts of iron starting at the 6-month mark, when their reserves become depleted, and ribs offer a great source of dietary iron at this stage of baby’s life.
Most rib seasonings and sauces are perfectly safe for babies, but avoid those that contain honey for babies under 12 months of age, due to the risk of infant botulism.
What are some great first foods for babies?
There are many wonderful options. Look for foods that are easy for baby to feed to themselves, that are low in choking risk, and that offer nutrients babies need, such as iron. A few of our favorite first foods include cooked broccoli, oatmeal, and mango pits.
Does baby need a high chair?
While a high chair can help create a safe eating environment, there are alternative ways for baby to eat safely, such as holding the child on your lap or sitting together on the floor. For more information, see our article on high chairs.
Our Team
Written by
Kim Grenawitzke
Pediatric occupational therapist, feeding & swallowing specialist, international board-certified lactation consultant
Venus Kalami
Pediatric registered dietitian & nutritionist
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