Raisins
Naturally sweet and easy to keep in the cupboard. Soak them soft, then chop or blend.
Checked against official guidance on October 18, 2026 · How we review
Quick answer
Babies can eat raisins from around 6 months, once they show signs of being ready for solids. Prepare it as shown below.
How to serve raisins by age
6 months+
Soaked and blended, or finely chopped into soft food
Cover raisins with just-boiled water and soak them for 10 to 15 minutes, until plump and soft. Drain, then blend them or chop them very finely and stir into iron-fortified cereal, oatmeal or plain full-fat yogurt (once dairy has been introduced on its own).
- Size
- Blended smooth, or chopped very finely and stirred into a soft food such as oatmeal. No whole raisins.
- Check before serving
- Squash a soaked raisin between your thumb and finger. It should flatten easily and not feel leathery. If it doesn't, soak 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+
Soaked and chopped
Soak raisins until soft, then chop them and stir into oatmeal, yogurt or soft rice, or bake them into soft muffins or pancakes. Chopped pieces mixed into a moist food are easier to manage than loose, sticky pieces.
- Size
- Pieces no bigger than about 1 cm (just under ½ inch): cut each soaked raisin into 2 or 3 pieces.
- Check before serving
- Squash a piece between your thumb and finger: it should flatten easily. Check that no whole raisins are left.
12 months+
Soaked and chopped, or baked in
Keep soaking and chopping raisins, or cook them into soft family foods like muffins, pancakes or stewed fruit. Don't switch to whole raisins at 1: the NHS says to always cut dried fruit into small pieces, and the CDC lists uncooked raisins as a choking hazard for young children, with no age when they become safe.
- Size
- Chopped pieces about 1 cm (just under ½ inch) or smaller, or baked into soft foods.
- Check before serving
- Squash a piece between your thumb and finger. Soft and squashable is safest.
18 months+
Chopped, or cooked into family foods
Use soaked, chopped raisins in porridge, baking, curries or tagines. Whole dry raisins are still on the CDC choking list for young children, so keep chopping them or cooking them in. Offer them with meals rather than as a snack between meals, to help protect your toddler's teeth. Make sure your toddler sits down to eat, and stay with them.
- Size
- Bite-sized pieces about 1 cm (just under ½ inch), or cooked into dishes.
- Check before serving
- Squash a piece between your thumb and finger: soft pieces are safest. Check that no whole dry raisins are on the plate.
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 raisins
- 1
Pick plain raisins with no added sugar or coating. Rinse them in a sieve under running water.
- 2
Cover them with just-boiled water and soak for 10 to 15 minutes, until plump and soft. Drain and let them cool.
- 3
Blend them or chop them very finely (6 months), or cut each one into 2 or 3 pieces (9 months+).
- 4
Stir them into a soft, moist food such as oatmeal or yogurt, so the pieces don't stick together.
How much to offer
Start with a teaspoon of blended or finely chopped raisins stirred into a familiar food. Your baby decides how much to eat: stop when they turn away or close their mouth. Raisins are sweet and sticky, so a small amount mixed into a meal is plenty.
Common mistakes
Giving whole dry raisins to a baby
Dry raisins are small, sticky and chewy. The NHS says not to give whole raisins to babies under 1, and to always cut dried fruit into small pieces. The CDC lists uncooked raisins as a choking hazard for young children, so soak them until soft and keep chopping them after the first birthday too.
Using raisins as a between-meal snack
The sugar in raisins can cause tooth decay. The NHS suggests giving dried fruit with meals rather than as a snack in between. Babies under 1 don't need snacks at all.
Serving a big pile of loose pieces
Sticky pieces can clump together in the mouth. Mix them into a moist food instead.
Choosing yogurt-coated or sugared raisins
These have added sugar, which babies don't need. Use plain raisins.
Where US and UK guidance differ on raisins
United States(AAP and CDC)Your setting
The CDC lists uncooked dried fruit such as raisins as a choking hazard for young children, without a set age. Keep soaking and chopping them, or cooking them into foods, through the toddler years.
United Kingdom(NHS)Your setting
The NHS says not to give whole raisins or other dried fruit to babies under 1, and to always cut them into small pieces. It also suggests giving dried fruit with meals, not as a snack, to protect teeth.
We cover US and UK guidance in detail. Elsewhere, check your national health service's advice too.
Questions parents ask
Can raisins be a choking hazard for babies?
Dry raisins are a choking hazard for babies and young children: the CDC lists uncooked dried fruit such as raisins as foods to avoid, and warns against small, sticky foods. Soak raisins until soft, chop them or blend them, and mix them into a moist food. Make sure your child sits down to eat, and stay with them.
Can babies be allergic to raisins?
Raisins are not a common allergen. Some dried fruits contain sulfur dioxide (sulfites). The NHS lists sulfur dioxide among foods that can trigger a reaction, so check the label if your child has reacted to sulfites before.
Are raisins healthy for babies?
Raisins give some fiber, potassium and iron: about 4.5 g of fiber, 744 mg of potassium and 1.8 mg of iron per 100 g. A baby-sized serving is small, so it only adds a little of each. They are high in natural sugar, about 65 g per 100 g.
When can babies eat raisins?
From around 6 months, soaked until soft and blended or finely chopped into a soft food. The NHS says not to give whole raisins to babies under 1.
Are raisins bad for teeth?
They can be. The NHS says the sugar in raisins and other dried fruit can cause tooth decay, so it's best to offer them with meals rather than as a snack between meals.
Can raisins help with constipation?
They contain some fiber, and the NHS says plenty of fruit, vegetables and fluids can help prevent constipation in children. If you think your child is constipated, the NHS advises seeing your GP and getting help early. The AAP advises seeing your pediatrician if constipation lasts more than a week or you see blood in their poop.
If your baby refuses raisins
- Many babies need 10 or more tries before they accept a new food. Keep offering it alongside foods they already like.
- Try blending soaked raisins into oatmeal for natural sweetness, instead of offering them as pieces.
- Bake chopped raisins into soft muffins or pancakes.
- Eat some yourself at the same meal. Babies copy what they see.
Never force or pressure your baby to eat. Some days they'll eat more, some days less, and that's normal.
Buying and storing raisins
- Keep dry raisins in an airtight container in a cool, dry cupboard.
- Soaked raisins 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.
- Soaked, blended raisins can be frozen in small portions and used within 3 months. Thaw them in the fridge, use them within 24 hours of thawing, and stir them into warm oatmeal.
- 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
- NHS: Preparing food safely for babies
- NHS: What to feed young children
- NHS: Help your baby enjoy new foods
- NHS: Food allergies in babies and young children
- NHS: Constipation in children
- AAP: Abdominal pain in infants
- USDA FoodData Central: Raisins, dark, seedless
- USDA FSIS: Leftovers and food safety
- Food Standards Agency: Home food fact checker
- AAP: Is it OK to make my own baby food?
- NHS Best Start in Life: Storing and reheating food
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