Peaches for Babies: How to Puree & Prepare for Baby-Led Weaning
December 2022
Author:
Hyemyung Kim, RD, CDN, CNSC, CLC
Coauthors:
Stefanie Kain, B.S. M.Ed
Erinn Jacobi, M.S. OTR/L
Johane Filemon, MS, RDN, CLT
About Kids Eat in Color
Created by experts, Kids Eat in Color is the leading resource for families seeking evidence-based information and strategies on child nutrition and feeding.
Author:
Hyemyung Kim, RD, CDN, CNSC, CLC
Coauthors:
Stefanie Kain, B.S. M.Ed
Erinn Jacobi, M.S. OTR/L
Johane Filemon, MS, RDN, CLT
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Inside: Learn how to introduce and prepare peaches for babies. Find out how to puree peaches and how to prepare them for baby-led weaning.
Learn all about feeding peaches to babies who are starting solids. We’ll discuss how to prevent choking with peaches, any allergy concerns, and how to help your baby get comfortable with peaches so they will try them.
Peaches are a fruit known for their fuzzy skin and juicy interior. Considered a drupe (also known as a stone fruit), peaches are related to cherries, apricots, almonds and plums, which are all considered stone fruits as well.
Did you also know that peaches and nectarines are the same species but due to a mutation in a gene, their skin is glossy and smooth, unlike peaches?
Like all fruits, peaches contain water, carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals with minimal protein and fat.
The benefits of peaches for babies include:
Peaches contain antioxidants, most known for beta-carotene which gives peaches their red, orange and yellow colors and protects the body from cell damage.
Peaches contain vitamin C as well, which not only acts as an antioxidant but also helps to support immune health. One medium peach can offer approximately 10 mg of vitamin C (11% of your daily need).
The combination of fiber and a high water content makes it a great fruit to help promote bowel regularity and avoid constipation.
What kind of peaches are best for babies?
Peaches can be found fresh, frozen or canned. Fresh and frozen are good options for infants starting solids.
Avoid offering canned peaches as they tend to be preserved in syrup which provides unnecessary added sugars for babies at this time.
However, do not shy away from using frozen peaches, which are not only cost-efficient, but can be thawed and blended with breast milk or formula and offered as peach puree or can be cooked into oatmeal and offered to babies.
They can also be thawed to a soft consistency and offered to your baby on their own.
Are peaches a choking hazard?
Peaches have higher potential to be a choking hazard given that they are slippery. Precaution should be taken to serve peaches in a safe manner.
How to help prevent choking on peaches
Always make sure your baby is eating while sitting securely in a high chair with a footrest or other seat.
Avoid rushing or distractions as much as possible to keep the baby calm during meals.
What’s the difference between gagging and choking?
Gagging is the body’s natural protective response to prevent choking. It is a normal step in the eating solids process, and you should remain calm as your child works through their gag to remove the food from their mouth and continue eating or engaging with foods.
When you baby is gagging, they might:
Gurgle
Cough
Spit
Make audible gagging noises
Choking, however, is very different. Choking is when the child’s airway is blocked. Choking can be life-threatening and requires immediate intervention.
Signs of choking in babies
Silent/quiet struggling
Inability to cough
Inability to or difficulty breathing
Here’s an easy way to quickly remember the difference between gagging and choking: If the baby is loud and red, they’re likely gagging and you should proceed with the meal like normal. If they’re quiet and blue, they need immediate help.
Learn how to prepare peach puree and how to cut peaches for baby-led weaning.
How to make peach puree for baby
Make sure to thoroughly wash peaches, given that their fuzzy skin makes them more susceptible to pesticide retention.
After washing, slice the peach into pieces and remove the pit.
Add the peach slices to a blender, food processor or food mill and blend until smooth. You may need to add water, breast milk or formula to blend into your desired consistency.
Note: When making peach puree, there is no need to remove the skin as it provides much of the fiber found in peaches, as well as antioxidants.
How to prepare peaches for baby-led weaning
Thoroughly wash the peach to remove pesticide residue.
Cut the peach in half and remove the pit. The skin can be peeled or left on, however peeling the skin off will remove some nutritional value from the peach and also make it harder for baby to grasp.
If you desire to peel the skin off, you can roll your sliced peaches in chia seeds, flax seeds, hemp seeds, or baby cereal to make it easier for babies to grasp.
Starting at 6 months parents can try offering halved peaches or quartered with skin on or peeled off and rolled in seeds or baby cereal so that it’s easier to grip.
Pincer grasp tips
Once a baby develops their pincer grasp, parents can cut the peach into thin slices so that the baby can practice picking it up with their fingers.
Parents can offer the peach diced into smaller pieces as well; however this will increase the risk of choking as the baby may accidentally swallow the pieces whole due to its slippery texture.
The baby may also find it more difficult to pick up the smaller pieces as well. If serving diced peaches, we recommend coating them in chia seeds, flax seeds, hemp seeds or baby cereal to make the pieces less slippery.
