Okra

How to serve okra by age

6 months+

Whole soft-cooked pods or mashed okra

Trim off the stem cap, then steam or roast whole pods until very soft. Offer the whole pod to hold and gnaw, or mash cooked okra into lentils, rice or potato.

Size

Whole pods 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 pod 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

Cut soft-cooked pods in half lengthwise, then chop them into small pieces, or stir them into rice, lentils or stews.

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 or in family dishes

Serve soft-cooked okra with family meals, or in stews, curries, gumbo and tomato sauces. Leave salt 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: soft enough to flatten with gentle pressure.

18 months+

Soft-cooked okra in family meals

Keep serving okra cooked until tender: roasted until soft all the way through, or simmered in stews and curries. Skip breaded fried okra: it's crunchy and usually salty.

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 okra, which can crisp at the tips.

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 okra

1. 1

   Rinse the okra under running water, rubbing each pod gently, and pat it dry.

2. 2

   Trim off the stem cap at the top of each pod.

3. 3

   Steam whole pods for about 8 to 10 minutes, or roast at 200°C (390°F) for about 15 to 20 minutes, until a knife slides through with no resistance.

4. 4

   Do the squash test, then let it cool before serving. Don't add salt.

How much to offer

Start with one or two pods 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 okra

• Many babies need 10 or more tries before they accept a new food. Keep offering it alongside foods they already like.
• Try another form: whole soft pods, roasted pieces, or chopped into rice, lentils or stew.
• 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 okra

• Keep raw okra dry in the fridge and use it within a few days.
• Cooked okra 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 okra, or stews made with it, can be frozen for 3 to 4 months. Reheat only once, to 165°F (74°C), until steaming hot, 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).