Can Babies Have Lemongrass? Safe Use and Tips

Bright and lemony. It lifts Thai and Vietnamese cooking, with a texture rule to keep it safe.

When to introduce: Around 6 months
Common allergen?: No
Flavor: Bright, citrusy, lemony
How to use: Minced fine, or bruised to flavor and removed

When can babies have lemongrass?

Lemongrass adds a bright, lemony aroma to soups, curries, and broths across Southeast Asian cooking. The flavor is lovely for a baby from around 6 months. The thing to manage is texture: the stalk is tough and fibrous, so it is either finely minced or used whole to flavor and then removed.

How to use lemongrass in baby food

Infuse and removeBruise a whole stalk, simmer it in a mild soup or curry, and lift it out before serving.

Finely mincedUse only the tender pale inner core, minced very fine, stirred into a dish.

Broths and poachingFlavor a gentle broth or poaching liquid, then strain the stalk out.

Is lemongrass safe for babies?

Lemongrass is fine for a baby from around 6 months, with a texture caveat. The outer stalk is tough and fibrous, a choking hazard and hard to chew, so do not serve the woody stalk itself. Either bruise a whole stalk to flavor a soup or curry and lift it out before serving, or use only the tender pale inner core, minced very finely. Keep it to culinary amounts and skip added salt and sugar under 1.

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Goes well with

Chicken · Coconut · Rice

Storage

Refrigerate fresh lemongrass wrapped for a couple of weeks, or freeze stalks; dried or paste forms keep longer.

Frequently asked questions

Can babies have lemongrass?

Yes, from around 6 months. Either mince the tender inner core very finely, or bruise a whole stalk to flavor a dish and remove it before serving.

Is lemongrass a choking hazard for babies?

The tough, fibrous outer stalk is, so it should never be served as-is. Use the finely minced tender core, or flavor with a whole stalk that you then remove.

How do I prepare lemongrass for a baby?

Peel away the tough outer layers, and either mince the pale inner core very finely, or bash a whole stalk, simmer it in, and lift it out before serving.

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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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