When can babies eat peas?

From around 6 months, once your baby is ready for solids, served in a safe shape and texture for their age.

Peas

Small, sweet and great for practicing that pincer grip. Just squash them first.

Checked against official guidance on October 18, 2026 · How we review

Quick answer

Babies can eat peas from around 6 months, once they show signs of being ready for solids. Prepare it as shown below.

From 6 monthsMedium choking risk as servedNot a common allergen

How to serve peas by age

6 months+

Mashed peas, on a spoon or toast

Cook peas until very soft, then mash them with a fork, adding a little breast milk, formula or water. Serve on a pre-loaded spoon, or, once your baby has had wheat on its own, spread thinly on a lightly toasted finger they can hold. Soft, untoasted white bread can form a doughy ball in the mouth. Check the bread label for honey, which isn't safe before 12 months.

Size: Mashed, or spread thinly on a lightly toasted bread finger about the size of an adult finger, roughly 6–8 cm long and 2 cm wide (2½–3 × ¾ in).
Check before serving: Look for whole peas in the mash. Every pea should be broken open and squashed, with no round ones left.

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.

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 peas

1
Rinse fresh pods under running water, then shell them. Frozen peas can go straight into the pan.
2
Boil or steam them for about 4 to 6 minutes, until they're very soft. Don't add salt to the cooking water.
3
Drain and cool them, then mash them (6 months) or press each pea flat (9 months+).
4
Using canned peas? Choose cans with no added salt, then drain and rinse them before mashing or squashing.

How much to offer

Start with a teaspoon or two of mashed peas, or a few squashed peas on the tray. Your baby decides how much to eat: stop when they turn away or close their mouth. Lots of chasing, dropping and squishing is normal at first.

Common mistakes

Serving whole round peas

Peas are small and round, the shape most likely to block a small airway. Mash them, or press each one flat.

Offering frozen peas as a snack

Frozen peas are hard. Always cook them until soft, then let them cool before serving.

Using salted canned peas

Babies shouldn't have added salt. Pick no-salt-added cans, drain and rinse them, or use frozen peas.

Only offering sweet vegetables

Peas are sweet and easy to love. Also offer vegetables that aren't sweet, like broccoli, cauliflower and spinach, from the start.

Questions parents ask

Can peas be a choking hazard for babies?

Peas are small and round, so whole peas can be a choking hazard for babies and toddlers. Cook them until soft, then mash them or press each pea flat. Never serve frozen or uncooked peas. Make sure your child sits upright to eat, and stay with them during meals.

Can babies be allergic to peas?

Peas are not a common allergen.

Are peas healthy for babies?

Cooked frozen peas have about 5 g of protein and 4.5 g of fiber per 100 g, plus some vitamin A and vitamin C. They also have about 1.5 mg of iron per 100 g, a small part of the 11 mg a day babies 7–12 months need, and it's the plant (nonheme) kind, which the body absorbs less well than iron from meat.

Can I use frozen peas for my baby?

Yes. Frozen peas are an easy choice: cook them until very soft, then mash or squash them. Don't serve them frozen, as they're hard.

Can babies eat peas every day?

Yes, as part of a varied diet. Offering a range of vegetables, including ones that aren't sweet, helps your baby get used to different flavors.

Can peas help with constipation?

Peas contain fiber. To help prevent constipation, the NHS suggests giving children plenty of fruit and vegetables, which are a good source of fiber, and plenty to drink. If your child is often constipated, talk to your pediatrician.

If your baby refuses peas

Many babies need 10 or more tries before they accept a new food. Keep offering it alongside foods they already like.
Try another form: mashed on toast, stirred into rice or pasta, or squashed on the tray.
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 peas

Keep fresh peas in the fridge and frozen peas in the freezer.
Cooked peas keep 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.
Mashed peas can be frozen in an ice cube tray 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).

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.

Offered peas?

Add it to your first 100 foods.