Pomegranate
Ruby red and tangy. Blend the arils smooth and stir a little into a soft food.
Checked against official guidance on October 18, 2026 · How we review
Quick answer
Babies can eat pomegranate from around 6 months, once they show signs of being ready for solids. Prepare it as shown below.
How to serve pomegranate by age
6 months+
Blended smooth and stirred into a soft food
Blend a few spoonfuls of arils (the juicy red seed pods) until smooth and the seeds are finely ground. If you can still feel hard bits, press it through a fine sieve. Stir a teaspoon or two into plain yogurt (once dairy has been introduced on its own), oatmeal or iron-fortified cereal. Never give whole arils.
- Size
- Blended until smooth, with no hard seed pieces, and stirred into a soft food. No whole arils.
- Check before serving
- Rub a little between your thumb and finger. It should feel smooth or finely gritty, with no hard or sharp seed pieces.
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+
Blended smooth and mixed into foods
Keep blending pomegranate until the seeds are finely ground, then swirl it into yogurt or oatmeal, or mix it with mashed avocado and spread it thinly on toast fingers. Check the bread label for honey, which isn't safe before 12 months.
- Size
- Blended until smooth and mixed into soft foods or spread thinly on a toast finger. No whole arils.
- Check before serving
- Check for hard seed pieces before serving. Blend longer or sieve if you feel any.
12 months+
Blended into foods
Stir blended pomegranate into yogurt, porridge or sauces for family meals. Still serve it with the seeds finely ground, not whole.
- Size
- Blended until smooth and mixed into foods. No whole arils.
- Check before serving
- Check for hard seed pieces before serving.
18 months+
Blended into foods
Keep blending pomegranate into yogurt, porridge, dressings and sauces. Whole arils are still not advised at this age: see the guidance note below. Make sure your toddler sits down to eat, and stay with them.
- Size
- Blended until smooth and mixed into foods. No whole arils.
- Check before serving
- Check for hard seed pieces 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 pomegranate
- 1
Rinse the pomegranate under running water and dry it before cutting.
- 2
Cut it in half and tap the back of each half with a wooden spoon over a bowl, or pull the arils out by hand. Pick out any pale pith.
- 3
Blend the arils until smooth and the seeds are finely ground. If you feel any hard bits, press the blended fruit through a fine sieve.
- 4
Stir a teaspoon or two into a soft food your baby already eats. Don't add sugar.
How much to offer
Start with a teaspoon of blended pomegranate stirred into a familiar food. Your baby decides how much to eat: stop when they turn away or close their mouth. It's tangy, so a little goes a long way.
Common mistakes
Giving whole arils
Each aril has a hard seed inside. The CDC lists whole or chopped nuts and seeds as a choking hazard, and UK early years guidance says not to give whole seeds to children under 5. Blend them until the seeds are finely ground, and sieve out any hard bits.
Leaving hard seed bits in the blend
A quick pulse can leave sharp, hard pieces. Blend until smooth, and sieve it if you can still feel bits.
Giving pomegranate juice as a drink
The AAP advises no juice before 12 months, and the NHS advises avoiding fruit juice for children aged 4 and under, because of the sugar. Stir blended whole fruit into food instead.
Dropping arils on the floor
Loose arils roll and are easy for crawling babies to find. Prepare pomegranate away from your baby and sweep up stray arils.
Where US and UK guidance differ on pomegranate
United States(AAP and CDC)Your setting
For babies under 1, the AAP says that apart from mashed banana, most fruits should be cooked until soft. Pomegranate here is blended smooth, not served in chunks, but if you follow US advice you can simmer the arils briefly before blending. The CDC lists whole or chopped seeds as a choking hazard for young children, and the AAP advises keeping nuts and seeds away from children until about 4 years, depending on each child's development. Serve pomegranate blended, with the seeds finely ground.
United Kingdom(NHS)Your setting
UK early years guidance says to remove pips from fruit and not to give whole seeds to children under 5. The NHS says to serve seeds finely ground. Serve pomegranate blended, with the seeds finely ground.
We cover US and UK guidance in detail. Elsewhere, check your national health service's advice too.
Questions parents ask
Can pomegranate be a choking hazard for babies?
Whole pomegranate arils are small and slippery, with a hard seed inside. The CDC lists whole or chopped nuts and seeds as a choking hazard for young children, the AAP advises keeping seeds away from children until about 4 years, and UK early years guidance says not to give whole seeds to children under 5. Blend pomegranate until the seeds are finely ground, as the NHS advises for seeds, and stir it into a soft food. Stay with your child during meals.
Can babies be allergic to pomegranate?
Pomegranate is not a common allergen.
Is pomegranate healthy for babies?
Pomegranate arils give fiber, potassium and vitamin K: about 4 g of fiber, 236 mg of potassium and 16 µg of vitamin K per 100 g. They are not a major source of iron.
Can babies eat pomegranate seeds?
Not whole. Each aril has a hard seed inside, and whole seeds are a choking hazard. Blend the arils until the seeds are finely ground, sieve out any hard bits, and stir a little into a soft food.
When can my child eat whole pomegranate arils?
Not before about 4 years, or 5 if you follow UK early years guidance. We couldn't find official guidance that clears whole arils for babies or toddlers. The AAP advises keeping seeds from children until about 4 years, depending on the child, and UK early years guidance says no whole seeds under 5. Until then, serve pomegranate blended with the seeds finely ground.
Can babies drink pomegranate juice?
Not before 12 months: the AAP says babies under 1 shouldn't have juice. From 1 to 3 years, the AAP says no more than 4 ounces (120 ml) of 100% juice a day, with a meal. The NHS advises avoiding fruit juice up to age 4. Blended whole fruit stirred into food is the better choice.
If your baby refuses pomegranate
- Many babies need 10 or more tries before they accept a new food. Keep offering it alongside foods they already like.
- Pomegranate is tangy. Try a small swirl in yogurt or oatmeal 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 pomegranate
- Keep whole pomegranates in a cool place or in the fridge.
- Keep loose arils and blended pomegranate in a covered container in the fridge, at 40°F (4°C) or below.
- Blend pomegranate shortly before serving, or freeze small portions in an ice cube tray and use them within 3 months. Thaw them in the fridge and use them within 24 hours of thawing.
- 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.
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Helpful guides
Sources
- CDC: Choking hazards
- AAP: When can babies start solid foods?
- AAP: Choking prevention for babies and children
- UK Department for Education: Food safety in early years settings
- NHS: Food allergies in babies and young children
- NHS: Foods to avoid giving babies and young children
- AAP: Where we stand: fruit juice for children
- USDA FoodData Central: Pomegranates, 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
- NHS: Help your baby enjoy new foods
More first foods
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