When can babies eat banana?

From around 6 months, once your baby is ready for solids, served in a safe shape and texture for their age.

Banana

Nana's favorite. Soft, sweet, and ready to go, with no cooking needed.

Checked against official guidance on October 18, 2026 · How we review

Quick answer

Babies can eat banana from around 6 months, once they show signs of being ready for solids. Prepare it as shown below.

From 6 monthsLow choking risk as servedNot a common allergen

How to serve banana by age

6 months+

Half a banana with a peel handle

Cut a banana in half, then peel the top part and leave the bottom peel on as a handle. Or mash it and serve on a pre-loaded spoon.

Size: Half a banana, or a thick piece about the length of an adult finger (6–8 cm, 2½–3 in), so some sticks out of your baby's fist.
Check before serving: Ripe banana with brown speckles squashes easily between your fingers. Skip firm, green-tinged bananas.

US and UK advice differ here. The AAP suggests mashed food or soft pieces no larger than ½ inch; the NHS suggests soft finger-sized pieces your baby can hold in their fist. Both agree the food must squash easily.

Always have your child sit upright in a high chair or at the table, and stay with them the whole time they eat. Keep to the size and texture for their stage. Every baby develops on their own timeline.

How to prepare banana

1
Choose a ripe banana with yellow skin and a few brown speckles.
2
Rinse the peel under running water, since part of it stays on as a handle.
3
Cut the banana in half crosswise. Peel the top few centimeters of one half and leave the rest of the peel on.
4
Too slippery? Roll the peeled end in finely ground oats, once your baby has had oats on their own.
5
Take the peel away once your baby has eaten the exposed fruit.

How much to offer

Start with half a banana or a few small pieces. Your baby decides how much to eat: stop when they turn away or close their mouth. Most of it may end up squashed on the tray at first. That's part of learning.

Common mistakes

Using under-ripe banana

Firm, green-tinged banana is harder to gum and can break off in chunks. Wait for brown speckles.

Leaving the peel handle on too long

Take it away once the exposed fruit is gone, so your baby doesn't chew on the peel.

Only offering sweet foods

Banana is easy to love. Also offer vegetables that aren't sweet, like broccoli and spinach, from the start.

Staying on smooth purée too long

Move on to mashed, lumpy and finger foods as soon as your baby can manage them. Mash banana with a fork rather than blending it.

Questions parents ask

Can banana be a choking hazard for babies?

Ripe banana is a low choking risk. Avoid firm, under-ripe banana. Stay with your child during meals.

Can babies be allergic to banana?

Banana is not a common allergen. Some people with a latex allergy also react to banana, avocado and kiwi. If your baby has a known latex allergy, ask your pediatrician before offering it.

Is banana healthy for babies?

A source of potassium (about 422 mg in a medium banana), plus some vitamin B6, vitamin C and fiber.

Can babies eat banana every day?

Yes, as part of a varied diet. Try to rotate in other fruits and vegetables, and iron-rich foods like meat, fish, beans, lentils and fortified cereals.

Is a very brown banana OK for babies?

Yes. Brown, speckled bananas are softer and sweeter, which makes them easier for babies. Throw it away if it smells fermented, is leaking or has mold.

Can I freeze banana for my baby?

Yes. Peel it first, then freeze pieces or mash and use them within 3 months. Thaw them in the fridge and use them within 24 hours of thawing. Thawed banana is soft and good for mashing or baking. Don't give frozen banana chunks to a baby: they're hard.

If your baby refuses banana

Many babies need 10 or more tries before they accept a new food. Keep offering it alongside foods they already like.
If your baby can't grip slippery pieces, try mash on a pre-loaded spoon, or roll pieces in finely ground oats (once oats have been introduced on their own).
Eat some yourself at the same meal. Babies copy what they see.
Funny faces don't mean they dislike it. They're getting used to a new taste and texture.

Never force or pressure your baby to eat. Some days they'll eat more, some days less, and that's normal.

Buying and storing banana

Keep bananas at room temperature until ripe. Once ripe, the fridge slows them down: the peel turns dark, but the fruit inside stays fine.
Peeled, cut banana browns quickly, so serve it soon after cutting.
Frozen banana keeps for 3 to 4 months. Thaw it in the fridge before serving.
Throw away any food left out at room temperature for more than 2 hours (1 hour if it's hotter than 90°F / 32°C).

When to talk to your doctor

Contact your pediatrician, GP or health visitor if:

Your baby has a latex allergy. Some people with a latex allergy also react to banana.
You notice mild signs of an allergic reaction after eating, such as a few hives or a little vomiting. See signs of a reaction.
You're worried about how much your baby eats, their growth, or they refuse most solid food for weeks.

Call 911999your local emergency number (such as 112 in Europe or 000 in Australia) now if your baby has trouble breathing, wheezing, can't cough or cry, has lips, mouth, tongue or throat that suddenly swell, or becomes pale, bluish, floppy or unresponsive. Also call if hives come with repeated vomiting.

Offered banana?

Add it to your first 100 foods.