Medically reviewed and cowritten by Jamie Johnson, Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN), and Lauren Braaten, Pediatric Occupational Therapist (OT).
In this guide, you’ll learn how to serve Tomatoes to your Baby! Tomatoes are a great food to serve to your baby before they turn one, and you can serve them as a baby food puree or for baby-led weaning starting at 6+ months.
Tomatoes for Baby
Are you looking to serve your baby tomatoes but not sure how to do it?
Then, I’ve got you!
Tomatoes are not typically one of the first foods you will serve your baby, but they are one you should start introducing to your baby before the age of 12 months. They are delicious and can be easily made into a quick homemade pasta sauce or served as a quick snack. They are also full of essential vitamins and minerals for your growing baby. Over the years, I have found that roasting tomatoes is one of the best ways to serve them to babies and kids. Not only does roasting the tomatoes make their natural sugars more developed and pronounced (aka sweeter), but it also makes for an easy base for a ton of recipes.
Some of my favorite ways to serve roasted tomatoes to kids:
- 🍅 roasted and blended with a pinch of fresh basil for a smooth puree
- 🍝 roasted and blended with a pinch of fresh basil and tossed with big-shaped pasta
- 🐐 roasted quartered tomatoes served with whipped goat cheese or ricotta dip
- 🍳 roasted and chopped before adding to scrambled eggs
Below, you will find everything you need to know about cutting and serving tomatoes for baby-led weaning or as a puree.
Ingredients Needed
- Tomatoes: When roasting, you can use any variety of tomatoes you prefer – Globe, Beefsteak, Cherry, Plum, or Heirloom Tomatoes all work great.
- Basil: I love adding a pinch of fresh basil to the puree or when roasting for a finger food. But you can also use a pinch of oregano, rosemary, Italian spice blend, or parsley.
First time making homemade baby food? Then, I would suggest that you start by reading our very in-depth guides – Guide on how to Make Homemade Baby Food if you are starting with purees, or this Complete Guide to Baby-Led Weaning if you decide to do baby-led weaning from the get-go. And be sure to check out my best-selling cookbook, Little Foodie: Baby Food Recipes for Babies and Toddlers with Taste for even more information and recipes!
How to Make Tomato Baby Puree
Tomatoes for Baby-Led Weaning
Tomatoes are a great first food for your baby and an excellent source of vitamin C. Make sure to prepare tomatoes appropriately for babies and toddlers to minimize choking risks.
- 6+ months – large wedges, puree, or on pasta: Cut a large tomato into quarters and offer the wedges for your baby to suck and bite on. If the tomato skin starts to cause too much gagging, you can offer a new piece. You can also remove the skin completely, which is typically easiest if the wedges have been roasted. You can also serve tomatoes to your baby as a puree on a self-feeding spoon, mashed and smeared on a piece of whole-grain toast, or on top of big pieces of pasta.
- 9+ months – quartered cherry tomatoes or small bite-sized pieces: Serve quartered cherry tomatoes or other types of tomatoes in small bite-sized pieces. You can also continue to serve large wedges or tomato sauce with other foods, such as pasta.
- 12+ months – variable, depending on skill level: As your baby’s chewing skills improve with eating quartered cherry tomatoes, you can start to offer cherry tomatoes halved lengthwise. Start by showing your baby how to take a bite with your front teeth so that you cut it in half. Once your baby (or much more likely toddler by this point) has mastered taking bites from halved cherry tomatoes and chewing them very well, you can consider offering whole cherry tomatoes.
Expert Feeding Tips
- Tomatoes may cause some gagging and coughing with first offerings, due to the different textures they possess (soft, slippery skin, little seeds, and juicy pulp). Make sure to serve appropriately for your baby’s age, while also knowing that gagging can be common.
- If your baby seems to be sensitive to the juices and develops a rash, you can try serving cooked tomato or tomato sauce with another food.
Roasted Tomato Baby Food
- 4 medium-large tomatoes
- 1 tsp olive oil
- pinch fresh basil, chopped
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Roasted Tomato Baby Food
Preheat the oven to 400℉. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Cut the tomatoes in half and place them on the baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil.
Place the baking sheet into the oven, and roast for 20-25 minutes or until the tomatoes are tender when pricked with a fork. Let them cool slightly.
Serve as a Baby Puree: Place the roasted tomatoes and basil into a blender. On medium-high speed, puree the tomatoes for 60 seconds or until smooth. Pour the tomato puree into a small bowl and serve to your baby.
- Serve for Baby-Led Weaning: Quarter the roasted tomatoes and then peel the skin off. Sprinkle with basil (optional). Serve one section of the tomato to your baby at a time for them to self-feed. You can also puree the tomatoes (instructions above) before tossing the sauce with big-shaped pasta such as ziti or bowtie and serve to your baby.
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