Liver
A little goes a long way. A small, occasional serving of an iron-rich food.
Checked against official guidance on October 18, 2026 · How we review
Quick answer
Babies can eat liver from around 6 months, once they show signs of being ready for solids. Prepare it as shown below.
How to serve liver by age
6 months+
Smooth blended liver
Cook chicken livers all the way through (165°F / 74°C), then blend them smooth with a little breast milk, formula or water. Serve a small amount on a pre-loaded spoon, stirred into mashed vegetables, or spread thinly on toast fingers once wheat has been introduced. Check the bread label for honey, which isn't safe before 12 months.
- Size
- A teaspoon or two on a pre-loaded spoon, or spread thinly on toast fingers about 6–8 cm long and 2 cm wide (2½–3 × ¾ in).
- Check before serving
- Check the thickest liver with a food thermometer (165°F / 74°C) before blending. Blend it smooth, with no lumps.
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+
Smooth blended liver or finely chopped
Keep offering smooth blended liver spread thinly on toast, or chop well-cooked liver finely and stir a small amount into mince, rice or pasta sauce.
- Size
- Pieces no bigger than about 1 cm (just under ½ inch), or finely chopped into other food.
- Check before serving
- Squash a piece between your thumb and finger. If it doesn't squash easily, chop it finer or mix it into a sauce.
12 months+
Blended liver or mixed into dishes
Spread a small amount of blended liver on toast, or chop cooked liver finely into bolognese, chili or meatballs. Keep portions small.
- Size
- Finely chopped pieces about 1 cm (just under ½ inch), or spread on toast.
- Check before serving
- Squash a chopped piece between your thumb and finger. Chop any firm or rubbery bits finer, or mix them into a sauce.
18 months+
Mixed into family meals
Mix a little finely chopped liver into family dishes made with ground meat. Avoid large chunks: they can be chewy and hard to break down.
- Size
- Bite-sized pieces about 1 cm (just under ½ inch), or as part of a dish.
- Check before serving
- Still check that chopped pieces are soft and finely cut, not chewy chunks.
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 liver
- 1
Trim any stringy bits from raw chicken livers. Keep raw liver away from ready-to-eat food, and wash your hands and boards afterward.
- 2
Simmer or pan-cook the livers in a little oil until they're cooked through and reach 165°F (74°C) in the thickest part. Don't add salt.
- 3
Let them cool, then blend with a splash of breast milk, formula or water until smooth.
- 4
Portion into small amounts, about a teaspoon or two each, and freeze what you won't use within a few days.
How much to offer
Keep portions small and occasional: a teaspoon or two of blended liver, no more than once a week. Liver is very high in vitamin A. FoodData Central lists about 4,000 mcg per 100 g of cooked chicken liver, so a tablespoon (about 15 g) gives around 600 mcg. That is the whole daily upper limit NIH sets for babies and children up to 3, and the limit counts vitamin A from all sources together (milk, formula, other foods and supplements), not liver alone. Your baby decides how much to eat from the small portion you offer.
Common mistakes
Serving it too often or in big portions
Liver is one of the richest sources of vitamin A, and too much vitamin A can be harmful. Offer a small amount, no more than once a week.
Undercooking it
Cook chicken liver all the way through to 165°F (74°C), checked with a food thermometer. Never serve it pink or rare.
Choosing beef liver for babies
Beef liver has more than twice the vitamin A of chicken liver and a little over half the iron, per FoodData Central. Chicken liver is the gentler choice.
Serving chunks
Cooked liver can be firm and chewy, and the AAP lists chunks of meat among foods to modify for young children. Blend it smooth or chop it finely.
Giving pâté
UK early years guidance says children under 5 shouldn't have fresh pâté (meat, fish or vegetable-based), to reduce the risk of food poisoning. Shop-bought pâté is also often salty, and you can't tell how much vitamin A it contains. Instead, cook liver all the way through and blend it smooth at home, then serve it fresh or reheated until steaming.
Where US and UK guidance differ on liver
United States(AAP and CDC)Your setting
We found no US agency guidance on how often babies can eat liver. NIH sets an upper limit for preformed vitamin A of 600 mcg a day from birth to 3 years, counting food, formula and supplements together, and liver is one of the richest sources, so keep portions small and occasional. Cook chicken liver to 165°F (74°C).