Are peaches an allergen?
The proteins found in stone fruits like peaches are similar to those found in particular pollen and can trigger an allergic reaction due to cross-reactivity.
This secondary food allergy is called oral allergy syndrome (OAS), and it occurs in people who are already known to have allergies to pollen.
Allergic symptoms tend to be mild and usually occur within a few minutes after contact with these foods. Most common symptoms are itchiness and/or swelling of the mouth, lips, tongue and throat.
Reduce cross-reactivity
One way to reduce cross-reactivity with food is to heat the food (i.e baking or cooking), which helps to break down the proteins responsible for OAS.
Another option is to peel the skin before eating as the protein is typically most concentrated in the skin.
How can you tell if a baby is having an allergic reaction to peaches?
Common allergen symptoms include
Hives
Itching
Swelling of the lip or tongue
Rashes
If signs of wheezing, throat tightness, difficulty swallowing or trouble breathing are observed, call the pediatrician immediately.
It is rare for OAS to trigger severe throat swelling leading to difficulty swallowing or breathing.
Picky eating behaviors can start to emerge early. Help prevent picky eating, support your child’s development and get them to like peaches with these tips.
Playtime on the floor
Allowing infants to lay down on the floor, roll around, and push up while on their bellies will help them develop motor skills needed to eat. The more they practice these skills, the easier it will be to hold themselves up at the table, reach for food, and bring food to their mouths.
As babies explore safe open spaces on the floor, offer toys to reach for, grasp, and bring to their mouths.
Use simple clear language that describes action:
“Roll, roll, roll”
“”Puuuuush”
“Reeeeach”
“Get the toy”
“How does it taste?”
Modeling
Having your baby join you at the table while you eat is a great way to lay the foundation for eating.
This is a good time to expose them to foods common in your home and build positive associations with eating.
If your baby shows interest in what you are eating, offer them a small sample. Use simple clear language:
“I’m eating peaches today”
“Peaches for lunch!”
“Soft and juicy peaches”
Exploring: “Peach Popsicles”
Consider freezing pureed peaches in ice cube trays with popsicle sticks in each section.
Once frozen, offer this cold treat to your baby to suck on and enjoy.
Allow them time to explore bringing it to their mouth, touch it with their fingers, tap it on their high chair tray, and rub it back and forth on their tray.
Cichero, J. A. (2016). Introducing solid foods using baby-led weaning vs. Spoon-feeding: A focus on oral development, nutrient intake and quality of research to bring balance to the debate. Nutrition Bulletin, 41(1), 72–77. https://doi.org/10.1111/nbu.12191
About Kids Eat in Color
Created by experts, Kids Eat in Color is the leading resource for families seeking evidence-based information and strategies on child nutrition and feeding.
Hyemyung Kim has been a registered and certified dietitian and nutrition support clinician for 10 years. She initially started her career as an inpatient dietitian with the adult population but fell into the role as a neonatal and pediatric dietitian after a co-worker needed to go on maternity leave. This led to her falling in love with this population and working with parents. She continued to progress her career working in the neonatal and pediatric intensive care units as the nutrition support dietitian and in the nutrition clinic as the outpatient dietitian. During this time, she also obtained her certification as a certified lactation counselor to promote breastfeeding and provide education and support for mothers.
It was while working as a clinical dietitian that Hyemyung got to meet and talk to parents about their struggles with picky eating, finding her passion for teaching and educating parents on tips to help their children to eat. She is passionate about working with parents on this common but tough issue and finds it rewarding when she hears about progress. Now as a new mom to a 1 year old boy, she is also dealing with selective eating and can empathize how parents feel when they are experiencing this. In her role as the dietitian and weaning specialist, Hyemyung strives to approach each parent with empathy, understanding and compassion as she educates and provides support.
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Inside: Learn how to introduce and prepare peaches for babies. Find out how to puree peaches and how to prepare them for baby-led weaning.
Learn all about feeding peaches to babies who are starting solids. We’ll discuss how to prevent choking with peaches, any allergy concerns, and how to help your baby get comfortable with peaches so they will try them.
Article contents:
Peaches for babies
When can babies eat peaches?
Why are peaches good for babies?
What kind of peaches are best for babies?
Are peaches a choking hazard?
How to puree peaches for baby
How to prepare peaches for baby-led weaning
Are peaches an allergen?
How can I help my baby learn to like peaches?
Peaches for babies
Peaches are a fruit known for their fuzzy skin and juicy interior. Considered a drupe (also known as a stone fruit), peaches are related to cherries, apricots, almonds and plums, which are all considered stone fruits as well.
Did you also know that peaches and nectarines are the same species but due to a mutation in a gene, their skin is glossy and smooth, unlike peaches?
When can babies eat peaches?
Peaches can be introduced to babies as soon as they are ready to start solids.
Why are peaches good for babies?
Like all fruits, peaches contain water, carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals with minimal protein and fat.
