Plum

How to serve plum by age

6 months+

Ripe peeled wedges or mash

Peel a ripe plum, cut it in half around the stone, and take the stone out. Cut each half into large wedges and offer them if they squash easily. If the plum is firm, simmer the pieces until soft, or mash ripe or cooked plum and serve it on a pre-loaded spoon.

Size

Large peeled wedges, as long as the plum allows (about 4–5 cm, 1½–2 in), or mashed.

Check before serving

Squash a piece 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 or soft-cooked, peeled plum into small pieces for pincer-grasp practice, or stir mashed plum into oatmeal or other foods your baby already eats.

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 or thin slices of ripe plum with the stone removed, or stewed plum on oatmeal or plain yogurt. Peeling is still easier for young toddlers.

Size

Small pieces about 1 cm (just under ½ inch), or thin slices.

Check before serving

Still do the squash test: firm plums need cooking first.

18 months+

Pieces, slices or in dishes

Serve ripe plum in pieces or slices, in fruit salads with other soft fruit, or stewed or baked without added sugar. Never give a plum with the stone still in. 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 plum: if it's firm, cook it. Check that the stone and any broken bits of it are gone before serving.

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 plum

1. 1

   Choose plums that give a little when you press them gently.

2. 2

   Rinse them under running water, gently rubbing the skin, before you peel them.

3. 3

   Peel each plum with a small knife or vegetable peeler. Cut it in half around the stone, twist the halves apart and take the stone out.

4. 4

   Cut into large wedges (6 months) or small pieces (9 months+). If they don't pass the squash test, simmer them in a little water for a few minutes until soft, and let them cool. Don't add sugar.

How much to offer

Start with one or two soft pieces, or a teaspoon or two of mash. Your baby decides how much to eat: stop when they turn away or close their mouth. Plums are tart, so funny faces are common at first.

Common mistakes

Questions parents ask

If your baby refuses plum

• Many babies need 10 or more tries before they accept a new food. Keep offering it alongside foods they already like.
• Plums can be tart. Try a very ripe one, or mix mashed plum into oatmeal or another food your baby already likes.
• 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 plum

• Ripen firm plums at room temperature. Once ripe, keep them in the fridge, and refrigerate any cut plum.
• Stewed plum keeps for 3 to 4 days in a covered container in the fridge.
• Stewed or mashed plum can be frozen and used within 3 months. Thaw it in the fridge, use it within 24 hours of thawing, and reheat it 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).