When can babies eat spinach?
Spinach may be introduced as soon as baby is ready to start solids, which is generally around 6 months of age.
Spinach originated in West Asia and today there are many varieties related to two main types: savoy spinach with crinkly, curly leaves and flat-leaf spinach with smooth leaves that can be round, oval, or heart-shaped. There are also different species of edible leafy greens that are commonly called “spinach” in English and prepared as food in a similar way. These leafy greens include the vigorous vine leaf called pui in India, the mustard green komatsuna in Japan, the water plant kangkong in the Philippines, the curly groundcover sambu or sissoo in Brazil, amaranth varieties like efo tete in Nigeria and morogo in South Africa, and many more.
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Is spinach healthy for babies?
Yes – although it is not the iron-rich superfood that marketers once claimed. While it is true that fresh spinach contains some iron, the amount of iron is not as high as it was once thought to be and the presence of oxalates in the leafy green can decrease the body’s ability to absorb these minerals. Cooking spinach and eating the leafy green alongside foods with vitamin C helps the body absorb more of the iron.
Spinach’s lesser-known superpower is its incredible concentrations of vitamin K and beneficial plant compounds called polyphenols. Together, these nutrients promote healthy bones, blood, and cell function. The leafy green also contains a good amount of B vitamins to fuel a baby’s growth and plant-based antioxidants called carotenoids that support a baby’s developing vision. Once you’ve introduced spinach, keep it up! The more that a child is exposed to vegetables and green in their food, the more likely it is that they will eat them later on.
You may have heard that spinach contains nitrates—naturally-occurring plant compounds that may negatively affect oxygen levels in blood when consumed in great excess. First, know that the benefits of eating vegetables often outweigh the risks of any nitrate exposure from vegetables. Second, babies with health concerns or who are under 3 months of age are more susceptible to the effects of nitrates. Organizations such as the American Academy of Pediatrics and the European Food Safety Authority generally do not view nitrates in vegetables as a concern for most healthy children.
To reduce nitrate exposure, avoid consumption of untested well water and take care with purees. When possible, avoid homemade purees made with higher nitrate vegetables that are stored for more than 24 hours and commercial purees not consumed within 24 hours of opening. Higher nitrate vegetables include arugula, beets, carrots, lettuce, spinach, and squash, among others.
★Tip: Spinach can be purchased fresh, frozen, or preserved in cans. When cooking fresh spinach for babies and toddlers, wash the greens first. Spinach and other leafy greens are often treated with pesticides and can be a higher risk food for E. coli infection. Washing helps minimize exposure to both issues.
Is spinach a common choking hazard for babies?
No. Spinach is not a choking hazard, though, in theory, an individual could choke on any food. Flecks of raw or cooked spinach can stick to baby’s tongue, causing some harmless gagging and whole, raw spinach leaves can be especially challenging for babies to chew and swallow safely. To minimize the risk, finely dice raw and cooked spinach.
As always, make sure to create a safe eating environment and stay within arm’s reach of baby at mealtime. For more information on choking, visit our sections on gagging and choking and familiarize yourself with the list of common choking hazards.
Recommended Video: Choking, Gagging & Infant Rescue
Is spinach a common allergen?
No. Allergies to spinach are rare, but they have been reported. Individuals who are allergic to latex may be allergic to spinach or experience Oral Allergy Syndrome (also known as pollen-food allergy). Oral Allergy Syndrome typically results in short-lived itching, tingling, or burning in the mouth and is unlikely to result in a dangerous reaction. As spinach is naturally high in histamine, some individuals who are sensitive to histamine may experience symptoms that are indistinguishable from an allergic reaction after the ingestion of large quantities of spinach.
As you would do when introducing any new food, start by offering a small amount during the first few servings. If there is no adverse reaction, gradually increase the amount served over future meals.
Recommended Guide: Introducing Allergens
How do you prepare spinach for babies with baby-led weaning?
Every baby develops on their own timeline, and the suggestions on how to cut or prepare particular foods are generalizations for a broad audience. Your child is an individual and may have needs or considerations beyond generally accepted practices. In determining the recommendations for size and shape of foods, we use the best available scientific information regarding gross, fine, and oral motor development to minimize choking risk. The preparation suggestions we offer are for informational purposes only and are not a substitute for child-specific, one-on-one advice from your pediatric medical or health professional or provider. It is impossible to fully eliminate all risk of a baby or child choking on any liquid, puree, or food. We advise you to follow all safety protocols we suggest to create a safe eating environment and to make educated choices for your child regarding their specific needs. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read or seen here.
