When can babies eat spinach?

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

Spinach

A leafy green that melts into almost anything. Cook it, chop it, stir it in.

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

Quick answer

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

From 6 monthsLow choking risk as servedNot a common allergenIron-rich

How to serve spinach by age

6 months+

Cooked and blended into soft foods

Remove any thick stems, then wilt spinach in a pan or steamer until very soft, squeeze out the water, then blend it or chop it very finely. Stir it into mashed potato, sweet potato, avocado or lentils and serve on a pre-loaded spoon.

Size: Cooked, then blended or very finely chopped and mixed into a mash or purée, with no whole leaves left.
Check before serving: Lift a spoonful and look for whole leaves or long strands. If you see any, blend or chop it again.

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 spinach

1
Rinse the spinach well under running water, gently rubbing the leaves. Remove any thick stems.
2
Wilt it in a pan with a splash of water, or steam it, for about 2 to 3 minutes until it's very soft and dark green. Don't add salt.
3
Let it cool, squeeze out the extra water, then blend it or chop it very finely.
4
Stir it into a food your baby already eats. Frozen chopped spinach works well too: cook it until hot, then drain and chop it finely.

How much to offer

Start with a teaspoon or so of cooked spinach mixed into a familiar food. Your baby decides how much to eat: stop when they turn away or close their mouth. Lots of smearing and mess is normal at first.

Common mistakes

Serving whole leaves

Whole leaves, raw or wilted, are hard for babies to chew and can make them gag. Cook spinach, then blend it or chop it finely.

Relying on spinach for iron

Spinach has iron, but the body absorbs it poorly. Offer iron-rich foods like meat, beans, lentils and iron-fortified cereal too.

Skipping the rinse

Leafy greens can carry dirt and germs. Rinse them under running water, even if you plan to cook them.

Stopping after a few refusals

Vegetables that aren't sweet often take 10 or more tries. Offering them from the start may help prevent fussy eating later.

Questions parents ask

Can spinach be a choking hazard for babies?

Cooked spinach that's blended or finely chopped is a low choking risk. Whole leaves, raw or wilted, are hard for babies to chew, so blend or chop spinach finely and mix it into soft foods. Stay with your child during meals.

Can babies be allergic to spinach?

Spinach is not a common allergen. Foods rich in histamine, including spinach, can cause a red rash around the mouth or on the hands where the food touches the skin (NHS Healthier Together). This is a contact reaction, not an allergy, and it fades once the skin is wiped clean. A rash that spreads or turns into hives is different: talk to your pediatrician.

Is spinach healthy for babies?

Cooked spinach has about 3.6 mg of iron per 100 g, but the NIH notes that spinach has low iron bioavailability: it contains compounds that block iron absorption. It also provides vitamin A, vitamin K and folate. Vitamin C in the same meal helps the body absorb iron from plant foods.

Is spinach a good source of iron for babies?

It has a lot of iron for a vegetable (about 3.6 mg per 100 g cooked), but it isn't a reliable source on its own. It's the plant (nonheme) kind, and spinach also contains compounds that block absorption. Pair it with iron-rich foods such as meat, beans, lentils or iron-fortified cereal, plus a food with vitamin C.

Can babies eat raw spinach?

Not as whole leaves: they're hard to chew and can make babies gag. Cooked and chopped or blended is easiest. The AAP's homemade baby food example blends a small handful of spinach with banana and avocado (it doesn't say whether the spinach is raw or cooked). Rinse it well first.

Are nitrates in spinach a worry for babies?

Not for babies starting solids. The CDC's ATSDR reports that the AAP suggests avoiding home-prepared spinach, beets, green beans, squash and carrots until a baby is at least 3 months old, and solid foods aren't recommended before around 6 months anyway.

Can I use frozen spinach?

Yes. Frozen chopped spinach is handy for babies. Cook it until hot, squeeze out the water, and chop it finely before mixing it into food.

If your baby refuses spinach

Vegetables that aren't sweet often take 10 or more tries. Keep offering a little, alongside foods your baby already likes.
Blend it into foods your baby already likes, such as mashed potato, avocado or lentils.
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 spinach

Keep fresh spinach in the fridge, at or below 40°F (4°C).
Cooked spinach 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, chopped spinach can be frozen in an ice cube tray for up to 3 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).

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 spinach?

Add it to your first 100 foods.