From the YummyYucky team, founded by Nancy Nash

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Can Babies Eat Celtuce? Yes, From 6 Months

Also known as stem lettuce.

Celtuce, also called stem lettuce or Chinese lettuce, is grown for its thick, crisp stalk that tastes mild and nutty. From around 6 months, peel the tough outer layer, cook the inner stalk soft, and serve in strips or mashed.

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When to introduce: Around 6 months
Common allergen?: Not a common allergen
Texture: Peeled, cooked soft, cut into strips or mashed
Key nutrients: Vitamin C, vitamin A, folate, potassium

Celtuce is the lettuce grown for its stem instead of its leaves, popular in Chinese cooking under names like wo sun or stem lettuce. Peel away the fibrous outer skin and the inside is a pale, crisp stalk with a mild, faintly nutty, cucumber-like flavor. The leaves are edible too, cooked like any leafy green. For a baby, the stalk is the star: from around 6 months, peel it well, cook it until soft and tender, and it becomes a gentle, easy vegetable to serve in strips or mashed.

Prep School: how to prepare celtuce for baby-led weaning (BLW) and purées

🍴 Baby-led weaning

6 monthsPeel the tough outer layer off the stalk down to the pale core, then slice and steam or simmer until very soft. Serve strips or batons rather than coins or chunks, soft enough to squash between your fingers.

9 monthsOffer soft-cooked celtuce batons for self-feeding, or stir chopped soft stalk into rice, congee, or soft egg. Keep every piece soft enough to squash easily.

12 months+As chewing improves you can leave a bit more bite, but keep celtuce cooked rather than raw for now, since the raw stalk is firm and harder to manage.

🥄 Purées

6 monthsPeel the stalk down to the pale core, slice it, and steam or simmer until very soft, then mash it into a purée. Cook any leaves down soft and blend them in as well.

9 monthsMash cooked celtuce a little lumpier, or stir finely chopped soft stalk into rice, congee, or soft egg.

12 months+Fold soft-cooked celtuce through family mashes and rice dishes, still cooked rather than raw and made without added salt.

Is celtuce safe? Choking & prep

The main thing with celtuce is the stalk's texture. Raw or under-peeled, it is firm and fibrous, and firm pieces are a choking risk, so always peel the tough outer layer away, cook the inner stalk until soft, and cut it into strips or batons rather than coins or chunks¹. Serve it soft enough to squash between your fingers, keep your baby seated and supervised, and introduce it on its own the first time so any reaction is easy to spot, though celtuce is not a common allergen. Cook it without added salt for a baby.

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Nutrition

Celtuce is surprisingly nutritious for such a mild vegetable, offering vitamin C, vitamin A, folate, and potassium, plus a little fiber and hydration from its high water content. The leaves, when you use them, add more of the leafy-green nutrients. Its gentle flavor makes it easy to accept and easy to combine, so it is a nice way to widen a baby's vegetable repertoire beyond the usual roots and greens.

Goes well with

Soft-cooked rice or congee · Scrambled or mashed egg · Mashed tofu or lentils · Shredded chicken or soft fish · Mashed potato or carrot

Storage & freezing

Keep celtuce in the fridge, wrapped, and use within about a week; the stalk stays crisp longest. Once peeled and cooked, store covered in the fridge and use within two days, or freeze soft pieces in small portions for a few months. Thaw in the fridge, use promptly, and reheat leftovers only once.

More vegetables to explore

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ChakalakaAround 9 months, mild and low-salt

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Chanterelle mushroomAround 9 months

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ChayaAround 6 months, only well-boiled

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ChayoteAround 6 months, once cooked soft

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Chayote shootsAround 6 months

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Cherry tomatoesAround 6 months, always quartered lengthwise

Common questions

Can babies eat celtuce?

Yes, from around 6 months. Peel the tough outer layer off the stalk, cook the inner core until soft, and serve in strips or mashed. Introduce it on its own the first time.

What part of celtuce do you eat?

Mainly the thick stalk, once you peel off the fibrous outer skin. The leaves are edible too and can be cooked down soft like any leafy green for a baby.

What does celtuce taste like?

Mild and lightly nutty, a bit like a cross between celery and cucumber. That gentle flavor makes it easy for babies to accept and easy to pair with other foods.

Is celtuce a choking hazard for babies?

The raw stalk is firm, which can be. Peel it well, cook it until soft, and cut it into strips or batons rather than coins. Serve it soft enough to squash, and supervise.

Sources

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Last updated September 2026. Next review December 2026. How we write these: built from current published guidance from the AAP, CDC, FDA/EPA, NIAID, WHO, and other pediatric and public-health authorities, with sources cited on the page. See our editorial and medical policy for how we research, source, and update these, and how we double-check the food advice.

This is general information, not medical advice, and is not individualized for your baby. Always talk to your pediatrician about your baby's diet, introducing allergens, and any reaction. In an emergency, contact emergency services.

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