| Age | Can they have it? | How to serve it |
|---|---|---|
| 4 months | Wait | Not yet — see above. |
| 6 months | Yes | A small amount cooked into or mixed through food. The CDC names healthy fats among the things to offer from around 6 months. |
| 9 months | Yes | A small amount cooked into or mixed through food. The CDC names healthy fats among the things to offer from around 6 months. |
| 12 months | Yes | A small amount cooked into or mixed through food. The CDC names healthy fats among the things to offer from around 6 months. |
| 18 months | Yes | A small amount cooked into or mixed through food. The CDC names healthy fats among the things to offer from around 6 months. |
| 2 years | Yes | A small amount cooked into or mixed through food. The CDC names healthy fats among the things to offer from around 6 months. |
Cut food for infants and young children into pieces no larger than one-half inch. Cut cylindrical foods (hot dogs, sausage, string cheese) into short thin strips — round pieces can get stuck in the airway. Cut small spherical foods (grapes, cherries, berries, tomatoes) into small pieces. Cook hard vegetables and fruit until they mash easily. Remove seeds, hard pits, skin and bones.
Cooking oil and healthy fats are not on the AAP or CDC choking-hazard lists. That is not the same as no risk: any food can choke a baby if the piece is too big or the wrong shape. Cut it to no larger than half an inch, keep your baby sitting up in a high chair, keep mealtimes calm, and watch them the whole time they are eating.
Cooking oil and healthy fats are not one of the common allergens. Introduce it on its own anyway and wait 3 to 5 days before the next new food, so if your baby does react to something you know what it was.
Watch for diarrhea, rash, vomiting or hives after a new food. Call 911 for trouble breathing or swelling of the face, lips or tongue.
Covered by the CDC's 'healthy fats' rule rather than a named per-oil verdict. Young children need fat in their diet for healthy growth — which is also why whole milk, not skim, is the recommendation from 12 months.
Nothing here changes the answer above. A soft-tipped spoon and a catch-all bib are the two things that actually get used at this stage.
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Affiliate link — we may earn a commission at no cost to you. It never appears on a “not yet” answer, on an allergen, or on a choking hazard, and it never changes an answer.
Yes, from about 6 months, once your baby has started solids — served in the right form for their age. Covered by the CDC's 'healthy fats' rule rather than a named per-oil verdict. Young children need fat in their diet for healthy growth — which is also why whole milk, not skim, is the recommendation from 12 months.
From 6 months: A small amount cooked into or mixed through food. The CDC names healthy fats among the things to offer from around 6 months. Cut food for infants and young children into pieces no larger than one-half inch. Cut cylindrical foods (hot dogs, sausage, string cheese) into short thin strips — round pieces can get stuck in the airway. Cut small spherical foods (grapes, cherries, berries, tomatoes) into small pieces. Cook hard vegetables and fruit until they mash easily. Remove seeds, hard pits, skin and bones.
Cooking oil and healthy fats are not on the AAP or CDC choking-hazard lists, but any food can choke a baby if the piece is too big. Cut it to no larger than half an inch, keep your baby sitting up while they eat, and watch them the whole time.
Watch for diarrhea, rash, vomiting or hives after a new food. Call 911 for trouble breathing or swelling of the face, lips or tongue. Offer one single-ingredient new food at a time and wait 3 to 5 days before the next one, so a reaction is easy to trace. Call 911 for trouble breathing or swelling of the face, lips or tongue.