Kiwi for baby? Yes, please! We all know that serving your baby a wide variety of foods is the name of the game for the first year, so while kiwi is not one of the first things you will probably feed your baby, it should be on the list of foods to offer your baby in their first few months of eating. With its slightly sweet and tart taste, kiwi has a slippery and crunchy texture, making it a yummy yet challenging food to serve.
Medically reviewed and cowritten by Jamie Johnson, Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN), and Lauren Braaten, Pediatric Occupational Therapist (OT).
Looking for how to serve kiwi to your baby?
Then, I’ve got you!
Kiwi is a great addition to your baby’s growing list of foods. Kiwi has it all! They have that sweet/sour combo going on, plus their texture is a little slippery and crunchy. Excellent to eat, but also a little hard to serve to baby.
While you can serve kiwi as a simple puree, both of my babies found they loved it even more when paired with avocado to add some creaminess (I give both recipes below). For baby-led weaning, the best option is to start with a bigger piece of kiwi so they can use their palmer grasp to fist it as they gnaw on it. Over the years, I found that it helps to leave some of the peel on to have a better grip.
#momhack – I have found over the years that if freezing, it’s better to mix the kiwi puree with another puree, such as avocado, banana, apple, or broccoli, before freezing. This gives it a better texture when you defrost it.
Kiwi Combination Puree – Kiwi Broccoli & Avocado Chunky Puree
- 1 cup broccoli florets
- 2 ripe kiwi, peeled
- 1/2 ripe avocado, peeled
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Kiwi Baby-Led Weaning
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Kiwi can be served to your baby, whether for baby-led weaning, which happens around 6 months of age, or during the finger foods stage at 9 months. 6+ months – Whole, Mashed or Puree: Whole kiwis are great for younger babies as they will have an easier time picking up the kiwi with their palmar grasp. You can leave the skin on the bottom to help your baby grasp it better without it slipping out of their hand. If serving mashed or pureed, give your baby a preloaded spoon to self-feed.9+ months – Quartered or Chopped: You can quarter or chop kiwi into bite-sized pieces for your baby to pick up or serve on a preloaded fork. If your baby still has a hard time picking up pieces, you can still serve whole, or roll the pieces in chia seeds, hemp seeds, or shredded coconut to help them grasp it. 12+ months – Bite-Sized: Toddlers will have a more developed pincer grasp so will be able to pick up smaller bite-sized kiwi pieces.
Kiwi Combination Puree – Kiwi Broccoli & Avocado Chunky Puree
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Steam: In a medium saucepan, bring 2″ of water to a boil over medium heat. In a steamer basket, add in the broccoli and steam for 8-10 minutes or until the pear is very fork tender. Mash: place the broccoli, avocado, and kiwi on a cutting board and mash with the back of a fork until you get the desired chunky texture. You can also place all of the ingredients into a blender and puree until smooth.