Can Babies Eat Dates?
Yes. From around 6 months, dates are brilliant, but only in the right form. Blend them into a smooth paste, or chop them tiny for older babies. Two rules never bend: take the pit out, every time, and remember that sticky dense dates are a choking risk.
Dates are basically nature's caramel. They are soft, sticky and almost absurdly sweet, which babies adore and which also makes them a fantastic stand in for sugar. Used well, a spoon of date paste turns a plain bowl of porridge into a treat. Used carelessly, a whole date is a hazard. Here is how to get it right.
What is a date?
A date is the fruit of the date palm. It grows in heavy bunches in hot, dry places and is usually sold dried, which is why it is so sweet and chewy. Each date has a single long, hard pit down the middle.
The real magic of dates for babies is as a natural sweetener. A little date paste sweetens warm oatmeal or a bowl of plain yogurt without a grain of added sugar.
Date nutrition for babies
Dates are an energy dense fruit, high in natural sugars and fibre, with a good hit of potassium.
| Nutrient | Per 100 g (dried) |
|---|---|
| Energy | 277 kcal |
| Carbohydrate | 75.0 g |
| of which sugars | 66.5 g |
| Fibre | 6.7 g |
| Protein | 1.8 g |
| Potassium | 696 mg |
| Calcium | 64 mg |
Typical values for dried dates. A baby only has a small amount at a time. Source: USDA FoodData Central.
When can babies eat dates?
Dates can start from around 6 months, in a safe form. The texture rules matter more here than with most fruits:
Blend pitted dates into a smooth paste and stir a small spoon into porridge, yogurt or puree. No whole pieces yet.
Very finely chop soft pitted dates, or keep using paste. Watch closely, because dates are sticky.
Small pieces of soft pitted date are fine now, still cut small. Baked into flapjacks or muffins they are lovely.
Tip: make a batch of date paste and freeze it in an ice cube tray. One cube is the perfect amount to sweeten a bowl, and it saves you blitzing dates at 6am.
Health benefits of dates for babies
Natural sweetener
Date paste lets you sweeten baby food without added sugar or honey, and it brings fibre along with it.
Fibre
The fibre in dates supports digestion and can gently help with constipation in small amounts.
Energy and potassium
Dates are energy dense and provide potassium, useful for busy, growing babies.
Date paste is a handy trick to keep in your back pocket. Stir it into a mash of banana, or fold it through a bowl to take the edge off sharper fruit.
How to serve dates safely
Do
- Remove the pit from every date, then check again.
- Blend into a smooth paste for young babies.
- Use small amounts, since dates are very sweet.
- Soak firm dates to soften them first.
Avoid
- Whole dates, which are sticky and dense.
- Any date with the pit still in.
- Large sticky pieces for young babies.
- Leaving your baby to eat alone.
Risks and safety
Date allergy is uncommon, so the real story with dates is texture. They are sticky and dense, which is exactly the kind of thing that can lodge in a small throat, and the hard pit is a clear hazard. Paste solves most of this. Go steady on the amount too, both for the sugar and the fibre.
Choking: always pit dates and serve them as smooth paste or tiny pieces to babies, and stay with your baby while they eat. For more on safe first foods, see the NHS weaning advice.
Easy date recipe (6 months)
Smooth date paste for baby
Makes about 6 baby portions, from 6 monthsIngredients
- 5 soft dates, such as Medjool
- 3 tbsp hot water
Method
- Remove the pit from each date and check twice, since one stray pit is one too many.
- Soak the dates in the hot water for about 10 minutes to soften them.
- Blend to a smooth paste, adding a little soaking water until it is spoonable, then stir small amounts into porridge or yogurt.
Date FAQ
When can babies eat dates?
From around 6 months, as smooth date paste stirred into food, or very finely chopped for older babies. Always remove the pit first.
Are dates a choking hazard?
They can be. Dates are dense and very sticky, and the pit is a serious hazard, so it must always come out. For young babies, blend dates into a smooth paste rather than handing over pieces.
Can I use dates instead of sugar for babies?
Yes, and it is one of the best swaps going. Date paste sweetens porridge, pancakes and baby bakes naturally, so you can skip added sugar and honey altogether.
Do dates help with constipation?
Often, yes. Dates are high in fibre, so a little date paste can help keep things moving. Start small, because too much too fast can go the other way.
Sources
- Date palm, Wikipedia.
- FoodData Central, U.S. Department of Agriculture.
- Weaning and feeding, National Health Service (UK).
This article is general information, not medical advice. Every baby is different. Talk to your doctor, health visitor or paediatrician about your own baby, and about starting solids or any allergy concerns.
