Bulgur
Small, soft wheat grains that soak up flavor. Easy to stir into mashes and stews.
Checked against official guidance on October 18, 2026 · How we review
Quick answer
Babies can eat bulgur from around 6 months, once they show signs of being ready for solids. Prepare it as shown below.
How to serve bulgur by age
6 months+
Moist bulgur on a spoon, or soft patties
Cook fine bulgur until very soft, then mash or blend it with breast milk, formula or water, or stir it into a smooth mash your baby already eats, like sweet potato. For patties, mix it with mashed vegetables, shape it into fingers and bake until just set.
- Size
- Cooked soft and mashed into a moist food so it clumps, served on a pre-loaded spoon, or pressed into soft patties about the size of an adult finger, roughly 6–8 cm long and 2 cm wide (2½–3 × ¾ in).
- Check before serving
- Squeeze a little between your fingers. It should feel soft and stick together, with no firm or chewy bits. Patties should squash with gentle pressure.
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+
Soft bulgur to scoop or pinch
Offer soft bulgur mixed with sauce, stew or mashed vegetables. Your baby can scoop it with their hands or a pre-loaded spoon, or pinch up small clumps.
- Size
- Moist clumps, or patty pieces no bigger than about 1 cm (just under ½ inch).
- Check before serving
- It should be soft and moist enough to clump when you press it, and squash flat between your fingers.
12 months+
Bulgur in family dishes
Serve bulgur with stews, soft-cooked vegetables or flaked fish (once your child has had fish on its own), and let your toddler practice with a spoon. Coarse bulgur is chewier, so cook it very soft and mash it lightly.
- Size
- Soft, moist bulgur, with any mix-ins cut to about 1 cm (just under ½ inch).
- Check before serving
- Press a few grains between your fingers. They should squash flat easily.
18 months+
Warm or cold bulgur dishes
Offer bulgur the way your family eats it, warm or cold, kept soft and moist. Keep mix-ins soft and small, and quarter small round foods such as cherry tomatoes lengthwise. Skip whole nuts and seeds.
- Size
- Spoonfuls of soft bulgur, with mix-ins about 1 cm (just under ½ inch).
- Check before serving
- Still do the squash test: the grains should flatten with gentle pressure.
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 bulgur
- 1
Rinse bulgur in a fine sieve under cold running water.
- 2
Simmer it in plain water, or soak it in boiling water, following the package, then cook or soak a little longer until it's very soft. Don't add salt or stock cubes.
- 3
For babies, mash or blend it, or stir it into mashed vegetables, a soft stew, or a little breast milk or formula so it clumps together. Let it cool before serving.
- 4
First time? Pick a day your baby is well, at home, when you can watch them for a couple of hours afterward.
How much to offer
For the very first taste, offer a teaspoon or two. If there's no reaction, offer more next time. Your baby decides how much to eat: stop when they turn away or close their mouth. Once wheat is in your baby's diet, keep offering it regularly.
Common mistakes
Serving it dry and loose
Dry, loose grains are hard for babies to manage and scatter everywhere. Mash bulgur or mix it with something moist so it clumps together.
Undercooking it
Firm, chewy grains are too hard for babies. Cook or soak bulgur until it squashes easily between your fingers.
Using stock cubes or flavored mixes
Stock cubes are often high in salt, and babies shouldn't have much salt. Use plain bulgur and plain water, and check the label on any flavored mix.
Pairing it with another new allergen
If wheat is new for your baby, offer bulgur without other new allergens, such as egg or dairy, so you know what caused any reaction.
Questions parents ask
Can bulgur be a choking hazard for babies?
Cooked bulgur is soft, but small loose grains can be hard for young babies to manage, and coarse bulgur stays chewier. The CDC lists whole kernels of cooked wheat and other grains as a choking hazard for young children, and advises mashing or finely grinding cooked grains for babies. Cook bulgur very soft, mash it or mix it into moist foods, and stay with your child during meals.
Can babies be allergic to bulgur?
Bulgur is made from wheat, which can trigger allergic reactions, and it contains gluten. Foods with gluten can be introduced from around 6 months, one new allergen at a time and in small amounts, so you can spot any reaction. Once wheat is part of your baby's diet and they're fine with it, keep offering it regularly. If your baby already eats bread or pasta without a problem, bulgur isn't a new allergen. Gluten is also what triggers celiac disease, a lifelong autoimmune condition that affects at least 1 in 100 people in the UK.
Is bulgur healthy for babies?
Cooked bulgur provides carbohydrate for energy, fiber (about 4.5 g per 100 g) and some protein (about 3.1 g). It has a little iron (about 1 mg per 100 g), so serve it with iron-rich foods like beans, lentils, meat or fish.
Is bulgur gluten-free?
No. Bulgur is made from wheat, so it contains gluten and isn't suitable for anyone with celiac disease or a wheat allergy. Quinoa and millet are naturally gluten-free grains with a similar small texture.
Can babies eat bulgur at 6 months?
Yes. Cook it until very soft, then mash it or stir it into something moist so it clumps, and offer it on a pre-loaded spoon or in soft patties. It's a wheat food, so start with a small amount.
Is bulgur the same as couscous?
No, they're different foods, though both are made from wheat and contain gluten. Both cook into small, soft grains, so you can serve bulgur the same way: moist, mashed or in soft patties.
Can babies eat bulgur every day?
Yes, as part of a varied diet. The AAP suggests switching up your baby's grains, and names bulgur alongside oats, barley, couscous, quinoa and farro.
If your baby refuses bulgur
- Many babies need 10 or more tries before they accept a new food. Keep offering it alongside foods they already like.
- Mix it into a food your baby already likes, such as mashed vegetables or a favorite stew.
- Try soft bulgur patties: they're easier to hold than loose grains.
- 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 bulgur
- Keep uncooked bulgur in a sealed container in a cool, dry place.
- Cool cooked bulgur quickly and refrigerate it within 1 hour. Spores of some food poisoning bacteria can survive cooking grains, and reheating won't remove the toxins they make.
- Cooked bulgur keeps for 3 to 4 days in a covered container in the fridge, or 3 to 4 months in the freezer. 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:
- Your baby has had any reaction to wheat, even a mild one. Stop offering it until you've talked to your pediatrician.
- Your child has ongoing diarrhea, tummy pain or bloating, or isn't growing as expected, especially if a parent, brother or sister has celiac disease. Ask your doctor whether testing is needed.
- 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.
Last offered today. Once bulgur is in your baby's diet, keep offering it regularly.
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Helpful guides
Sources
- CDC: Choking hazards
- CDC: When, what, and how to introduce solid foods
- AAP: Heavy metals in baby food
- NHS: Your baby's first solid foods
- NHS: Food allergies in babies and young children
- MedlinePlus (NIH): Learn about gluten-free diets
- NHS: Coeliac disease
- NHS: Starchy foods and carbohydrates
- USDA FoodData Central: Bulgur, cooked
- USDA FSIS: Leftovers and food safety
- NHS Best Start in Life: Storing and reheating food
More first foods
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