Bok choy
Mild, juicy and quick to cook. Steam it soft and chop it small.
Checked against official guidance on October 18, 2026 · How we review
Quick answer
Babies can eat bok choy from around 6 months, once they show signs of being ready for solids. Prepare it as shown below.
How to serve bok choy by age
6 months+
Cooked and blended or finely chopped into soft foods
Steam leaves and stalks until the stalks are very soft, then blend or chop very finely. Stir into mashed potato, sweet potato, rice 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 long strands left.
- Check before serving
- Squash a bit of cooked stalk between your thumb and finger. It should flatten easily. Then check the spoonful for whole leaves or long strands.
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 bok choy into rice, soft noodles cut short, scrambled egg or mashed tofu, once wheat, egg and soy have each been introduced on their own. Mixing it 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
- Each piece, stalk included, should squash flat between your thumb and finger. Check for long strands.
12 months+
Chopped cooked bok choy in family meals
Serve chopped, soft-cooked bok choy in soups, noodle dishes, fried rice or stir-fries cooked until soft all the way through. Take your child's portion out before adding soy sauce or other salty sauces.
- Size
- Chopped pieces about 1 cm (just under ½ inch), mixed into dishes.
- Check before serving
- Still do the squash test on the stalk pieces: soft enough to flatten with gentle pressure.
18 months+
Soft-cooked, chopped in dishes
Keep serving bok choy cooked until tender and chopped. Raw bok choy stalks are crunchy: for raw bok choy, see the guidance note below.
- Size
- Bite-sized pieces about 1 cm (just under ½ inch), or chopped into dishes.
- Check before serving
- Check for firm stalk pieces and long strands 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 bok choy
- 1
Separate the stalks and rinse each one under running water, gently rubbing off any grit near the base.
- 2
Cut the stalks and leaves into pieces. The stalks take longer to cook, so start them first.
- 3
Steam or simmer for about 5 to 7 minutes, until the stalks are very soft. Don't add salt.
- 4
Let it cool, then blend or chop very finely (6 months), or chop into small pieces (9 months+). Do the squash test before serving.
How much to offer
Start with a teaspoon or so of cooked bok choy 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
Serving raw or crisp stalks
Raw bok choy stalks are crunchy, and the CDC lists pieces of hard raw vegetables as a choking hazard. Cook the stalks until they squash easily.
Leaving whole leaves or long strands
Cooked leaves can stay stringy and make babies gag. Blend or chop bok choy finely for young babies.
Adding soy sauce or salty seasoning
Babies shouldn't have salt added to their food or cooking water. Cook your baby's portion plain before seasoning the rest for the family.
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.
Where US and UK guidance differ on bok choy
United States(AAP and CDC)Your setting
Keep serving bok choy cooked soft. The CDC lists pieces of hard raw vegetables as a choking hazard, and the AAP advises holding back or changing raw vegetables until about 4 years, depending on the child.
United Kingdom(NHS)Your setting
The NHS lists soft cooked vegetables as finger foods for babies. From 12 months, its snack list includes cooked or raw vegetables. Raw bok choy stalks are crunchy, so if you offer it raw, use the leafy part, shred it very finely, and stay with your child.
We cover US and UK guidance in detail. Elsewhere, check your national health service's advice too.
Questions parents ask
Can bok choy be a choking hazard for babies?
Raw bok choy stalks are crunchy, and the CDC lists pieces of hard raw vegetables as a choking hazard for young children. Cook bok choy until the stalks are very soft, then blend or chop it small so there are no whole leaves or long strands. Stay with your child during meals.
Can babies be allergic to bok choy?
Bok choy is not a common allergen.
Is bok choy healthy for babies?
Cooked bok choy has about 26 mg of vitamin C and 93 mg of calcium per 100 g. Babies 7–12 months need 50 mg of vitamin C a day, and children 1–3 years need 15 mg. Vitamin C helps the body absorb the iron in plant foods, such as beans, lentils and iron-fortified cereal.
Can babies eat bok choy?
Yes, from around 6 months, cooked until very soft and blended or finely chopped. The AAP says foods for babies should be soft or puréed, and the NHS suggests offering vegetables that aren't sweet from the start.
Can babies eat bok choy stalks?
Yes, once they're cooked until very soft. Do the squash test: a piece of stalk should flatten easily between your thumb and finger. Chop it small so there are no long strands.
Can I use baby bok choy?
Yes. Baby bok choy is smaller and more tender, but prepare it the same way: rinse it well, cook it until soft, then blend or chop it.
If your baby refuses bok choy
- Vegetables that aren't sweet often take 10 or more tries. Keep offering a little, alongside foods your baby already likes.
- Try it chopped into rice, noodles or egg instead of on its 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 bok choy
- Keep fresh bok choy in the fridge, at or below 40°F (4°C).
- Cooked bok choy keeps 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 bok choy can be frozen for 3 to 4 months. Reheat only once, to 165°F (74°C), until steaming hot, then let it 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
- CDC: Choking hazards
- AAP: Choking prevention for babies and children
- AAP: When can babies start solid foods?
- NHS: Your baby's first solid foods
- NHS: Help your baby enjoy new foods
- USDA FoodData Central: Cabbage, chinese (pak-choi), cooked, boiled, drained, without salt
- NIH Office of Dietary Supplements: Vitamin C
- FDA: 7 tips for cleaning fruits and vegetables
- Food Standards Agency: Home food fact checker
- USDA FSIS: Leftovers and food safety
- NHS Best Start in Life: Storing and reheating food
More first foods
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