Beet greens
The tender leafy tops of the beet. Wilt them soft and chop them into dinner.
Checked against official guidance on October 18, 2026 · How we review
Quick answer
Babies can eat beet greens from around 6 months, once they show signs of being ready for solids. Prepare it as shown below.
How to serve beet greens by age
6 months+
Cooked and blended into soft foods
Cut the leaves away from the red stems and thick ribs, wilt them in a pan or steamer until very soft, squeeze out the water, then blend or chop very finely. Stir into mashed beet, potato, sweet potato or lentils and serve on a pre-loaded spoon.
- Size
- Cooked, then blended or very finely chopped and mixed into a mash or purée, with no whole leaves or stems left.
- Check before serving
- Lift a spoonful and look for whole leaves, long strands or bits of stem. If you see any, blend or chop it again.
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.
9 months+
Finely chopped in dishes
Stir finely chopped cooked beet greens into risotto, rice or lentils. Pasta and scrambled egg are fine once wheat and egg have each been introduced on their own. Mixing them into other foods is easier for babies than loose leaves.
- Size
- Pieces no bigger than about 1 cm (just under ½ inch), mixed into soft foods.
- Check before serving
- Squash a piece between your thumb and finger. It should be soft, not chewy or stringy.
12 months+
Chopped cooked greens in family meals
Serve chopped cooked beet greens in soups, stews, pasta sauce, frittata or bean dishes. Keep removing the stems and ribs and chopping the leaves finely.
- Size
- Chopped pieces about 1 cm (just under ½ inch), mixed into dishes.
- Check before serving
- Check for whole leaves, long strands or bits of stem before serving.
18 months+
Cooked, chopped or blended in dishes
Keep serving beet greens cooked until tender and chopped into family dishes, or blended into sauces and soups. Leave out the firm stems, or cook them separately until very soft and chop them small. Raw leaves, including baby beet leaves in salad mixes, are hard to chew, so they're best cooked for young children.
- Size
- Chopped pieces about 1 cm (just under ½ inch), or blended into dishes.
- Check before serving
- Check for whole leaves, long strands or firm stem pieces before serving.
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 beet greens
- 1
Cut the greens off the beets. Rinse each leaf under running water, gently rubbing both sides.
- 2
Cut the leaves away from the stems and thick ribs. Use the leaves for your baby.
- 3
Wilt the leaves in a pan with a splash of water, or steam them, for about 3 to 5 minutes until very soft. Don't add salt.
- 4
Let them cool, squeeze out the extra water, then blend or chop very finely and stir into a food your baby already eats.
How much to offer
Start with a teaspoon or so of cooked beet greens mixed into a familiar food. Your baby decides how much to eat: stop when they turn away or close their mouth. Lots of smearing and mess is normal at first.
Common mistakes
Leaving the stems and ribs in
Beet green stems and thick ribs are firm and stay crunchy when the leaves wilt. Cut them out and use the leafy part for babies.
Serving whole leaves
Whole leaves, raw or wilted, are hard for babies to chew and can make them gag. Cook beet greens, then blend or chop them finely.
Skipping the rinse
Beet greens grow close to the soil and can carry dirt and germs. Rinse each leaf under running water, even if you plan to cook it.
Stopping after a few refusals
Vegetables that aren't sweet often take 10 or more tries. Offering them from the start may help prevent fussy eating later.
Questions parents ask
Can beet greens be a choking hazard for babies?
Raw beet green leaves are hard for babies to chew, and the AAP lists raw vegetables among foods to avoid under 1 year. The stems stay firm and crunchy. Remove the stems and ribs, cook the leaves until very soft, then blend or chop them finely and mix them into soft foods. Stay with your child during meals.
Can babies be allergic to beet greens?
Beet greens are not a common allergen.
Are beet greens healthy for babies?
Cooked beet greens have about 1.9 mg of iron per 100 g. It's the plant (nonheme) kind, and a baby's spoonful gives much less than the 11 mg a day babies 7–12 months need. Beet greens also provide vitamin K (about 484 µg per 100 g), vitamin A (about 383 µg per 100 g) and vitamin C (about 25 mg per 100 g).
Can babies eat beet greens?
Yes, from around 6 months, cooked until very soft and blended or finely chopped into other foods. The AAP says foods for babies should be soft or puréed, and the NHS suggests offering vegetables that aren't sweet from the start.
Are nitrates in beet greens a worry for babies?
Not for babies starting solids. The CDC's ATSDR reports that the AAP suggests avoiding home-prepared spinach, beets, green beans, squash and carrots until a baby is at least 3 months old, and solid foods aren't recommended before around 6 months anyway.
Are beet greens a good source of iron?
They have some (about 1.9 mg per 100 g cooked), but a baby's spoonful gives much less than the 11 mg a day babies 7–12 months need. Pair them with iron-rich foods such as meat, beans, lentils or iron-fortified cereal, plus a food with vitamin C.
Can babies eat raw beet greens?
Cook them for babies and young children. Raw leaves are hard to chew, and the AAP lists raw vegetables among foods to hold back or change until about 4 years, depending on the child. Rinse them well, cook them until soft, then blend or chop them.
If your baby refuses beet greens
- Vegetables that aren't sweet often take 10 or more tries. Keep offering a little, alongside foods your baby already likes.
- Blend them into foods your baby already likes, such as mashed potato, lentils or pasta sauce.
- 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 beet greens
- Keep fresh beet greens in the fridge, at or below 40°F (4°C), cut away from the roots.
- Cooked beet greens keep for 3 to 4 days in a covered container in the fridge. Rice dishes are the exception: cool them within 1 hour, keep them in the fridge for no more than 1 day, and reheat them only once.
- Cooked, chopped beet greens can be frozen in an ice cube tray for 3 to 4 months (blended purées within 3 months). Thaw them in the fridge and use them within 24 hours. Reheat only once, to 165°F (74°C), until steaming hot, then let them cool 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:
- 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.
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Helpful guides
Sources
- AAP: When can babies start solid foods?
- AAP: Choking prevention for babies and children
- NHS: Your baby's first solid foods
- CDC (ATSDR): Who is at most risk from nitrates and nitrites
- USDA FoodData Central: Beet greens, cooked, boiled, drained, without salt
- NIH Office of Dietary Supplements: Iron
- FDA: 7 tips for cleaning fruits and vegetables
- USDA FSIS: Leftovers and food safety
- NHS Best Start in Life: Storing and reheating food
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