| Age | Can they have it? | How to serve it |
|---|---|---|
| 4 months | Wait | Not yet — see above. |
| 6 months | Yes | Cooked soft and mashed or pureed — pea skins do not digest, so a smooth puree is easier at first. |
| 9 months | Yes | Cooked very soft and squashed flat between your fingers before serving. |
| 12 months | Yes | Cooked soft; squash whole peas rather than serving them round. |
| 18 months | Yes | Cooked soft; squash whole peas rather than serving them round. |
| 2 years | Yes | Cooked soft; squash whole peas rather than serving them round. |
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.
Peas 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.
Peas 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.
The CDC names peas among the vegetables to offer from around 6 months, and the AAP names well-cooked peas as a suitable early finger food.
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. The CDC names peas among the vegetables to offer from around 6 months, and the AAP names well-cooked peas as a suitable early finger food.
From 6 months: Cooked soft and mashed or pureed — pea skins do not digest, so a smooth puree is easier at first. From 9 months: Cooked very soft and squashed flat between your fingers before serving. From 12 months: Cooked soft; squash whole peas rather than serving them round. 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.
Peas 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.