Tomatoes may be introduced as soon as your baby is ready to start solids, which is generally around 6 months of age. Tomatoes and other acidic foods can cause a harmless rash on skin that comes into contact with the juices and sometimes they can even contribute to diaper rash.
Tomatoes, especially grape and cherry tomatoes, are a common choking hazard, so keep reading to learn how to serve safely.
From curries to pastas to salsas, tomatoes show up in dishes made in all corners of the world, but it wasn’t always that way. The tomato plant is native to Central and South America, where it is believed to have been first cultivated by Aztecs, who gave the Nahuatl name of tomātl to the plump juicy fruit. Yes, the tomato is technically a fruit, but for international trade, it has been defined by U.S. law as a vegetable—a label that stuck in consumer culture.
While its roots are in the Americas, tomatoes are one of the most ubiquitous ingredients in cooking today in part due to the Spanish conquistadors, who took the seeds to Europe. There, the tomato was nicknamed the “love apple” (a nickname that stems from the tomato’s supposed aphrodisiac powers) and eventually spread to gardens around the globe through European colonization.
Yes. Tomatoes have tons of vitamin C, which makes them an ideal pairing with foods that are rich in plant-based iron, such as beans, lentils, and peas. (Vitamin C aids the absorption of iron from plant foods.) Tomatoes are also packed with carotenoids, a group of phytonutrients that color plants and provide antioxidant and anti-inflammatory benefits to our bodies. Phytonutrients differ by variety of tomato and each offers unique benefits from promoting eyesight, immunity, and heart health to protecting skin against the sun.
When shopping for tomatoes, it’s a good idea to buy organic if you can, as tomato plants are typically sprayed with pesticides. High levels of pesticide residues may disrupt the endocrine system, contribute to obesity, and adversely impact neurodevelopment. For these reasons, always wash tomatoes well before serving.
★Tip: Hold that refrigerator door! Store tomatoes on the countertop upside down (with stem side on the bottom) to increase their shelf life.
Yes, particularly cherry and grape tomatoes. To minimize the risk, choose ripe tomatoes, stick with wedges of beefsteak or other large tomatoes, and smash cherry and grape tomatoes between your thumb and finger or quarter them lengthwise. Keep in mind that a tomato contains multiple textures: slippery skin, soft flesh, small seeds, and juicy pulp, which may lead to gagging and coughing. Baby is learning how to manage different textures in the mouth at once, and the exposure to this new feeling helps teach the child how to eat real food. Because tomatoes and other foods with mixed textures can be challenging, offer them when baby is calm, alert, and focused, and consider serving another food when baby is tired, distracted, or feeling ill.
As always, make sure you are creating a safe environment at meal and snack time, and check out our age-appropriate serving suggestions. For more information, visit our section on gagging and choking and familiarize yourself with common choking hazards.
No. Tomato allergy is uncommon, but not unheard of. Tomatoes are part of the nightshade family of plants, and some individuals may be sensitive to the nightshade family, although information is limited. Additionally, individuals with Oral Allergy Syndrome (and in particular those allergic to grass or ragweed) may be sensitive to tomatoes, resulting in itching or discomfort in the mouth. Cooking the tomato can reduce the chance of experiencing oral allergy symptoms. As you would when introducing any new food, start by offering a small quantity on its own for the first couple of servings and watch closely as your baby eats. If there is no adverse reaction, gradually increase the serving size over time.
Note: Tomatoes and other acidic foods can cause a harmless rash on skin that comes into contact with the juices and sometimes contribute to diaper rash. The skin rash, which typically shows up around the mouth and chin is typically harmless and usually dissipates within minutes once the skin is gently cleansed.
Every baby develops on their own timeline, and the suggestions on how to cut or prepare particular foods are generalizations for a broad audience.
Quarter a large tomato and offer the wedges for your baby to suck and munch on. If the tomato skin becomes a nuisance, simply take it away and offer a fresh wedge to your baby. At this stage you can also offer a whole, large tomato for your baby to eat, as if they were eating a whole peach. Keep in mind that a tomato contains multiple textures: slippery skin, soft flesh, small seeds, and juicy pulp, which may lead to gagging and coughing. Exposure to tomato and other foods with mixed textures is important for baby to learn how to eat real food, and the challenge is best approached when baby is calm, alert, and focused, and best avoided when baby is tired, distracted, or feeling ill. Tomatoes can cause a rash where acidic juice comes into contact with a baby’s skin and can also contribute to diaper rash, so be mindful not to offer too much. If your baby seems sensitive to the juices, try serving cooked tomato or another food in a simple tomato sauce.
