How Do I Prepare Carrots for a 9 Month Old Baby

When can babies eat carrots?

Carrots may be introduced as soon as a baby is ready to start solids, which is generally around 6 months of age.

Carrots are often orange and sweet, but they weren't always that way. The root vegetable originated in Southwest Asia, where humans initially harvested the carrot's aromatic foliage and seeds as food and medicine. Eventually, people learned to eat the plant's root as well, which was not orange, but yellow or purple, spindly in shape, and more bitter than the modern carrot. Humans brought the carrot around the world, eventually breeding new varieties in a rainbow of hues – red, gold, purple, white, and variations in between.

Recommended Guide: 75 Lunches for Babies and Toddlers

Cooper, 7 months, eats cooked carrots for the first time.

Julian, 9 months, eats whole cooked carrots.

Hawii, 11 months, eats cooked carrot.

Are carrots healthy for babies?

Yes. Carrots contain fiber to aid digestion and vitamin B6, an essential nutrient to power the growth and development of a baby's body. A carrot's hidden superpower is its amazing amount of carotenoids, which are nutrients that convert to vitamin A in the body and support healthy vision.

Carrots come in many colors, and their nutrient density depends more on the quality of the soil in which they're grown, rather than their hue. Dark orange carrots contain the most vitamin A, while the yellow, orange, purple, and red varieties offer specific plant nutrients that support the body. ¹ For example, purple carrots contain anthocyanin, which is a potent antioxidant, and red carrots contain lycopene for heart health. ²

You may have read that certain foods like carrots contain heavy metals from the soil they grow in. This is true, though you need not avoid carrots entirely. Root vegetables like carrots and potatoes (organic and conventionally grown) can contain trace amounts of arsenic, lead, and other heavy metals in the soil from pollution. ³ This is more of a concern with puréed carrots because the additives baby food companies use can also contain arsenic and other metals but also because babies are likely to consume more of the vegetable in a purée form than they would munching on the whole food. To minimize exposure to heavy metals, refrain from offering rice cereal regularly to babies, serve a wide variety of foods, and opt for the whole food over jarred.

Lastly, if you are concerned about nitrates in carrots or other vegetables, know that the benefits of eating vegetables typically outweigh the risks of any nitrate exposure from vegetables. ^{4 5} Nitrates are naturally-occurring plant compounds that may negatively affect oxygen levels in blood when consumed in great excess. ⁶ Babies with health concerns or who are under 3 months of age are more susceptible to the effects of nitrates. ⁷ Organizations such as the American Academy of Pediatrics and the European Food Safety Authority generally view nitrates in vegetables as not a concern for most healthy children. ^{8 9}

To reduce nitrate exposure, avoid consumption of untested well water and take care with purees. ^{10 11} When possible, avoid homemade purees made with higher nitrate vegetables that are stored for more than 24 hours and commercial purees not consumed within 24 hours of opening. ¹² Higher nitrate vegetables include arugula, beets, carrots, lettuce, spinach, and squash, among others. ¹³

Are carrots a common choking hazard for babies?

Yes. Carrots are a common choking hazard, particularly baby carrots and carrot sticks. To minimize the risk, cook carrot until soft and cut the vegetable into age-appropriate sizes. As always, make sure to create a safe eating environment and stay within arm's reach of baby at mealtime.

For more information on choking, visit our sections on gagging and choking and familiarize yourself with the list of common choking hazards.

When can babies and toddlers have raw baby carrots and carrot chips?

It depends but it is generally safest to wait until closer to age two. Raw baby carrots pose a high choking risk because of their shape and firm texture. Like regular carrots, cooking baby carrots until soft minimizes the risk for babies and young toddlers. To minimize the risk further, slice lengthwise in halves or quarters. Never offer whole raw baby carrots to a baby and only offer raw baby carrots to toddlers when you are confident in the toddler's chewing abilities, likely around age two.

Carrot chips, pieces of raw, coin-shaped carrot, are considered a challenging-to-chew food and as such are safest for more advanced chewers, closer to two years old or beyond. While 6-12-month-old babies may be able to safely gnaw and suck on a large, thick carrot chip, the likelihood of baby biting or breaking off a piece of this challenging to chew food is quite high and their ability to chew it successfully will be low, which increases the risk of choking, so attempt at your own risk.

Are carrots a common allergen?

No. Allergies to carrot are rare, but they have been reported. ¹⁴ People who are allergic to birch pollen may be allergic to raw carrots or experience Oral Allergy Syndrome (also known as pollen-food allergy). ¹⁵ Oral Allergy Syndrome typically results in short-lived itching, tingling, or burning in the mouth and is unlikely to result in a dangerous reaction. Cooking the carrot can minimize the reaction.

As you would do when introducing any new food, start by serving a small amount on its own for the first couple of times. If there is no adverse reaction, gradually increase the amount served over future servings.

How do you prepare carrots for babies with baby-led weaning?

Every baby develops on their own timeline. The preparation suggestions below are for informational purposes only and are not a substitute for professional, one-on-one advice from your pediatric medical or health professional, nutritionist or dietitian, or expert in pediatric feeding and eating. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read or seen here.

