Ketchup
Ketchup has added sugar and salt, so it waits. A smooth homemade tomato sauce does the job meanwhile.
Checked against official guidance on October 18, 2026 · How we review
Quick answer
Wait until your child is at least 4 years old before offering ketchup. Until then, offer the safer swaps below.
How to serve ketchup by age
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6 months+
Not yet: smooth homemade tomato sauce instead
Ketchup has added sugar and salt, and the NHS says not to add either to your baby's food. Instead, cook peeled fresh tomatoes or no-salt-added canned tomatoes until soft, then blend them smooth. Don't add salt or sugar.
- Size
- Instead of ketchup, a spoonful of smooth homemade tomato sauce on a pre-loaded spoon, or as a dip for soft finger foods about the size of an adult finger, roughly 6–8 cm long and 2 cm wide (2½–3 × ¾ in).
- Check before serving
- Read the can: tomatoes with no added salt or sugar.
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.
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9 months+
Not yet: homemade tomato sauce for dipping
Offer the homemade sauce as a dip for soft-roasted potato or sweet potato fingers, or stirred through pasta. Cooking a little onion or carrot into it makes it naturally sweeter.
- Size
- Soft finger foods, or pieces no bigger than about 1 cm (just under ½ inch), with homemade tomato sauce instead of ketchup.
- Check before serving
- Squash a dipping finger between your thumb and finger. It should flatten easily.
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12 months+
Not yet: tomato sauce on pasta and as a dip
Toddlers still don't need ketchup. Keep using homemade tomato sauce, like the sauce in our Beef bolognese or Mini pizzas recipes. If you buy jarred pasta sauce, check the label for added sugar and salt.
- Size
- Bite-sized soft pieces about 1 cm (just under ½ inch), with homemade tomato sauce instead of ketchup.
- Check before serving
- Check jarred sauces: no added sugar, and low in salt (0.3 g of salt or less per 100 g counts as low, NHS).
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18 months+
Not yet: homemade sauce at home and out
US and UK advice is still to avoid added sugar until after age 4, so ketchup waits, including at parties and restaurants. Bring a small pot of homemade sauce, or ask for food without sauce. If ketchup comes with fries or burgers, put it on the adults' plates.
- Size
- Bite-sized pieces about 1 cm (just under ½ inch), with a spoonful of homemade tomato sauce for dipping instead of ketchup.
- Check before serving
- Check the plate at restaurants and parties: keep ketchup on the adults' side, and cut fries, burgers or sausages to a safe size.
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 ketchup
- 1
Don't add ketchup to your baby's or toddler's food, including 'no added sugar' kinds made with sweeteners. Under 4, advice is to avoid both added sugar and sweeteners.
- 2
Rinse fresh tomatoes under running water. For a smooth sauce, peel them, or use no-salt-added canned tomatoes.
- 3
Simmer the tomatoes, with a little onion or carrot if you like, until soft, then blend smooth. Don't add salt or sugar.
- 4
Cool the sauce before serving, and freeze small portions for later.
How much to offer
None for now. Ketchup waits until after age 4, because of the added sugar. When you offer homemade tomato sauce, a spoonful or two is plenty. Your child decides how much to eat: stop when they turn away or close their mouth.
Common mistakes
Thinking a tablespoon is nothing
A tablespoon of ketchup (17 g) has about 3.6 g of sugars and 154 mg of sodium (about 0.4 g of salt). The NHS says babies under 1 should have less than 1 g of salt a day, and children aged 1 to 3 no more than 2 g.
Choosing reduced-salt ketchup
Low-sodium ketchup has almost no sodium, but FoodData Central lists the same 21 g of sugars per 100 g as regular ketchup. It still has the sugar.
Choosing 'no added sugar' ketchup
Some are sweetened with low- or no-calorie sweeteners instead, so check the label. The NHS says to avoid food and drink with sweeteners or sugar for children aged 4 or younger, and the 2025–2030 Dietary Guidelines say no amount of added sugars or non-nutritive sweeteners is recommended.
