Cucumber
Cool, mild and crunchy for grown-ups. Grated or softened for little ones.
Checked against official guidance on October 18, 2026 · How we review
Quick answer
Babies can eat cucumber from around 6 months, once they show signs of being ready for solids. Prepare it as shown below.
How to serve cucumber by age
6 months+
Finely grated, or peeled spears steamed soft
Peel the cucumber and grate it finely, then stir it into a food your baby already eats, like mashed avocado or plain full-fat yogurt (once dairy has been introduced on its own). Or cut peeled cucumber lengthwise into finger-sized spears and steam them for a few minutes until soft.
- Size
- Finely grated and stirred into a soft food, or peeled spears about the size of an adult finger, roughly 6–8 cm long and 2 cm wide (2½–3 × ¾ in), steamed until soft.
- Check before serving
- Squash a steamed spear between your thumb and finger. It should flatten easily. Raw cucumber spears and chunks are too firm at this age.
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+
Grated, or small soft pieces
Chop steamed, peeled cucumber into small pieces for pincer-grasp practice, or keep grating it into yogurt, dips and grain dishes.
- Size
- Pieces no bigger than about 1 cm (just under ½ inch), or finely grated.
- Check before serving
- Each piece should squash flat between your thumb and finger.
12 months+
Grated, softened pieces or thin batons
Keep offering grated or softened cucumber with family meals. US and UK advice differs on raw cucumber sticks for toddlers: see the guidance note below.
- Size
- Small soft pieces about 1 cm (just under ½ inch), or grated. Narrow raw batons are the UK option from 12 months: see the guidance note. Never chunks or round slices.
- Check before serving
- For softened pieces, do the squash test. Raw cucumber won't pass it, so stay with your child and see the note below.
18 months+
Grated, in dishes, or thin batons
Grate cucumber into wraps, yogurt dips or rice dishes. Never serve it in round slices or chunks. For raw cucumber sticks, see the guidance note below.
- Size
- Bite-sized pieces about 1 cm (just under ½ inch), or grated into dishes. For raw batons, see the guidance note. Never chunks or round slices.
- Check before serving
- Check the plate before serving: no chunks or round slices. Make sure your child sits down to eat, and stay with them.
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 cucumber
- 1
Rinse the cucumber under running water, scrubbing the skin with a clean vegetable brush. Rinse before you peel.
- 2
Peel it, and trim off both ends.
- 3
Grate it finely, or cut it lengthwise into finger-sized spears (6 months) or small pieces after steaming (9 months+).
- 4
To soften spears, steam them for a few minutes. Do the squash test, then let them cool before serving. Don't add salt.
How much to offer
Start with a spoonful of grated cucumber or one or two soft spears. Your baby decides how much to eat: stop when they turn away or close their mouth. Lots of licking, squashing and dropping is normal at first.
Common mistakes
Serving raw chunks or round slices
Raw cucumber is firm, and chunks and round slices are a shape that can block a child's airway. For babies, grate it or steam it soft.
Handing over a raw spear as a teether
Babies can bite or gum off firm pieces of raw cucumber. Steam spears until they squash, or grate it instead.
Leaving the skin on for young babies
The NHS suggests removing the skin from vegetables for very young children: it makes them easier to swallow.
Stopping after a few refusals
Many babies need 10 or more tries before they accept a new food. Keep offering it.
Where US and UK guidance differ on cucumber
United States(AAP and CDC)Your setting
For babies under 1, the AAP lists raw vegetables among foods to avoid and says most vegetables should be cooked until soft. If you follow US advice, steam peeled cucumber until it squashes easily, then serve it as spears or chop it. For toddlers, keep cucumber grated or softened: 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
Grate, mash or steam firm vegetables for very young children. From 12 months, the NHS snack list includes cucumber sticks. If you offer them, cut cucumber into narrow batons, not chunks, 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 cucumber be a choking hazard for babies?
Raw cucumber is firm, and the CDC lists pieces of hard raw vegetables as a choking hazard. For babies, grate it finely or steam peeled spears until soft. For toddlers, never serve chunks or round slices; US and UK advice differs on raw sticks, so see the guidance note below. Stay with your child during meals.
Can babies be allergic to cucumber?
Cucumber is not a common allergen. In older children and adults with ragweed pollen allergy (hay fever), raw cucumber can cause an itchy mouth or throat, called pollen food allergy syndrome. It isn't usual in children under 3.
Is cucumber healthy for babies?
Mostly water (about 95%), with a little vitamin K and potassium: about 16 µg of vitamin K and 147 mg of potassium per 100 g, raw with peel. It is not a major source of other vitamins, minerals or iron.
Can babies eat raw cucumber?
Never in chunks or round slices. Under 1 year, the AAP lists raw vegetables among foods to avoid, so steam peeled spears until they squash easily (the NHS also suggests grating firm vegetables finely for very young children). From 12 months, US and UK advice differs on raw cucumber sticks: see the guidance note below.
Do I need to peel cucumber for my baby?
It's a good idea for babies and young toddlers. The NHS says removing the skin makes vegetables easier to swallow, especially for very young children. Scrub and rinse the cucumber first, then peel it.
Can cucumber help a teething baby?
Don't use raw cucumber spears as a teether: babies can bite off firm pieces. Ask your pediatrician about safe ways to soothe sore gums.
If your baby refuses cucumber
- Many babies need 10 or more tries before they accept a new food. Keep offering it alongside foods they already like.
- Try it grated into a food your baby already enjoys, like mashed avocado.
- 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 cucumber
- Keep whole cucumbers in the fridge, at or below 40°F (4°C).
- Cut, grated or steamed cucumber 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.
- 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 child's mouth or throat often itches after eating raw cucumber. This can be pollen food allergy syndrome. Ask your pediatrician about seeing an allergist.
- 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: Preparing food safely for babies
- USDA FoodData Central: Cucumber, with peel, raw
- ACAAI: Pollen food allergy syndrome
- FDA: 7 tips for cleaning fruits and vegetables
- Food Standards Agency: Home food fact checker
- USDA FSIS: Leftovers and food safety
More first foods
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