6 to 8 months old: Cook whole peeled carrot (bigger is better) until it is completely soft and easily pierced with a knife, then cut the vegetable in half lengthwise and hand it over in the air. You can also mash or grate raw or cooked carrot. Help baby self-feed by resting a pre-loaded spoon of mashed or grated carrot in front of baby and let them try to pick it up. You may, at your own risk, also offer a thick raw carrot stick (aim for around 1 inch or 2 cm in diameter at both ends of the carrot stick, avoiding the tapered end that could more easily snap off), peeled for baby to gnaw, an activity that won't lead to much food in the belly at that meal, but has immeasurable benefits for strengthening the jaw, helping the tongue learn to move food to the side of the mouth where the molars will eventually grow in, and providing sensory feedback for baby to "map" the inside of the mouth. These actions help support the development of chewing coordination. While unlikely, for babies with teeth and a strong jaw, it is possible to bite off a piece of carrot. If this happens, give baby a moment to spit it out, keeping your fingers out of baby's mouth. You can help by putting your hand on baby's back and gently leaning the baby forward to allow gravity to help pull the piece of food towards the front of the mouth for baby to more easily spit out. Those moments can feel scary, but they are valuable teaching moments for baby to learn what isn't safe to swallow and to practice spitting out foods.

9 to 12 months old: At this age, babies develop a pincer grasp (where the thumb and forefinger meet), which enables them to pick up smaller pieces of food. When you see signs of this development happening, try moving down in size by offering cooked carrots cut into bite-sized pieces. You can also continue to offer raw carrot, either grated, cut into matchsticks, or sticks, which pose a bigger risk for choking, but offer baby the opportunity to build jaw strength and practice biting and spitting out large pieces. Raw carrots are a choking hazard, so make sure you are creating a safe eating environment by minimizing distractions (no cell phones, no tablets), making sure baby is in a supported seat, and staying near baby at mealtime.

12 to 24 months old: Continue to offer whole carrots that have been cooked and cut into bite size pieces, or if you like, larger pieces as a finger food. Many toddlers are ready to handle raw carrots closer to age two. If you feel comfortable with the child's eating skills, you can offer raw carrot that has been cut into sticks by quartering raw carrots. As always, you can reduce the risk of choking by making sure to create a safe eating environment and stay within arm's reach at mealtime.

Learn more about how to make high-risk foods safe for babies in our video Preparing Food for Baby.

Culinary uses of carrot

Carrots have a sweet vegetal flavor that works well in savory dishes and desserts alike, and are eaten raw, cooked, or preserved around the world. Dig into a region's cooking culture, and you will likely find a unique version of carrot salad: there are carrots marinated in citrus with onion and garlic; tossed with chile, coconut, and mustard seeds; lightly roasted with oil and bold spices; fermented with cabbage and radish; pickled with herbs and peppercorns, and more.

Recipe: Steamed Carrot with Herb Butter

Yield: 3 cups (500 grams)
Cooking Time: 15 minutes
Age: 6 months+

Ingredients

• 6 large carrots (450 grams, at least 1 inch in diameter)
• 3 tablespoons (60 grams) unsalted butter
• 1 tablespoon (1 gram) fresh minced chives, rosemary, tarragon, or herb of choice

This recipe contains a common allergen: dairy (butter). Only serve to a child after this allergen has been safely introduced.

Directions

1. Wash and dry the carrots. Cut off and discard the stem and root ends, or reserve for another use, like vegetable stock.
2. Cut 1 carrot lengthwise to reduce the risk of choking for baby. If you are worried about choking, go ahead and mash the carrot after the next step. Chop the remaining carrots for adults and older children.
3. Steam the carrots in the microwave or in a steamer basket on the stovetop until they are completely soft, about 5 minutes in the microwave or 10 minutes on the stovetop.
4. While the carrots are steaming, melt the butter in a small skillet set on medium-low heat.
5. When the butter is done foaming, add the herb and stir to coat. Cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
6. Toss the steamed carrots in the herb butter. Set aside the halved carrot for baby's meal and cool to room temperature.
7. Season the remaining carrots with salt to taste and keep warm while the child's carrot cools to room temperature.
8. Serve the halved carrot as finger food to baby and let the child self-feed by trying to scoop the carrot with hands. If help is needed, pass a piece of carrot in the air for the child to grab from you.

To Store: Cooked carrots keep in an air-tight container in the fridge for 5 days or in the freezer for 2 months.

Flavor Pairings

Carrots taste earthy and sweet. Try pairing carrots with creamy foods like avocado, coconut, egg, goat cheese, kefir, mascarpone cheese, ricotta cheese, or yogurt to balance the vegetable's flavor. Add ground nuts like hazelnut, pecan, or walnut or serve alongside legumes like chickpea or lentils or grains like Khorasan wheat or quinoa for a complimentary earthy flavor. Carrots also taste delicious with fellow fruits and vegetables like apple, beet, cabbage, garden peas, green beans, lemon, onion, orange, pear, potato, and snap peas.

Reviewed by

E. Cerda, MSN, CNS, LDN

A. Gilbaugh, RD, CNSC

K. Rappaport, OTR/L, MS, SCFES, IBCLC

S. Bajowala, MD, FAAAAI. Board-Certified Allergist & Immunologist (allergy section)

R. Ruiz, MD, FAAP. Board-Certified General Pediatrician & Pediatric Gastroenterologist

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How Do I Prepare Carrots for a 9 Month Old Baby

Source: https://solidstarts.com/foods/carrots/

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