Nectarine
A smooth-skinned cousin of the peach. Ripe, peeled and stone out, it's soft and juicy.
Checked against official guidance on October 18, 2026 · How we review
Quick answer
Babies can eat nectarine from around 6 months, once they show signs of being ready for solids. Prepare it as shown below.
How to serve nectarine by age
6 months+
Ripe peeled wedges or mash
Peel a ripe nectarine, cut the flesh away from the stone, and slice it into thick wedges. If it's firm, steam or simmer the wedges until soft. Or mash it and serve it on a pre-loaded spoon. Always remove the stone.
- Size
- Peeled wedges about the size of an adult finger, roughly 6–8 cm long and 2 cm wide (2½–3 × ¾ in), or mashed.
- Check before serving
- Squash a wedge between your thumb and finger. It should flatten easily. If you have to press hard, cook it until soft.
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
Cut ripe, peeled nectarine into small pieces for pincer-grasp practice. Too slippery? Once oats have been introduced on their own, roll the pieces in finely ground oats.
- 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+
Soft pieces or in dishes
Offer small pieces of soft, ripe, peeled nectarine, or stir it into oatmeal or plain yogurt.
- Size
- Small pieces about 1 cm (just under ½ inch), or thin slices.
- Check before serving
- Still do the squash test: firm nectarines need cooking first.
18 months+
Pieces, slices or in dishes
Serve ripe, peeled nectarine as a snack, in fruit salads with other soft fruit, or baked into oatmeal and muffins. Make sure your toddler sits down to eat, and stay with them.
- Size
- Bite-sized pieces about 1 cm (just under ½ inch), or thin slices.
- Check before serving
- Still do the squash test with raw nectarine, and check that no bits of stone are left.
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 nectarine
- 1
Choose a nectarine that gives a little when you press it gently.
- 2
Rinse it under running water, gently rubbing the skin, before you peel it.
- 3
Peel it with a knife or vegetable peeler. Cut around the stone, twist the halves apart and take the stone out.
- 4
Cut the flesh into thick wedges (6 months) or small pieces (9 months+). If they don't pass the squash test, steam them for a few minutes until soft, and let them cool. Don't add sugar.
How much to offer
Start with one or two soft wedges, or a teaspoon or two of mash. Your baby decides how much to eat: stop when they turn away or close their mouth. Lots of squashing and dropping is normal at first.
Common mistakes
Leaving the stone in
The stone is hard and a choking hazard. Take it out before serving, and check for broken bits.
Serving firm, under-ripe nectarine
Firm nectarine is hard to gum and can break off in chunks. Wait until it's ripe, or cook it until it squashes easily.
Leaving the skin on
Nectarine skin is smooth but still chewy. Peel it for babies and young toddlers: taking the skin off makes it easier to swallow.
Only offering sweet fruit
Nectarines are easy to love. Also offer vegetables that aren't sweet, like broccoli and spinach, from the start.
Where US and UK guidance differ on nectarine
United States(AAP and CDC)Your setting
The AAP advises cooking most fruit until soft before 12 months, except mashed banana, and lists fruit chunks among foods to avoid under 1. Cook or mash nectarine if you follow US advice.
United Kingdom(NHS)Your setting
The NHS lists slices of soft fruit, such as peach, as a finger food from around 6 months, and from 12 months suggests small pieces of soft, ripe, peeled peach. Nectarine is a smooth-skinned peach: take out the stone and use only nectarine that passes the squash test.
We cover US and UK guidance in detail. Elsewhere, check your national health service's advice too.
Questions parents ask
Can nectarine be a choking hazard for babies?
Ripe, soft nectarine is easy for babies to manage, but the stone is a choking hazard, and firm nectarine can break off in hard pieces. Always take out the stone, peel it, and use only nectarine that squashes easily between your fingers. Stay with your child during meals.
Can babies be allergic to nectarine?
Nectarine is not a common allergen. It is a smooth-skinned variety of peach, and some older children and adults with hay fever get an itchy mouth or throat from raw peach (pollen food allergy syndrome). It isn't usual in young children, and cooked fruit is usually fine.
Is nectarine healthy for babies?
Provides some potassium, vitamin C and beta-carotene, plus a little fiber: raw nectarine has about 201 mg of potassium, 5 mg of vitamin C and 1.7 g of fiber per 100 g. It is not a major source of iron.
Do I need to peel nectarines for my baby?
Yes, for babies and young toddlers. The NHS suggests removing the skin on fruit because it makes it easier to swallow, especially for very young children.
Is nectarine the same as peach?
Nearly. A nectarine is a peach variety with smooth skin instead of fuzzy skin. You prepare it the same way: ripe, peeled and with the stone removed.
If your baby refuses nectarine
- Many babies need 10 or more tries before they accept a new food. Keep offering it alongside foods they already like.
- Try a different form: mash instead of wedges, or nectarine stirred into oatmeal.
- 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 nectarine
- Ripen firm nectarines at room temperature. Once ripe, keep them in the fridge, and refrigerate any cut nectarine.
- Cooked nectarine keeps for 3 to 4 days in a covered container in the fridge.
- Nectarine pieces or mash can be frozen and used within 3 months. Thaw them in the fridge and use them within 24 hours of thawing. Don't give frozen pieces to a baby: they're hard.
- 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 child gets an itchy mouth or throat every time they eat raw nectarine or peach. Ask about pollen food allergy syndrome.
- 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: When can babies start solid foods?
- NHS: Your baby's first solid foods
- NHS: Preparing food safely for babies
- ACAAI: Pollen food allergy syndrome
- USDA FoodData Central: Nectarines, raw
- FDA: 7 tips for cleaning fruits and vegetables
- USDA FSIS: Leftovers and food safety
- AAP: Is it OK to make my own baby food?
- NHS Best Start in Life: Storing and reheating food
More first foods
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