Kabocha squash

How to serve kabocha squash by age

6 months+

Soft roasted wedges, skin off, or mashed squash

Scoop out the seeds, cut into finger-sized wedges and steam or roast until very soft. Cut away the skin before serving. Or scoop out the soft flesh, mash it and serve it on a pre-loaded spoon.

Size

Wedges about the size of an adult finger, roughly 6–8 cm long and 2 cm wide (2½–3 × ¾ in).

Check before serving

Squash a wedge between your thumb and finger. It should flatten easily. If you have to press hard, 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 lumpy mash

Cut soft-cooked squash, skin removed, into small pieces for pincer-grasp practice, or stir mashed squash into rice, pasta or lentils.

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+

Pieces, mash or in dishes

Serve soft-cooked squash with family meals, or in soups, curries and stews. Keep taking the skin off unless it's very soft and chopped small. Leave salt and sugar out of your toddler's portion.

Size

Small soft pieces about 1 cm (just under ½ inch).

Check before serving

Still do the squash test, on the skin too if you leave it on.

18 months+

Roasted pieces or in family meals

Offer roasted or simmered squash that is soft all the way through. Trim off hard, browned edges, and any skin that is still chewy.

Size

Bite-sized pieces about 1 cm (just under ½ inch), or chopped into dishes.

Check before serving

Still do the squash test, especially with roasted pieces, which can firm up at the edges.

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 kabocha squash

1. 1

   Scrub the squash with a clean vegetable brush under running water.

2. 2

   Kabocha is very hard when raw. Use a large, sharp knife on a steady board to cut it in half, then scoop out all the seeds and stringy bits. Cut it into finger-sized wedges (6 months), or chunks for mashing.

3. 3

   Steam for about 10 to 15 minutes, or roast at 400°F (200°C) for about 25 to 35 minutes, until a knife slides through with no resistance. Don't add salt, sugar or syrup.

4. 4

   Let it cool a little, cut away the skin or scoop out the flesh, and do the squash test before serving.

How much to offer

Start with one or two wedges or a spoonful of mash. 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

Questions parents ask

If your baby refuses kabocha squash

• Many babies need 10 or more tries before they accept a new food. Keep offering it alongside foods they already like.
• Try another form: roasted wedges, lumpy mash, or stirred into rice or pasta.
• 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 kabocha squash

• Store a whole, uncut squash somewhere cool and dry. Once cut, wrap it and keep it in the fridge.
• Cooked squash keeps 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.
• Cooked wedges or mash can be frozen and used within 3 months. Thaw them in the fridge, use them within 24 hours of thawing, and reheat them 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).