When can babies eat ginger?

From around 6 months, once your baby is ready for solids, served in a safe shape and texture for their age.

Ginger

Finely grated and cooked in, ginger brings a gentle zing to family meals.

Checked against official guidance on October 18, 2026 · How we review

Quick answer

Babies can eat ginger from around 6 months, once they show signs of being ready for solids. Prepare it as shown below.

From 6 monthsLow choking risk as servedNot a common allergen

How to serve ginger by age

6 months+

Finely grated ginger cooked into soft food

Peel fresh ginger, grate it very finely, and cook a small amount into lentils, vegetables or a stew until soft. Or stir a pinch of ground ginger into food while it cooks. Take out any slices of ginger used to flavor a dish.

Size: Finely grated or minced and cooked, then mixed into soft foods, such as lentils, mashed carrot or rice.
Check before serving: Check there are no slices, chunks or stringy fibers of ginger in your baby's portion.

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.

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 ginger

1
Rinse fresh ginger under running water, then peel it with a spoon or vegetable peeler.
2
Grate it very finely or mince it. Throw away any stringy, fibrous bits.
3
Cook it into the dish for a few minutes until soft, or add a pinch of ground ginger instead. Take out any slices before serving. Don't add salt.
4
Let the food cool before serving.

How much to offer

Start with a small amount of cooked ginger in a food your baby already knows, as you would in a family dish. Your baby decides how much to eat: stop when they turn away or close their mouth. Ginger is a flavor, so there's no amount to aim for.

Common mistakes

Leaving slices or chunks of ginger in

Raw ginger is firm and fibrous, and the CDC lists pieces of hard raw vegetables as a choking hazard. Grate it finely and cook it, and take out any slices.

Giving ginger tea or ginger drinks

The NHS says herbal drinks usually contain sugars and aren't recommended, and that tea isn't suitable for babies or young children. Ginger ale and ginger beer are sugary drinks.

Using ginger supplements for tummy upsets

Studies of ginger for nausea mostly tested supplements, in pregnancy, cancer treatment or after surgery. The NCCIH says many supplements haven't been tested in children. If your baby is unwell, talk to your pediatrician.

Offering crystallized ginger or ginger biscuits

Both contain added sugar, and the NHS says to avoid sugar up to age 4. Crystallized ginger is also sticky, and the CDC advises avoiding sticky foods that are hard to chew and swallow.

Where US and UK guidance differ on ginger

United States(AAP and CDC)Your setting

The AAP says fresh baby food should be cooked with no added salt or seasoning. It doesn't mention ginger, and no AAP page gives an age for it. If you'd rather follow that line closely, leave ginger out until 12 months, or ask your pediatrician.

United Kingdom(NHS)Your setting

The NHS says not to add salt or sugar, including stock cubes and gravy, to your baby's food or cooking water. It doesn't list ginger among foods to avoid, and its general salt advice suggests herbs and spices to add flavor instead of salt. If you use ginger, keep it finely grated, cooked and unsalted.

We cover US and UK guidance in detail. Elsewhere, check your national health service's advice too.

Questions parents ask

Can ginger be a choking hazard for babies?

Raw ginger is firm and fibrous, and the CDC lists pieces of hard raw vegetables as a choking hazard. Grate or mince ginger finely and cook it into food, and take out any slices used for flavor. Don't give crystallized ginger, which is sticky and sugary. Stay with your child during meals.

Can babies be allergic to ginger?

Ginger is not a common allergen. The NCCIH says ginger taken by mouth can cause side effects such as stomach discomfort, diarrhea, or mouth and throat irritation, so start with a small amount and watch how your baby gets on.

Is ginger healthy for babies?

A teaspoon of fresh ginger weighs about 2 g, and your baby gets only part of that in a family dish. Ginger adds flavor rather than nutrients. It is not a source of iron to count on.

Can babies have ginger?

Yes, from around 6 months, finely grated and cooked into food. A little ginger is an easy way to share the flavors of family meals without adding salt. US and UK advice is worded differently: see the guidance note below.

Can ginger help my baby's upset tummy?

There's no evidence it does in babies. The NCCIH says studies of ginger for nausea mostly tested supplements, in pregnancy, cancer treatment or after surgery, and most studies for motion sickness found it didn't help. Don't give ginger supplements, ginger tea or ginger ale. If your baby is vomiting or has signs of dehydration, such as fewer wet diapers, a dry mouth or fewer tears, call your pediatrician right away. If they vomit again and again and are floppy or very sleepy, have signs of severe dehydration such as sunken eyes or peeing only once or twice a day, or have trouble breathing, call your emergency number.

Is ground ginger OK for babies?

Yes, a pinch stirred into food while it cooks. Mix it in well and never give dry ground ginger from a spoon. Check the label on spice mixes for added salt or sugar.

If your baby refuses ginger

Many babies need 10 or more tries before they accept a new food. Keep offering it alongside foods they already like.
Use less ginger, cooked longer, so the flavor is milder, and mix it into a food your baby already enjoys.
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 ginger

Keep fresh ginger in the fridge, and ground ginger in a closed jar somewhere cool and dry.
Cooked dishes with ginger keep for 3 to 4 days in a covered container in the fridge. Freezer times depend on the dish, so follow the food page or recipe for what you cooked. Reheat cooked dishes only once, to 165°F (74°C), until steaming hot, then let them cool before serving. Cooked rice has stricter rules: cool it within 1 hour, eat it within 1 day and reheat it only once. See the rice page.
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.

Offered ginger?

Add it to your first 100 foods.