United Kingdom(NHS)Your setting
The NHS advises not eating liver or liver products, such as pâté, more than once a week because liver is so rich in vitamin A. This is general advice, not specific to babies. The NHS also recommends daily vitamin drops with vitamin A for babies and children from 6 months to 5 years, unless a baby has more than 500 ml of formula a day.
We cover US and UK guidance in detail. Elsewhere, check your national health service's advice too.
Questions parents ask
Can liver be a choking hazard for babies?
Smooth blended liver is a low choking risk. Chunks of cooked liver can be firm and chewy, and the AAP lists chunks of meat among foods to modify for young children. Blend it smooth for babies and chop it finely for toddlers. Always cook liver all the way through.
Can babies be allergic to liver?
Liver is not a common allergen.
Is liver healthy for babies?
Very rich in iron, vitamin A, vitamin B12 and folate. Cooked chicken liver has about 11.6 mg of iron per 100 g, so two teaspoons of blended liver (about 10 g) give around 1.2 mg, a useful share of the 11 mg a day babies aged 7 to 12 months need. Keep to that small amount because of the vitamin A.
Is liver safe for babies?
Yes, in small amounts and not too often, cooked all the way through. Because it's so high in vitamin A, keep servings to a teaspoon or two of blended liver, no more than once a week. Don't give pâté to children under 5 (UK early years guidance, food poisoning risk). Cook liver through and blend it at home instead.
Is chicken liver or beef liver better for babies?
Chicken liver. FoodData Central lists less than half the vitamin A of beef liver, and almost twice the iron.
My baby takes vitamin drops. Can they still have liver?
Ask your health visitor or pediatrician first. The NHS recommends daily drops with vitamins A, C and D for babies and children from 6 months to 5 years (unless a baby has more than 500 ml of formula a day), so keep giving the drops as advised. The NHS's general advice is not to take supplements with vitamin A if you eat liver every week, and not to give a child 2 supplements at once, such as cod liver oil and drops. If you offer liver, keep it to a teaspoon or two, no more than once a week.
Can babies eat liver every day?
No. The NHS advises not eating liver or liver products more than once a week because of the vitamin A, and NIH's upper limit for babies and toddlers (600 mcg a day from all sources) can be reached with about a tablespoon of chicken liver.
If your baby refuses liver
- Many babies need 10 or more tries before they accept a new food. Keep offering it alongside foods they already like.
- Liver has a strong taste. Mix a small amount into foods your baby already likes, such as mashed potato or pasta sauce.
- Try it spread thinly on toast fingers rather than on a spoon.
- It's fine if liver isn't a favorite. Meat, beans, lentils and iron-fortified cereal are iron-rich too.
Never force or pressure your baby to eat. Some days they'll eat more, some days less, and that's normal.
Buying and storing liver
- Keep raw liver in a sealed container on the bottom shelf of the fridge, and cook or freeze it within 1 to 2 days.
- Cooked liver keeps for 3 to 4 days in a covered container in the fridge. Blended liver keeps for 1 day. 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.
- Freeze blended liver in small portions (an ice cube tray works well) for 1 to 2 months, and thaw in the fridge. Reheat cooked liver dishes 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:
- Your baby takes vitamin drops or a multivitamin with vitamin A and you'd like to offer liver. Ask how much is right for them.
- 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
- NHS: Vitamin A
- NIH Office of Dietary Supplements: Vitamin A and carotenoids
- NIH Office of Dietary Supplements: Iron
- USDA FoodData Central: Chicken liver, cooked, simmered
- USDA FoodData Central: Beef liver, cooked, braised
- USDA FSIS: Chicken from farm to table
- NHS: Vitamins for children
- NHS: Your baby's first solid foods
- AAP: Choking prevention for babies and children
- FDA: Once baby arrives (Food safety for moms-to-be)
- USDA FSIS: Leftovers and food safety
- NHS: Foods to avoid giving babies and young children
- UK Department for Education: Food safety in early years settings
- Food Standards Agency: Home food fact checker
- NHS Best Start in Life: Storing and reheating food
More first foods
Free printable: The First 100 Foods checklist
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