Hemp seeds
Soft, nutty hemp hearts, ground fine and stirred into whatever's on the spoon.
Checked against official guidance on October 18, 2026 · How we review
Quick answer
Babies can eat hemp seeds from around 6 months, once they show signs of being ready for solids. Prepare it as shown below.
How to serve hemp seeds by age
6 months+
Ground hemp hearts stirred into food
Grind hulled hemp seeds (hemp hearts) to a fine powder and stir it into porridge, puréed fruit or vegetables, or yogurt once dairy has been introduced. It can also coat slippery finger foods, like avocado or banana spears, to make them easier to grip.
- Size
- Stirred into a smooth food: start with about ½ teaspoon of finely ground hemp hearts.
- Check before serving
- Rub a pinch between your fingers: it should feel fine and soft, with no whole seeds 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+
Ground, in food or as a coating
Roll small pieces of soft fruit or soft-cooked vegetables in ground hemp hearts, or stir it into porridge, mashed beans or purées.
- Size
- Soft food pieces no bigger than about 1 cm (just under ½ inch), rolled in or mixed with ground hemp hearts.
- Check before serving
- Squash a coated piece between your thumb and finger. It should flatten easily, and no whole seeds should be visible.
12 months+
Ground into porridge, baking and sauces
Stir ground hemp hearts into oatmeal or yogurt, bake them into pancakes and muffins, or blend them into a smooth pasta sauce.
- Size
- Bite-sized pieces of food about 1 cm (just under ½ inch), made with or coated in ground hemp hearts.
- Check before serving
- Check that sauces and batters are smooth, with no whole seeds left.
18 months+
Ground in family meals
Keep using hemp hearts ground or blended smooth: in porridge, smoothies, baking or sauces. Whole seeds sprinkled on top wait until at least 4 years (see the choking note below).
- Size
- Bite-sized pieces about 1 cm (just under ½ inch), or as part of a dish.
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 hemp seeds
- 1
Buy hulled hemp seeds, often sold as hemp hearts, with no added salt or flavorings.
- 2
Grind them in a clean, dry spice grinder or blender until they're a fine powder.
- 3
Stir about ½ teaspoon into a food your baby already eats, such as porridge or puréed fruit, or use it to coat soft, slippery finger foods.
- 4
Check for any whole seeds before serving.
How much to offer
Start with about ½ teaspoon of ground hemp hearts stirred into food. 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
Sprinkling whole hemp hearts on top
Hemp hearts are small seeds. Whole seeds are on the CDC choking hazard list for young children, and NHS advice is to serve seeds finely ground.
Buying seeds still in their shell
Unhulled hemp seeds have a hard, crunchy shell. Buy hulled hemp hearts and grind them.
Mixing up hemp seeds and CBD products
Hemp seed foods are different from CBD or THC products, which the FDA does not allow to be added to food. Don't give CBD or THC products to children.
Adding a lot at once
Start with a small amount stirred into a food your baby already likes, and build up from there.
Questions parents ask
Can hemp seeds be a choking hazard for babies?
Whole seeds are on the CDC choking hazard list, and the AAP advises keeping nuts and seeds from children until about 4 years, depending on the child. Grind hemp hearts finely and stir them into food, or use them as a fine coating on soft finger foods. Don't sprinkle whole seeds on top.
Can babies be allergic to hemp seeds?
Hemp is not one of the 9 major food allergens in the US. Any seed can cause an allergic reaction, though, and the NHS lists seeds among foods that can trigger allergy. Offer it on its own the first time and watch for signs of a reaction.
Are hemp seeds healthy for babies?
A source of protein and fat, including the plant omega-3 ALA, plus magnesium, zinc and manganese.
Do hemp seeds contain THC? Can they make my baby high?
No. Hemp seeds don't naturally contain THC, the part of cannabis that makes people high. The FDA says hulled hemp seed has only trace amounts of THC and CBD, which the seeds may pick up during harvesting and processing, and that eating it can't make anyone high.
Are hemp seeds a good source of omega-3?
They contain ALA, the plant omega-3. The body turns only a small amount of ALA into DHA, which is found mainly in fish and seafood, so hemp doesn't replace fish.
If your baby refuses hemp seeds
- Many babies need 10 or more tries before they accept a new food. Keep offering it alongside foods they already like.
- Try another form: stirred into porridge, as a coating on soft fruit, or baked into pancakes.
- 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 hemp seeds
- Store hemp hearts in a sealed container as the label directs. Grind small batches as you need them.
- Porridge or purée with ground hemp hearts keeps for 3 to 4 days in a covered container in the fridge.
- Pancakes and muffins made with hemp hearts can be frozen for 2 to 3 months. Reheat 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
- CDC: Choking hazards
- AAP: Choking prevention for babies and children
- NHS: Food allergies in babies and young children
- FDA: Food allergies
- FDA: FDA responds to three GRAS notices for hemp seed-derived ingredients
- USDA FoodData Central: Hemp seed, hulled
- NIH Office of Dietary Supplements: Omega-3 fatty acids
- USDA FSIS: Leftovers and food safety
- USDA FSIS: Shell eggs from farm to table
- NHS Best Start in Life: Storing and reheating food
- NHS: Help your baby enjoy new foods
More first foods
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