Can Babies Have Olive Oil? Yes, Early
Olive oil is a great early cooking fat from around 6 months. A small drizzle adds healthy fat and helps babies absorb vitamins from veggies.
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- When to introduce
- Around 6 months, small amounts
- Common allergen?
- No
- Texture
- Liquid fat for cooking or drizzling
- Key nutrients
- Healthy fats, vitamin E
Can babies have olive oil? Yes, and it is one of the easiest healthy fats to work into first foods from around 6 months. A small drizzle over mashed vegetables, or a little used to cook them, adds gentle richness and energy without any salt or sugar. Babies need plenty of fat for growth and brain development, and olive oil is a mild, everyday way to add some. Use it as a cooking fat or a finishing drizzle rather than a food on its own.
Prep School: how to prepare olive oil for baby-led weaning (BLW) and purées
🍴 Baby-led weaning
🥄 Purées
Is olive oil safe? Choking & prep
Olive oil is a benign, low-risk food for babies and is not a common allergen. Because it is nearly all fat, use small amounts as a cooking fat or a finishing drizzle rather than a serving on its own. There is no need to add salt or sugar to your baby's food. As with any early food, offer age-appropriate textures: keep the foods you cook in oil soft and mashable, cut into shapes that are easy to gum rather than hard rounds or firm chunks. Extra-virgin olive oil is a fine everyday choice.
Drizzled a little olive oil into your baby's veggies? Log the try in YummyYucky and tap yummy, meh, or yucky with the date, so you can see how the richer flavor lands over time.
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Nutrition
Olive oil is almost entirely fat, mostly the monounsaturated kind, which gives babies concentrated energy in a small amount and supports growth and brain development. It also carries some vitamin E. Its main role is cooking and adding richness to other foods rather than being a food on its own. A little olive oil helps your baby absorb the fat-soluble vitamins in the vegetables you cook or dress with it.
Goes well with
Sweet potato · Broccoli · White beans · Pasta · Tomato · Zucchini
Storage & freezing
Keep olive oil in a sealed bottle in a cool, dark cupboard away from heat and light, which keeps it fresh and prevents it from going rancid. Use within the date on the bottle.
More foods to explore
Related reading
- What to feed your baby first →
- How to cut food to prevent choking →
- Signs your baby is ready for solids →
- Baby-led weaning vs. purées →
Common questions
When can babies have olive oil?
Around 6 months, in small amounts for cooking vegetables or drizzling over a puree or mash. It is a gentle way to add healthy fat and energy.
Is olive oil safe for babies?
Yes. Olive oil is a benign, low-risk food and is not a common allergen. Because it is nearly all fat, use small amounts as a cooking fat or drizzle rather than a serving on its own.
How much olive oil can a baby have?
A small drizzle or a little for cooking is plenty. Olive oil is concentrated fat, so it works best as richness added to other foods rather than a food on its own.
Is extra-virgin olive oil okay for babies?
Yes, extra-virgin olive oil is a fine everyday choice. It has a fuller flavor; use the amount you like, keeping it modest since it is nearly all fat.
Why give babies olive oil?
Babies need plenty of fat for growth and brain development, and olive oil adds healthy fat and energy. It also helps them absorb the fat-soluble vitamins in vegetables.
Can I cook baby food in olive oil?
Yes. Cooking soft vegetables or finger foods in a little olive oil adds richness and helps your baby absorb the vitamins in those vegetables.
Is olive oil a common allergen?
No, olive oil is not one of the top allergens. As with any new food, offer it on a calm day and watch how your baby responds.
Is olive oil or butter better for babies?
Both add healthy fat. Olive oil has no salt and is not a milk allergen, so it is an easy everyday option. Butter is fine too, in small amounts, once milk is going well.
Do I need to add salt when cooking with olive oil?
No. Babies need very little salt, so cook with olive oil for flavor and richness and skip the added salt.
Further reading
- American Academy of Pediatrics (HealthyChildren.org): Starting Solid Foods
- CDC: Foods and Drinks to Encourage and Limit
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Start tracking for freeLast updated July 2026. Next review January 2027. 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.
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