6 to 12 months old:
Wash, cook, and mince spinach, then fold the greens into soft foods that are easy for baby to scoop, like grain porridges, mashed vegetables, or yogurt. You can also mix the cooked and minced spinach into cooked egg dishes like frittata. Or serve cooked and minced spinach on its own with a small drizzle of oil and citrus juice, whose vitamin C helps baby’s body absorb the plant-based iron in the spinach. Spinach stems are edible and do not pose any unusual risk, though many babies will spit them out until they learn to grind with molars. Because picky toddler phases can crop up as early as 12 months and green vegetables are often a target of rejection, sprinkling a teaspoon of finely minced raw leafy greens such as spinach onto rice, pasta, or any other dish can help keep this food and the color green in your baby’s diet now and through toddlerhood.
12 to 24 months old:
After 12 months of age, toddlers often start to reject vegetables and greens, so keep up the exposure at mealtime. The more that a child is exposed to vegetables and green in their food, the more likely it is that they will eat them later on. Continue to offer cooked and chopped spinach on its own, fold cooked and chopped spinach into egg dishes and scoopable foods and create zero-pressure opportunities for older toddlers to experience spinach without having to taste it. For example, invite the child to help you wash raw greens or defrost frozen greens by pushing the buttons on a microwave or opening the package into a steamer basket. As your child’s chewing skills become more coordinated and you gain confidence in their ability to chew and swallow as well as chew and spit out food if not safe to swallow (usually closer to 24 months), you may start to offer your child raw spinach as in a salad. Expect that they will likely chew and spit out at first before beginning to chew and swallow. Modeling and coaching how to take bites and fully chew a food like raw spinach can go a long way towards helping your toddler learn to eat this food.
For a quick reference to the key nutrients babies need, check out our Nutrient Cheat Sheet for Babies.
Spinach Egg Strips
Yield
6-8 egg strips
Cooking time
15 minutes
Age suggestion
6 months+
Ingredients
1 c (240 ml) spinach leaves
2 tsp (10 ml) olive oil
This recipe contains a common allergen: egg. Only serve to a child after this allergen has been safely introduced.
Directions
Wash the spinach. Finely chop the greens. The stems may be finely chopped to use in the egg strips, or you can pick off and discard the stems if they make you nervous.
Warm 1 tsp (5 ml) of oil in an 8-inch (20-cm) non-stick skillet set on medium heat. (If you are using a larger skillet, increase the number of eggs in this recipe so that the mixture covers the bottom of the pan.)
Add the chopped spinach to the skillet, then stir to coat in the oil. Cover the pan to steam the spinach until it has brightened in color, about 1 minute. Transfer the spinach to a mixing bowl. Cool for 2 minutes.
Crack the eggs into the bowl with the spinach. Whisk to combine the ingredients.
Return the skillet to medium heat (no need to wipe it out) then add the remaining 1 tsp (5 ml) of oil. Pour in the egg mixture and turn the heat to low.
Cover to steam the eggs until the omelet is firm and the edges have started to curl, about 5 minutes.
Transfer the omelet from the pan to a cutting board. Cut into strips about the width of two adult fingers pressed together. Cool.
Serve the Egg Strips
Offer an egg strip to baby, then let the child self-feed.
If help is needed, hold an egg strip in the air in front of baby, then let the child grab it from you.
Eat an egg strip alongside baby to model how it’s done.
To Store: Spinach egg strips keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 days or in the freezer for 2 months.
Pairings
Spinach has an herby, grassy flavor that pairs well with so many foods. Try it with creamy avocado, congee (rice porridge), egg, mozzarella cheese, polenta (corn grits), mashed potato, or ricotta cheese. Mix in ground earthy nuts like almond, hazelnut, or walnut. Pair it with umami-rich foods like caramelized onion, mushroom, or roasted tomatoes. Use it to brighten up hearty meats like chicken, lamb, or pork, or legumes like black-eyed peas, chickpeas, or lentils. Or balance its slightly bitter flavor by serving spinach alongside sweet-tart fruits and veggies like bell pepper, nectarines, peaches, plums, or strawberries. As always, a pinch of spice like cumin, garlic, or ginger and a sprinkle of juice from lemon, lime, orange, or your favorite citrus goes a long way to brighten up the flavor!
By
Dr. Rachel Ruiz
Pediatrician & pediatric gastroenterologist
Dr. Sakina Shikari Bajowala
Pediatrician & pediatric allergist/immunologist
Kim Grenawitzke
Pediatric occupational therapist, feeding & swallowing specialist, international board-certified lactation consultant
K. Tatiana Maldonado
Speech-language pathologist, feeding & swallowing specialist
Alexia Derma Salazar
Speech-language pathologist & feeding therapist
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