🍌

Green Banana for Babies: Cooked, Not Raw

Unripe banana, starchy rather than sweet, cooked like a vegetable across the Caribbean and Africa. Soft and mild once cooked.

When to introduce: Around 6 months, cooked
Common allergen?: No (not a common allergen)
Texture: Cooked soft, mashed
Key nutrients: Starch, potassium, fiber

When can babies eat green banana?

Green (unripe) bananas are starchy and savory, cooked like a vegetable rather than eaten raw like a ripe banana. Boiled or steamed soft, then mashed, they make a filling, mild first food from around 6 months.

How to prepare green banana for baby-led weaning (BLW) and purées, by age

6 monthsBoil or steam green banana until very soft, then mash smooth, thinning with a little water or milk if needed.

9 monthsOffer soft-cooked green banana in small pieces or lightly mashed.

12 months+Serve soft green banana in small pieces, or in mild stews.

Is green banana safe? Choking & prep

Green banana must be cooked soft before serving, since it is starchy and firm raw. Mash or cut small for younger babies. Not a common allergen.

Trying green banana today? Log the first taste and it lands on your baby's tried-it list, dated and ready for the pediatrician.

Log green banana today →

Nutrition

Green banana is a good source of starchy energy, potassium, and fiber, including resistant starch, which is gentle on the gut.

Goes well with

Black beans · Avocado · Fish

Storage & freezing

Store green bananas at room temperature; they will ripen over time, so use them while still green for savory cooking.

More fruits to explore

🟡

Ground cherryAround 9 months

🍈

GuavaAround 6 months

🍈

Honeydew melonAround 8 months

🫐

HuckleberryAround 6 months

🍈

JackfruitAround 6 to 9 months, when ripe

🔴

JujubeAround 9 months

Frequently asked questions

When can babies have green banana?

From around 6 months, boiled or steamed soft and mashed. Unlike ripe banana, green banana is cooked before eating.

What is the difference from a ripe banana?

Green banana is starchy and savory and needs cooking, while a ripe banana is sweet and can be served raw and mashed.

Is green banana a common allergen?

No, it is not a top-9 allergen. Cook it soft and introduce it like any new food.

Sources

😋 🤢

Track it in YummyYucky

Log first tries, get nudged through the allergen watch, and keep every bite in one place you can share with your pediatrician.

Start tracking for free

Last updated July 2026. How we write these: grounded in widely published pediatric guidance (the AAP, WHO, the NIAID 2017 allergen guidelines, and the LEAP study), and pending independent review by a pediatric professional. See our editorial and medical policy for how we research, source, and update these.

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

Some links in our guides are affiliate links: if you buy through them we may earn a small commission, at no extra cost to you. We only suggest things we'd actually use, and it never changes our guidance.