Feijoa

How to serve feijoa by age

6 months+

Scooped and mashed

Use only a ripe feijoa that gives when you press it gently. Cut it in half and scoop the flesh and soft jelly-like center away from the skin with a spoon. Mash it well with a fork and serve it on a pre-loaded spoon, or stir it into a food your baby already eats. If the flesh feels firm or gritty, simmer it for a few minutes until soft, then mash.

Size

A teaspoon or two of mashed flesh, on a pre-loaded spoon.

Check before serving

Squash a bit of flesh between your thumb and finger: it should flatten easily. If it feels firm or gritty, cook it longer.

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+

Small soft pieces or mash

Cut ripe or soft-cooked, scooped feijoa flesh into small pieces for pincer-grasp practice, or stir the mash into oatmeal or plain full-fat yogurt (once dairy has been introduced on its own).

Size

Pieces no bigger than about 1 cm (just under ½ inch).

Check before serving

Each piece should squash flat between your thumb and finger.

12 months+

Small pieces or in dishes

Offer small pieces of ripe, scooped feijoa on their own or in fruit salad with other soft fruit, or stew it with apple or pear for a family dessert with no added sugar.

Size

Pieces about 1 cm (just under ½ inch).

Check before serving

Still do the squash test: firm feijoa needs cooking first.

18 months+

Bite-sized pieces or in dishes

Serve scooped feijoa as a snack, in fruit salad, or baked into oatmeal and muffins. Keep scooping the flesh out of the skin for your toddler. Make sure your toddler sits down to eat, and stay with them.

Size

Bite-sized pieces about 1 cm (just under ½ inch).

Check before serving

Still do the squash test with raw feijoa.

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 feijoa

1. 1

   Choose a feijoa that gives a little when you press it, like a ripe kiwi. Rinse it under running water, gently rubbing the skin, and dry it before cutting.

2. 2

   Cut it in half and scoop the flesh and jelly-like center out with a spoon. Throw the skin away.

3. 3

   Mash the flesh (6 months) or cut it into small pieces (9 months+). If it doesn't pass the squash test, simmer it in a little water for a few minutes until soft, and let it cool. Don't add sugar.

4. 4

   Feijoa turns brown quickly once cut, so prepare it just before serving.

How much to offer

Start with a teaspoon or two of mash. Your baby decides how much to eat: stop when they turn away or close their mouth. Lots of squashing and dropping is normal at first.

Common mistakes

Questions parents ask

If your baby refuses feijoa

• Many babies need 10 or more tries before they accept a new food. Keep offering it alongside foods they already like.
• Feijoa can be tangy. Try it mixed with mashed banana, or stirred into oatmeal or yogurt.
• 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 feijoa

• Ripen firm feijoas at room temperature. Once they give when pressed, keep them in the fridge and use them within a few days.
• Cooked feijoa keeps for 3 to 4 days in a covered container in the fridge.
• Mashed or stewed feijoa can be frozen in small portions and used within 3 months. Thaw it in the fridge and use it within 24 hours of thawing.
• 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).