Dates
Rich, sticky and sweet. Pit them, soften them, and mash or chop them small.
Checked against official guidance on October 18, 2026 · How we review
Quick answer
Babies can eat dates from around 6 months, once they show signs of being ready for solids. Prepare it as shown below.
How to serve dates by age
6 months+
Mashed to a paste, spread thinly or stirred in
Remove the pit, soak the dates in just-boiled water until very soft, then mash or blend them into a smooth paste with a little of the soaking water. Spread it thinly on toast fingers once wheat has been introduced on its own, or stir it into iron-fortified cereal or oatmeal. Check the bread label for honey, which isn't safe before 12 months. Never give a whole date.
- Size
- Mashed or blended smooth, spread thinly on a toast finger about 6–8 cm long and 2 cm wide (2½–3 × ¾ in), or stirred into a soft food.
- Check before serving
- The paste should be smooth and loose, with no chewy skin pieces, pit or pit fragments. Spread it thinly, never in a thick glob.
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+
Softened and finely chopped
Soak pitted dates until soft, then chop them finely and stir into oatmeal, yogurt (once dairy has been introduced on its own) or soft rice. Mixed into a moist food, the sticky pieces are easier to manage. Peel off the skin if it's tough.
- Size
- Pieces no bigger than about 1 cm (just under ½ inch), softened first.
- Check before serving
- Squash a piece between your thumb and finger: it should flatten easily and not feel leathery.
12 months+
Soft chopped pieces or in dishes
Serve soft, chopped dates stirred into porridge or yogurt, or cooked into family dishes like stews and tagines. Keep softening drier varieties first: they're sticky and chewy.
- Size
- Chopped pieces about 1 cm (just under ½ inch).
- Check before serving
- Still do the squash test: soft and moist, not leathery.
18 months+
Chopped or cooked into dishes
Offer chopped, pitted dates in porridge, baking or savory dishes. Offer dried fruit with meals rather than as a snack between meals, to help protect your toddler's teeth. Make sure your toddler sits down to eat, and stay with them.
- Size
- Bite-sized pieces about 1 cm (just under ½ inch), or cooked into dishes.
- Check before serving
- Check every piece for pits, and that the pieces are soft, not leathery.
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 dates
- 1
Choose plain dates with no added sugar or coating. Rinse them under running water.
- 2
Cut each date open lengthwise and take out the pit. Check for pit fragments, even in dates sold as pitted.
- 3
Cover them with just-boiled water and soak for 10 to 15 minutes, until very soft. Soft, moist varieties like Medjool soften fastest.
- 4
Mash or blend into a smooth paste (6 months), or chop finely (9 months+), and mix into a moist food.
How much to offer
Start with a teaspoon of date paste stirred into a familiar food or spread thinly on toast. Your baby decides how much to eat: stop when they turn away or close their mouth. Dates are very sweet, so a little goes a long way.
Common mistakes
Serving whole or large pieces of date
Dates are sticky and chewy, and can contain a hard pit. Remove the pit, soften them, and mash or chop them finely.
Spreading date paste thickly
A thick, sticky layer is hard for babies to move around in their mouth. Thin it with water and spread it thinly.
Swapping in date syrup
Date syrup is a sugar. The NHS advises avoiding food and drink with sugars, including the natural sugar in syrups, for children aged 4 and under. Mashed whole dates are fine.
Using dates as a between-meal snack
The sugar in dried fruit can cause tooth decay. The NHS suggests giving dried fruit with meals rather than as a snack.
Where US and UK guidance differ on dates
United States(AAP and CDC)Your setting
The CDC lists uncooked dried fruit as a choking hazard for young children, without a set age. Keep pitting, softening and mashing or chopping dates through the toddler years.
United Kingdom(NHS)Your setting
The NHS says not to give whole dried fruit to babies under 1, to always cut it into small pieces, and to always remove hard stones from fruit. It also suggests giving dried fruit with meals, not as a snack, to protect teeth.
We cover US and UK guidance in detail. Elsewhere, check your national health service's advice too.
Questions parents ask
Can dates be a choking hazard for babies?
Dates are sticky, chewy and often have a hard pit. The CDC lists uncooked dried fruit as a choking hazard for young children and warns against small, sticky foods, and the NHS says to always remove hard stones from fruit. Remove the pit, soften dates in hot water, then mash or chop them finely and mix them into a moist food. Make sure your child sits down to eat, and stay with them.
Can babies be allergic to dates?
Dates are not a common allergen. Some dried fruits contain sulfur dioxide (sulfites). The NHS lists sulfur dioxide among foods that can trigger a reaction, so check the label if your child has reacted to sulfites before.
Are dates healthy for babies?
Dates give fiber and potassium: about 7 g of fiber and 700 mg of potassium per 100 g (Medjool). They are high in natural sugar, about 66 g per 100 g, and have only a little iron.
When can babies eat dates?
From around 6 months, pitted, softened and mashed into a smooth paste. The NHS says not to give whole dried fruit to babies under 1: always cut it into small pieces.
Can I use dates to sweeten my baby's food?
Babies don't need foods to be sweetened. The NHS says to avoid food and drink with sugar or sweeteners for children aged 4 and under, including syrups, but that eating fruit is fine. A little mashed date as part of a meal is fruit, not syrup, but don't use it to sweeten foods your baby would otherwise eat plain.
Can dates help with constipation?
Dates contain fiber, and the NHS says plenty of fruit, vegetables and fluids can help prevent constipation in children. If you think your child is constipated, the NHS advises seeing your GP and getting help early. The AAP advises seeing your pediatrician if constipation lasts more than a week or you see blood in the poop.
If your baby refuses dates
- Many babies need 10 or more tries before they accept a new food. Keep offering it alongside foods they already like.
- Stir date paste into oatmeal or yogurt instead of offering it 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 dates
- Keep dates in an airtight container in a cool, dry cupboard, or in the fridge.
- Soaked dates and date paste 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.
- Date paste can be frozen in small portions for 3 to 4 months. Thaw it in the fridge before using.
- 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.
Add a note (likes, dislikes, any reaction)
Saved in this browser only. Think it was a reaction? See signs of an allergic reaction and when to get help.
Helpful guides
Sources
- CDC: Choking hazards
- NHS: Preparing food safely for babies
- NHS: Foods to avoid giving babies and young children
- NHS: What to feed young children
- NHS: Food allergies in babies and young children
- NHS: Constipation in children
- AAP: Abdominal pain in infants
- USDA FoodData Central: Dates, medjool
- USDA FSIS: Leftovers and food safety
- Food Standards Agency: Home food fact checker
- NHS: Help your baby enjoy new foods
More first foods
Free printable: The First 100 Foods checklist
Tick off foods as your baby tries them. Print it or save it as a PDF, no sign-up needed.