Watermelon

Watermelon can start when your baby is ready for solids, at about 6 months. It is the classic summer treat. It comes from Africa, where in hot, dry country its thick rind and watery flesh gave people a precious supply of water.

Watermelon provides carbohydrate, fiber and water, along with magnesium, potassium, vitamin A and vitamin C. These support energy, gut health, fluid balance, vision, skin, iron absorption and immunity. It is also rich in the antioxidant lycopene.

With or without rind

At 6 months you have two choices. One is a thick piece of rind with only a little flesh left on it, so the rind works like a teether. The other is rindless sticks, two fingers wide and as thick as a ruler. For a baby just starting out, rind may be easier to hold and manage. A baby close to 8 months, or one who bites well, can have rindless sticks.

For rind, wash the melon first. The rind should be at least a finger thick and a few fingers long, with about a finger's thickness of flesh or less. If it is long and curved, trim the ends to make it straighter. Cut off sharp corners, or knock them dull on the board. Leave more flesh on over time. Should your baby bite off a chunk of rind, stay calm, give them time to sort it out, and help them lean forward. Then take the rind away.

By age

After 9 months, offer sticks or small pieces that fit in one bite. Rind is a good way to slow down a baby who stuffs the mouth. Some babies can bite through the rind at this age. If that happens, stay calm, let them push it out, then remove the rind.

After 15 months, you can serve small pieces or the classic triangle with rind on. The rind is edible. If your child bites off big pieces of rind, trim some away. For a teething toddler, pour puréed watermelon into small molds, or freeze a wedge with a popsicle stick pushed in.

Watermelon is not usually counted as a common choking food, but it is tricky for young babies and seeds can be inhaled. Pick out every seed. The fruit has firm flesh and lots of juice, which move differently in the mouth, so coughing and gagging are common while your baby learns to handle both. If a big piece comes off, stay calm and give your baby time to work it out. Stay close during meals.

Watermelon is not a common allergen. People allergic to grass or ragweed pollen, and those with pollen food allergy (also called oral allergy syndrome), may react to it. It typically shows up as a short itch, tingle, or burn in the mouth, and a dangerous reaction is unlikely. A known latex allergy, or allergy to avocado, banana, tomato, kiwi or another melon, can also make watermelon a problem.