Endive
Crisp, pale and gently bitter. Braised soft for babies, finely shredded for toddlers.
Checked against official guidance on October 18, 2026 · How we review
Quick answer
Babies can eat endive from around 6 months, once they show signs of being ready for solids. Prepare it as shown below.
How to serve endive by age
6 months+
Cooked soft, then blended or very finely chopped
Cut out the firm core at the base, slice the leaves, then simmer or braise them in a little water until very soft. Blend or chop very finely and stir into mashed potato, sweet potato, mashed peas or a vegetable purée. Cooking makes endive milder and silky.
- Size
- Cooked until soft, then blended or very finely chopped and mixed into a mashed food, with no whole leaves left.
- Check before serving
- Squash a bit of cooked endive between your thumb and finger. It should be soft and limp, with no crunchy pieces left.
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, cooked, in dishes
Keep cooking endive until soft, then chop it finely and mix it into rice, risotto, mashed beans or an omelet (once egg has been introduced on its own). Before 12 months, the AAP advises cooking vegetables until soft, so keep raw leaves for later.
- Size
- Pieces no bigger than about 1 cm (just under ½ inch), cooked soft.
- Check before serving
- Each piece should be soft and limp, with no crunchy bits from the base of the leaves.
12 months+
Finely shredded raw, or cooked
Keep serving endive cooked, or shred raw leaves very finely and mix them into a soft dish or sandwich filling. Cut off the firm, crunchy base of each leaf. US and UK advice differs on raw vegetables for toddlers (see the US vs. UK note below).
- Size
- Finely shredded, or small pieces about 1 cm (just under ½ inch). Never whole leaves.
- Check before serving
- Check the plate before serving: finely shredded leaf, no whole leaves and no crunchy bases.
18 months+
Shredded or small pieces in salads and dishes
Offer endive the way your family eats it, as long as it's shredded or cut small: braised, in soups or in a mixed salad. Don't hand over whole endive leaves as scoops for dips. For raw endive, see the US vs. UK note below. Skip salty dressings and cheese-heavy toppings.
- Size
- Shredded, or bite-sized pieces about 1 cm (just under ½ inch).
- Check before serving
- Check the plate before serving: no whole leaves or crunchy bases. Make sure your child sits down to eat.
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 endive
- 1
Throw away any damaged, wilted or slimy outer leaves.
- 2
Rinse the leaves under running water, rubbing them gently with your fingers. Don't use soap or produce wash. Pat dry with a clean towel. Bagged endive or salad labeled pre-washed or ready-to-eat can be used without washing again.
- 3
For Belgian endive, cut out the cone-shaped core at the base. For curly endive or escarole, cut off the tough base. Then shred or chop the leaves.
- 4
For babies under 1, simmer or braise the endive until soft, then blend or chop it finely. Don't add salt, and let it cool before serving.
How much to offer
Start with a spoonful of cooked, finely chopped endive mixed into a food your baby already eats. Your baby decides how much to eat: stop when they turn away or close their mouth. Funny faces at the bitter taste are normal at first.
Common mistakes
Handing a baby raw leaves
The AAP lists raw vegetables among foods to avoid under 1 year and says most vegetables should be cooked until soft. Raw endive leaves are crisp and hard for babies to chew. Cook endive, then blend or chop it finely.
Skipping the rinse
The CDC lists unwashed lettuce and other leafy greens as a riskier choice for children under 5. Rinse endive under running water, unless the bag says pre-washed. Washed and then cooked is safest.
Leaving the core or crunchy base in
The core and the thick base of each leaf stay firm. Cut them out and use the softer part of the leaf.
Giving up because it's bitter
Bitter vegetables often take 10 or more tries. Offering them from the start may help prevent fussy eating later. Mixing a little into a sweeter food, like sweet potato, can help.
Where US and UK guidance differ on endive
United States(AAP and CDC)Your setting
Keep endive cooked soft before 12 months: the AAP lists raw vegetables among foods to avoid under 1 year. For toddlers, the AAP advises holding back or changing raw vegetables until about 4 years, depending on the child, and the CDC says washed and then cooked vegetables are safest for children under 5. If you follow US advice, keep serving endive cooked, or shred it very finely with the core and crunchy bases cut out.
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. It doesn't name salad leaves, so if you offer raw endive (chicory), wash it well, cut out the core, 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 endive be a choking hazard for babies?
Raw endive leaves are crisp and hard for young babies to chew, and the AAP lists raw vegetables among foods to avoid under 1 year. For babies, cook endive until soft, then blend or chop it finely. For toddlers, shred raw endive finely, cut out the core and crunchy bases, and never serve whole leaves. Stay with your child during meals.
Can babies be allergic to endive?
Endive is not a common allergen. As with any new food, offer a small amount and watch for signs of a reaction.
Is endive healthy for babies?
100 g of raw endive (the curly and escarole type) has about 231 µg of vitamin K and 142 µg of folate. Belgian endive is mostly water (about 95%), with about 37 µg of folate per 100 g. Neither is a major source of iron (under 1 mg per 100 g).
Can babies eat raw endive?
Not before 12 months. The AAP lists raw vegetables among foods to avoid under 1 year and says most vegetables should be cooked until soft. From 12 months, if you offer raw endive, shred it very finely and cut out the core and crunchy bases. US and UK advice differs on raw vegetables for toddlers: see the US vs. UK note below.
Is endive the same as chicory?
They're close relatives. Belgian endive (the small, pale, tight heads) is also called chicory, and FoodData Central lists this type as witloof chicory (Cichorium intybus). Curly endive (frisée) and escarole are looser, leafier heads of a related plant (Cichorium endivia). All are bitter and are prepared the same way for babies: cooked soft, then blended or finely chopped.
Is endive too bitter for babies?
It's fine to offer. The NHS suggests vegetables that aren't sweet from the start, and says it can take 10 or more tries for a baby to get used to a new taste. Cooking softens the bitterness, and mixing a little into a food your baby already likes helps.
Do I need to wash endive?
Yes. The FDA says to wash all produce thoroughly under running water before preparing or eating it, then dry it with a clean towel. If a bag of salad is labeled pre-washed or ready-to-eat, you can use it without washing again.
If your baby refuses endive
- Bitter vegetables often take 10 or more tries. Keep offering a little, alongside foods your baby already likes.
- Try it cooked into mashed potato, sweet potato or a soup, where the taste is milder.
- 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 endive
- Keep endive and bagged salad in the fridge, at 40°F (4°C) or below.
- Cooked endive and dishes made with it 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.
- Reheat cooked dishes only once, to 165°F (74°C), until steaming hot, then let them 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
- AAP: When can babies start solid foods?
- AAP: Choking prevention for babies and children
- CDC: Safer food choices for children under 5
- FDA: Selecting and serving produce safely
- NHS: Your baby's first solid foods
- USDA FoodData Central: Endive, raw
- USDA FoodData Central: Chicory, witloof, raw
- USDA FSIS: Leftovers and food safety
- NHS Best Start in Life: Storing and reheating food
More first foods
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