Can Babies Eat Onions?
Yes. Cooked onion is a brilliant flavour base from around 6 to 8 months. Softened slowly in a pan, it turns sweet and mellow, and it makes plain baby food a lot more interesting. Keep it cooked and soft, though, because raw onion is sharp and firm.
Onion is not a food a baby eats a bowl of, but it might be the most useful vegetable in your baby-cooking toolkit. Softened in a pan, it is the quiet base that makes everything from purees to stews taste better. It is a gentle, tasty way to build flavour without any salt at all.
What is an onion?
An onion is a bulb vegetable in the same family as garlic and leeks. Raw, it is sharp and pungent. Cooked slowly, it softens and turns sweet, losing that harsh bite. That transformation is exactly why cooked onion is such a good starting point for babies.
Onion is the start of a thousand meals. Soften it with a little garlic as the base for a puree, or cook it down with soft tomato into a mild sauce.
Onion nutrition for babies
Onion is light and mostly about flavour, but it does bring a little fibre, vitamin C and beneficial plant compounds.
| Nutrient | Per 100 g (raw) |
|---|---|
| Energy | 40 kcal |
| Carbohydrate | 9.3 g |
| of which sugars | 4.2 g |
| Fibre | 1.7 g |
| Vitamin C | 7.4 mg |
Typical values for raw onion. Source: USDA FoodData Central.
When can babies eat onion?
Cooked onion suits babies from around 6 to 8 months, mostly worked into other foods:
Cook onion soft and blend it into vegetable or meat purees to add a gentle savoury flavour.
Stir soft, finely chopped cooked onion through mixed meals like pasta sauces and mashes.
Onion goes into almost everything now. A little cooked into family meals, with no added salt, is perfect.
Tip: cook onion low and slow. The longer and gentler you cook it, the sweeter and milder it gets, which is exactly what suits a baby's palate.
Health benefits of onion for babies
Builds flavour
Onion adds savoury depth with no salt, which helps babies enjoy a wide range of foods.
Fibre
It brings a little fibre, which supports digestion as part of a varied diet.
Plant compounds
Onions contain natural plant compounds that are part of a healthy, varied diet.
Once you have a soft onion base, the rest is easy. Build it into a mild sauce for pasta, or blend it into a hearty lentil puree. It is also the base for soft stewed eggplant.
How to serve onion safely
Do
- Cook onion until soft and sweet.
- Blend or finely chop it for babies.
- Use it to flavour food without salt.
- Start with small amounts.
Avoid
- Raw onion for babies and young toddlers.
- Firm, undercooked pieces.
- Salty fried onions or onion rings.
- Large amounts all at once at first.
Risks and safety
Onion allergy is uncommon. The main points are simply to cook it soft, since raw onion is firm and sharp, and to introduce it gradually, since its fibres can cause a little harmless wind in some babies.
Flavour, not salt: the NHS advises babies have very little salt, so use cooked onion and other vegetables to build flavour instead of salt or stock cubes.
Easy onion recipe base (from 6 to 8 months)
Soft onion flavour base for baby meals
Makes several baby portionsIngredients
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- A little olive oil or unsalted butter
- 1 carrot and 1 potato, diced
- Water or unsalted stock
Method
- Cook the onion gently in a little oil or butter until soft and sweet, without browning it much.
- Add the carrot, potato and enough liquid to cover, and simmer until everything is very soft.
- Blend to a smooth puree and cool before serving.
Onion FAQ
When can babies eat onion?
Babies can have cooked onion from around 6 to 8 months. Cooked soft, it makes a gentle, sweet flavour base for purees and meals. Raw onion is strong and firm, so save that for much later.
Is onion good for babies?
Yes. Onion adds flavour that helps babies enjoy their food, and it brings a little fibre and vitamin C. Cooked slowly, it turns soft and naturally sweet, which most babies like.
Can onion upset a baby's tummy?
Onion is high in certain fibres that can cause a bit of wind in some babies. This is normal and harmless. Start with small amounts cooked into food, and your baby will usually get used to it.
Can babies eat raw onion?
It is best to cook onion for babies and young toddlers. Raw onion is sharp, strong and firm, which is hard to chew and not very appealing. Cooked onion is softer, sweeter and much easier.
Sources
- Onion, 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.