Missing ketchup in other foods
The AAP names ketchup, baked beans and salad dressing as hidden sources of added sugar. Read labels: US labels show added sugars on their own line (FDA).
Where US and UK guidance differ on ketchup
United States(AAP and CDC)Your setting
The 2025–2030 Dietary Guidelines call on parents to avoid added sugar for children aged 4 and under. The CDC says to avoid feeding young children foods high in salt (sodium).
United Kingdom(NHS)Your setting
The NHS says to avoid food and drink with sugar or sweeteners for children aged 4 and under. It says babies under 1 should have less than 1 g of salt a day and children aged 1 to 3 no more than 2 g, and lists ketchup among sauces that can be high in salt.
We cover US and UK guidance in detail. Elsewhere, check your national health service's advice too.
Questions parents ask
Can ketchup be a choking hazard for babies?
Ketchup is a low choking risk. The foods it comes with matter more: cut fries, burgers and sausages to a safe size for your child's age, and stay with your child during meals.
Can babies be allergic to ketchup?
Tomato ketchup is not a common allergen. Some ketchups and sauces contain other ingredients, such as celery or mustard, which the NHS lists among foods that can trigger allergy, so read the label.
Is ketchup healthy for babies?
A sweet, salty sauce: 100 g of ketchup has about 21 g of sugars and 907 mg of sodium (about 2.3 g of salt). The NHS counts more than 1.5 g of salt per 100 g as high. FoodData Central lists total sugars, not added sugar on its own; the AAP names ketchup as a hidden source of added sugar. Ketchup is not a meaningful source of vitamins or iron.
When can toddlers have ketchup?
US and UK advice is to avoid added sugar up to age 4, so ketchup is best left until then. Homemade tomato sauce, with no added salt or sugar, is a good swap at any age from 6 months.
My toddler had ketchup at a party. Is that a problem?
One taste isn't a reason to worry. The advice is to keep added sugar out of your child's food up to age 4, so next time bring a small pot of homemade tomato sauce, or put ketchup on the adults' plates only.
Is homemade ketchup OK?
Only if it's made without sugar, honey, syrup or salt, which makes it a tomato sauce. Most ketchup recipes add sugar. Simmer tomatoes with a little onion or carrot and blend smooth instead.
If your baby refuses ketchup
- Your child doesn't need ketchup, so there's no need to keep offering it.
- If they ask for ketchup, offer homemade tomato sauce or plain yogurt (once dairy has been introduced) for dipping instead.
- Serve family meals with sauce on the side, so adults add ketchup at the table.
- Save repeated tries for everyday foods: many children need 10 or more tries before they accept a new food.
Never force or pressure your baby to eat. Some days they'll eat more, some days less, and that's normal.
Buying and storing ketchup
- Store ketchup up high and out of your child's reach, and keep the bottle off the table when your toddler eats.
- Homemade tomato sauce keeps for 3 to 4 days in a covered container in the fridge.
- Homemade tomato sauce freezes in small portions for 2 to 3 months. Reheat only the portion you need, only once, to a rolling boil or 165°F (74°C), then let it 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
- HHS: Fact sheet: Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2025–2030
- AAP: How to reduce added sugar in your child's diet
- CDC: Foods and drinks to avoid or limit
- NHS: Foods to avoid giving babies and young children
- NHS: Salt in your diet
- NHS: Food labels
- NHS: Food allergies in babies and young children
- FDA: Added sugars on the Nutrition Facts label
- USDA FoodData Central: Catsup
- USDA FoodData Central: Catsup, low sodium
- FoodSafety.gov: Cold food storage chart
- USDA FSIS: Leftovers and food safety
- NHS Best Start in Life: Storing and reheating food
- NHS: Help your baby enjoy new foods
More first foods
Free printable: The First 100 Foods checklist
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