When can babies eat bone marrow?

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

Bone marrow

Rich and soft once it's roasted: a thin scrape adds flavor. The bone itself always stays on your plate.

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

Quick answer

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

From 6 monthsMedium choking risk as servedNot a common allergen

How to serve bone marrow by age

6 months+

Spread thinly, or stirred into mash

Roast marrow bones until the marrow is soft and hot all the way through. Scoop out a little with a spoon, check it for bone chips, and spread it thinly on a toast finger your baby already eats, or stir it into mashed potato, squash or a meat purée. Check the bread label for honey, which isn't safe before 12 months. Never give your baby the bone to hold, suck or gnaw.

Size: A thin scrape spread on a toast finger about the size of an adult finger, roughly 6–8 cm long and 2 cm wide (2½–3 × ¾ in), or a little stirred into mashed vegetables.
Check before serving: Press the marrow with the back of a spoon: it should be soft and spreadable, with no hard bits. Run your finger through it to feel for bone chips.

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 bone marrow

1
Choose marrow bones cut into short pieces or split lengthwise, from a butcher or shop. Keep them in the fridge, and wash your hands, board and knife after handling raw bones.
2
Roast the bones, cut side up, in a hot oven until the marrow is soft, bubbling at the edges and hot all the way through. We suggest checking it reaches 160°F (71°C) in the middle with a food thermometer: that's the USDA FSIS figure for organ and variety meats, as FSIS gives none for marrow itself. Don't add salt.
3
Let the bones cool a little, then scoop the marrow out with a small spoon. Feel it for bone chips, and don't scrape hard against the bone.
4
Spread a thin layer on toast, or stir it into your baby's food. Make sure it has cooled down before serving.

How much to offer

A thin scrape is plenty: marrow is mostly fat, so it's a flavor, not a main food. Offer it now and then, alongside meat, beans, vegetables and grains. Your baby decides how much to eat: stop when they turn away or close their mouth.

Common mistakes

Giving the bone to suck or gnaw

The CDC lists bones in meat as a choking hazard, and UK early years guidance says to remove bones from meat. Bones are hard and pieces can chip off. Scoop the marrow out and keep the bone away from your child.

Spreading it thickly

Marrow is almost all fat: FoodData Central's reference record for raw caribou bone marrow lists about 84 g of fat per 100 g. A thin scrape now and then is enough, alongside meat, beans, vegetables and grains.

Undercooking it

Roast the bones until the marrow is soft and hot all the way through. UK early years guidance says to cook food for young children until steaming hot, then let it cool.

Adding flaky salt

Roasted marrow is often served with salt for adults. Babies shouldn't have added salt (NHS), so take your baby's portion before seasoning.

Questions parents ask

Can bone marrow be a choking hazard for babies?

Roasted marrow itself is soft and spreads easily. The risk is the bone: the CDC lists bones in meat as a choking hazard, and small chips can break off when you scoop. Never give your child the bone, feel the marrow for chips before serving, and spread it thinly. Stay with your child during meals.

Can babies be allergic to bone marrow?

Bone marrow is not one of the common food allergens. If you serve it on toast, toast contains wheat, so offer it on bread your baby has already had.

Is bone marrow healthy for babies?

Mostly fat, with a little protein. FoodData Central's reference data has no entry for beef marrow; the closest, raw caribou bone marrow, lists about 84 g of fat and 7 g of protein per 100 g. A thin scrape adds flavor and energy, but it isn't a meaningful source of iron at the amounts a baby eats.

Can babies eat bone marrow?

Yes, from around 6 months, as a thin scrape of well-cooked marrow on toast or stirred into food. No official source gives baby advice on marrow itself, so this page follows the general rules for meat: cooked until hot all the way through, no added salt, and never the bone.

Can my baby suck on a marrow bone?

No. The CDC lists bones in meat as a choking hazard for young children, and pieces can chip off a hard bone. Scoop the marrow out for them instead.

Is bone marrow too fatty for babies?

It's very rich: almost all fat. The closest FoodData Central record, raw caribou bone marrow, lists about 84 g of fat per 100 g, so keep marrow to a thin scrape now and then, and let meat, beans, eggs and vegetables do most of the work in your baby's meals.

If your baby refuses bone marrow

There's no need to keep offering marrow. It's an extra, and plenty of other foods give your baby the same energy.
Try it stirred into a food they already like, such as mashed potato or risotto.
A very thin layer may suit them better than a rich, thick one.
Eat some yourself at the same meal. Babies copy what they see.

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

Buying and storing bone marrow

Keep raw marrow bones in the fridge and cook or freeze them within 1 to 2 days. FSIS gives no time for marrow bones, so we suggest its time for liver and variety meats.
Leftover cooked marrow keeps for 3 to 4 days in a covered container in the fridge. Marrow stirred into a meat or meat-and-vegetable purée keeps 1 to 2 months in the freezer (FDA). Thaw it in the fridge and use it within 24 hours of thawing.
Reheat food with marrow in it only once, to 165°F (74°C), until steaming hot, then let it cool before serving. The FDA says to heat baby-food meats on the stove rather than in the microwave, because fat heats fast and can splatter and overheat; we suggest the same for marrow.
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.

Offered bone marrow?

Add it to your first 100 foods.

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