Try serving quartered cherry tomatoes as finger food or to practice with a pre-loaded fork. Keep an eye out for any lingering tomato skins, and if they come off while eating, coach your little one to spit them out by sticking your tongue out. Tomato sauce is also a great vehicle for other foods (like meats) particularly if your toddler develops picky eating habits.
Salad time! This is a great age to introduce the joy of raw, crunchy vegetables. Try serving quartered cherry tomatoes (or wedges of bigger tomatoes) alongside a sauce or spread for dipping.
You can continue to serve quartered cherry tomatoes. When you feel your child has developed mature eating skills (taking small bites with their teeth, moving food to the side of the mouth when chewing, chewing thoroughly before swallowing, not stuffing food in their mouths, and finally, identifying and spitting out foods when they are not well chewed) AND they are able to eat quartered cherry tomatoes with ease, they may be ready to learn how to eat whole cherry tomatoes. Remember that practice with whole cherry tomatoes should always be in a supported seat with direct supervision and coaching from you.
If you have not yet offered cherry tomatoes halved lengthwise, you may want to begin with this size before progressing to whole ones. Then, start with large, ripe cherry tomatoes—the larger the better. We recommend the long, oval-shaped ones (sometimes called grape tomatoes) instead of the smaller round size, as the larger ones are more likely to get your baby to bite into them as opposed to placing the whole thing in their mouth. We recommend you demonstrate first: taking a slow bite to cut the tomato in half with your front teeth. Hand the other half to your toddler and let him or her take it and eat it. Then offer the second whole cherry tomato to your child and let him or her follow your lead with eating it. Likely, they will bite it in half as you did, though if your child shoves the whole thing in their mouth, refrain from gasping or yelling. Remain calm and say, “That’s a very big bite. You need to chew it.” Then wait patiently as they chew and swallow or spit out the too-big bite. From there, either end the activity and go back to smaller pieces for a while if your child seems to struggle or try a few times more with additional coaching to see if they can build on their skills.
Add some variety to mealtimes with our guide, 100 Dinners for Babies & Toddlers.
Yield
1 ½ c (360 ml) salsa + 1 ½ c (360 ml) beans
Cooking time
15 minutes
Age suggestion
6 months+
1 lime
4 sprigs cilantro (optional)
½ tsp (1 g) black pepper (optional)
1 15-oz (425 g) can black beans (optional)
Cut each tomato into 6 to 8 wedges. Set aside 1 or 2 wedges to offer as finger food. Finely chop the rest.
Peel and finely chop half of the onion. Store the other half for another use.
Mix the chopped tomato and onion with the juice of the lime. Let the mixture marinate for 10 minutes so that the lime and tomato juices soften the onion.
Season the salsa with finely chopped cilantro and black pepper. Feel free to swap the seasoning for any herb and spice that you want baby to learn to love. Babies tend to like flavors that they try early and often, and there is no need to wait to introduce seasoning.
Mix the salsa into a soft, scoopable food, like black beans. Set aside some salsa and beans for baby, and lightly mash the mixture to minimize the risk. Season the rest of the salsa and beans with salt to taste for yourself.
Serve the Salsa
Offer tomato wedges and mashed beans and salsa to baby, then let the child self-feed.
If help is needed, hold a pre-loaded spoon of mashed bean and salsa in the air in front of baby, then let the child reach for it. Once baby grabs the utensil, let go.
Eat some beans and salsa alongside the child to model how it’s done.
To Store: Salsa keeps in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 days.
Tomatoes are packed with umami! Their acidity can balance rich, flavor-forward foods like anchovy, bacon, capers, cheese, eggs, and olives, but the tanginess also complements similarly tart fruits like citrus, melon, and strawberries. Versatile and easy to prepare, tomatoes pair well with cucumbers, peppers, or your favorite crunch veggie in a salad. They’re also easily mixed into farro, quinoa, or your favorite hearty grain. Try seasoning tomatoes with equally bright flavors from fresh herbs (basil, cilantro, or dill are lovely) or bold spices like coriander, cumin, sumac, or turmeric.
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