The benefits of peaches for babies include:
What kind of peaches are best for babies?
Peaches can be found fresh, frozen or canned. Fresh and frozen are good options for infants starting solids.
Avoid offering canned peaches as they tend to be preserved in syrup which provides unnecessary added sugars for babies at this time.
However, do not shy away from using frozen peaches, which are not only cost-efficient, but can be thawed and blended with breast milk or formula and offered as peach puree or can be cooked into oatmeal and offered to babies.
They can also be thawed to a soft consistency and offered to your baby on their own.
Are peaches a choking hazard?
Peaches have higher potential to be a choking hazard given that they are slippery. Precaution should be taken to serve peaches in a safe manner.
How to help prevent choking on peaches
What’s the difference between gagging and choking?
Gagging is the body’s natural protective response to prevent choking. It is a normal step in the eating solids process, and you should remain calm as your child works through their gag to remove the food from their mouth and continue eating or engaging with foods.
When you baby is gagging, they might:
Choking, however, is very different. Choking is when the child’s airway is blocked. Choking can be life-threatening and requires immediate intervention.
Signs of choking in babies
Here’s an easy way to quickly remember the difference between gagging and choking: If the baby is loud and red, they’re likely gagging and you should proceed with the meal like normal. If they’re quiet and blue, they need immediate help.
Related: Top Choking Hazards for Babies & Toddlers
How to safely prepare peaches for babies
Learn how to prepare peach puree and how to cut peaches for baby-led weaning.
How to make peach puree for baby
Note: When making peach puree, there is no need to remove the skin as it provides much of the fiber found in peaches, as well as antioxidants.
How to prepare peaches for baby-led weaning
Starting at 6 months parents can try offering halved peaches or quartered with skin on or peeled off and rolled in seeds or baby cereal so that it’s easier to grip.
Pincer grasp tips
Once a baby develops their pincer grasp, parents can cut the peach into thin slices so that the baby can practice picking it up with their fingers.
Parents can offer the peach diced into smaller pieces as well; however this will increase the risk of choking as the baby may accidentally swallow the pieces whole due to its slippery texture.
The baby may also find it more difficult to pick up the smaller pieces as well. If serving diced peaches, we recommend coating them in chia seeds, flax seeds, hemp seeds or baby cereal to make the pieces less slippery.
Are peaches an allergen?
The proteins found in stone fruits like peaches are similar to those found in particular pollen and can trigger an allergic reaction due to cross-reactivity.
This secondary food allergy is called oral allergy syndrome (OAS), and it occurs in people who are already known to have allergies to pollen.
Allergic symptoms tend to be mild and usually occur within a few minutes after contact with these foods. Most common symptoms are itchiness and/or swelling of the mouth, lips, tongue and throat.
Reduce cross-reactivity
One way to reduce cross-reactivity with food is to heat the food (i.e baking or cooking), which helps to break down the proteins responsible for OAS.
Another option is to peel the skin before eating as the protein is typically most concentrated in the skin.
How can you tell if a baby is having an allergic reaction to peaches?
Common allergen symptoms include
If signs of wheezing, throat tightness, difficulty swallowing or trouble breathing are observed, call the pediatrician immediately.
It is rare for OAS to trigger severe throat swelling leading to difficulty swallowing or breathing.
Related: Baby Allergen Introduction: Everything Parents Need to Know
How to help your baby learn to like peaches
Picky eating behaviors can start to emerge early. Help prevent picky eating, support your child’s development and get them to like peaches with these tips.
Playtime on the floor
Allowing infants to lay down on the floor, roll around, and push up while on their bellies will help them develop motor skills needed to eat. The more they practice these skills, the easier it will be to hold themselves up at the table, reach for food, and bring food to their mouths.
As babies explore safe open spaces on the floor, offer toys to reach for, grasp, and bring to their mouths.
Use simple clear language that describes action:
Modeling
Having your baby join you at the table while you eat is a great way to lay the foundation for eating.
This is a good time to expose them to foods common in your home and build positive associations with eating.
If your baby shows interest in what you are eating, offer them a small sample. Use simple clear language:
Exploring: “Peach Popsicles”
Consider freezing pureed peaches in ice cube trays with popsicle sticks in each section.
Once frozen, offer this cold treat to your baby to suck on and enjoy.
Allow them time to explore bringing it to their mouth, touch it with their fingers, tap it on their high chair tray, and rub it back and forth on their tray.
References
Lally, J. R., & Mangione, P. L. (2017). Caring Relationships: The Heart of Early Brain Development. Young Children, 72(2). https://www.naeyc.org/resources/pubs/yc/may2017/caring-relationships-heart-early-brain-development
Cichero, J. A. (2016). Introducing solid foods using baby-led weaning vs. Spoon-feeding: A focus on oral development, nutrient intake and quality of research to bring balance to the debate. Nutrition Bulletin, 41(1), 72–77. https://doi.org/10.1111/nbu.12191