From the YummyYucky team, founded by Nancy Nash
Best first vegetables for babies
You do not have to start with sweet potato just because it is orange and friendly. From around 6 months, almost any cooked-soft vegetable is fair game, and offering the bitter, green, and plain ones early may make them an easier sell later, though the evidence on order is limited and variety matters more. Here are the reliable ones to reach for first.
How to prepare them
The rule is simple: cook until soft enough to squish between your fingers. Steam or roast (steaming keeps more nutrients), then purée for spoon-feeding or cut into soft finger-length pieces for baby-led weaning. Skip the salt, and pair veg with an iron-rich food to round out the meal.
Vegetable pages to explore
Each has its own page with the right age, texture, and how to serve it.
Sweet potato, Carrot, Broccoli, Cauliflower, Zucchini, Peas, Green beans, Butternut squash, Pumpkin, Spinach, Potato, Beet, Parsnip, Corn, Asparagus, Eggplant, Bell pepper, Cucumber, Okra, Kale.
More reading
See the best first foods, browse every food one at a time, or read why iron matters at 6 months.
Related reading
See first foods, best first fruits, and best first proteins.
Frequently asked questions
What vegetables can babies eat first?
Soft-cooked vegetables are great starters: sweet potato, carrot, broccoli, potato, zucchini, and peas. Steam or roast until they squish easily, then purée or offer as soft finger foods.
Should I give vegetables before fruit?
Some parents start with vegetables in the hope of building a taste for less-sweet flavors. The evidence that order matters is limited, so what counts most is offering a wide variety early. Do what works for your family.
How do I prepare vegetables for babies?
Cook them until soft (steaming keeps the most nutrients), then purée for spoon-feeding or cut into soft finger-length pieces for baby-led weaning. Skip added salt.
What vegetables should babies avoid?
Avoid raw, hard vegetables (like raw carrot sticks), which are choking hazards. Cook vegetables soft, and cut them to age-appropriate sizes.
Sources
Log every first bite, and keep it
Look up any food for the safe cut and prep by age, log the first try in a tap, and YummyYucky saves it as a keepsake of firsts you will want years from now. Free.
Log a first bite, freeLast 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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