6 months Your baby
Peel the banana halfway and hand over the bottom half, leaving the peel as a handle. Or cut a peeled banana in half lengthways, then across, and roll it in ground oats so it is easier to hold.
Bananas for babies
- Low choking risk
- fruit
Yes — from 6 months
Yes, babies can eat banana from around 6 months. It is soft, sweet and needs no preparation beyond peeling, which makes it one of the simplest first foods to offer. Serve it in a large piece your baby can grip rather than in small slices.
Serve a piece big enough to grip, not small round slices.
How to serve banana
9 months Your baby
Offer bite-sized pieces, roughly the width of your little fingernail, for pincer-grasp practice. Quartering lengthways first stops the pieces being round.
12 months and up Your baby
Slices, chunks, or a whole small banana to work on — most toddlers manage this well. Keep supervising.
Choking risk
Ripe banana is soft and dissolves easily, so the risk is low. Avoid firm, underripe banana, which is harder to break down. Whole small bananas handed over intact can be bitten off in large pieces, so keep the piece to about half a banana at first.
Why it is worth offering
- Good source of potassium and vitamin B6
- Naturally sweet, which makes it useful for pairing with foods babies reject at first
- Easy to carry and needs no cooking
Banana is often the very first food a family tries, because it requires no equipment and no cooking. The one adjustment worth making is size: a piece long enough for a baby’s fist, with some sticking out of the top of their hand, is far easier to eat than a short slice.
Recipes with banana
- Two-ingredient banana oat pancakes
Soft, sweet pancakes made from banana and oats, with nothing added. Easy for a 6 month old to grip and quick enough for a weekday.
Bananas questions parents ask
Can a 6 month old eat banana?
Yes, from the point your baby is ready for solids, which is usually around 6 months. Serve it in a piece large enough to grip, not in small round slices.
Do bananas constipate babies?
Very ripe banana is unlikely to cause constipation, but underripe banana contains more resistant starch and can firm up stools. If your baby is struggling, offer water with meals and fruits such as pear or prune alongside.
Should I worry about the strings on a banana?
No. The fibrous strands are harmless and do not need to be removed.
Try these next
- Avocado
From 6 months
- Oats and oatmeal
From 6 months
Medically reviewed by Melissa A Barry, Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RD, RDN) — last reviewed . See our editorial and review policy. Verify this credential