Feijoa
- First taste
- 6 months
- Choking risk
- low
- Common allergen
- no
- Iron
- low
Serve ripe and soft
When can babies eat feijoa?
Feijoa can be offered from about 6 months, once baby is ready for solids. It is also called pineapple guava. It is native to the highlands of South America. Today it is much loved in New Zealand.
Nutrition
Feijoa gives fiber, vitamin B6, and folate. Fiber helps digestion, B6 helps metabolism, and folate helps thinking skills grow. It carries some vitamin C too. Vitamin C supports immunity and helps absorb iron from plant foods.
Ripeness
Ripen feijoa at room temperature. Then store it chilled for one week, or frozen for a couple of months. A ripe feijoa is firm with a little give, not mushy. Its softness is close to a ripe pear, mango or banana.
How do you prepare feijoa for babies?
At 6 months, serve mashed pulp from a ripe feijoa. Offer it alone in a bowl or stirred into porridge and yogurt. If the fruit is bigger than baby's mouth, cut it in half or quarters and let baby eat the pulp from the skin. The skin is edible. If baby bites it, keep your fingers out of the mouth. Rest a hand on the back and tip baby slightly forward. Gravity moves the piece to the front of the mouth, so baby can spit it out more easily.
After 9 months, give skinless bite-sized pieces. Rolling the pulp in finely ground nuts, almond flour, breadcrumbs, or shredded coconut makes it easier to grip. At this age baby may bite the skin more often. Keep taking skin pieces out.
At 12 months, your child can eat the pulp right from the shell. Cut the fruit in half and pre-scoop a little with a spoon.
Preparation by age
The same food is served differently at each age. What matters is how your baby sits, grasps and chews, more than the calendar.
6 months
6 months · How to prepare as a mashmash
Cut: Fork mashed
Scoop the pulp of a ripe feijoa from the skin and mash it. Serve it alone in a bowl or stir into porridge or yogurt. If the pulp is firm, cook it until soft.
6 months · How to cut and serve for baby-led weaningslice
Cut a ripe fruit larger than baby's mouth in half or into long quarters. Baby eats the soft pulp from the skin. The skin is edible. If baby bites it, wait for them to chew and swallow or spit it out.
9 months
9 months · How to cut and servecube
Cut: Bite sized piece
Take ripe pulp off the skin and cut it into bite-sized pieces. To help slippery pieces grip, roll them in finely ground nuts, almond flour, breadcrumbs, or shredded coconut. At this age baby may bite the skin.
12 months
12 months · How to cut and serveslice
Cut: Halved
Cut the fruit in half. Pre-scoop a little pulp with a spoon and leave it in the shell. Let your child scrape out the rest with fingers or a spoon.
Is feijoa a choking hazard for babies?
Choking risk: low
Ripe feijoa is low risk. If the pulp is firm, cook it until soft. If baby bites the skin, keep your fingers out of the mouth.
Ripe feijoa carries a low risk when prepared to suit the child's age. In theory any food can cause choking. If the pulp is firm, cook it. Stay with your child during meals.
Is feijoa a common allergen?
Feijoa is not a common allergen. Feijoa allergy is rare and information is limited. Feijoa is a close relative of guava. So people with latex allergy may be sensitive. Birch pollen allergy with pollen food allergy syndrome can mean a reaction to feijoa as well as guava. This usually means a brief itch, tingle, or burn in the mouth. It is not expected to be dangerous. Peeling or cooking the fruit lowers the reaction and may remove it.
Give a small amount in the first servings. If there is no reaction, raise it slowly.
Emergency
If there is trouble breathing, facial swelling, widespread hives, or repeated vomiting, call emergency services right away.
Key nutrients
Frequently asked questions about feijoa
Is the feijoa skin edible?
Yes, the skin is edible. At 6 months, eating the pulp out of the skin can be easier. If baby bites the skin, wait for them to chew and swallow or spit it out.
How do I tell if feijoa is ripe?
Feel the fruit. A ripe feijoa feels firm but yields slightly. It should not be mushy.
How do I store feijoa?
Ripen it at room temperature. Chill ripe fruit for up to a week, or freeze it for a couple of months.
Is a high chair a must?
No. It helps create a safe setting. Your lap or sitting low together works too.
Sources for this page
- Dünya Sağlık Örgütü. (2023). Guideline for complementary feeding of infants and young children 6-23 months of age.
- NHS. (n.d.). Preparing food safely for babies.
- CDC, Infant and Toddler Nutrition. (n.d.). Choking Hazards.
Guides on iron, allergen introduction, gagging and drinks. Read the starting solids guides
Medical note
This page is for information only and is not a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Talk to your pediatrician before any feeding decision, especially about allergen introduction and reactions.
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Astro Tasarım Simay Yenice · Türkiye · merhaba@lokmini.com