FirstNom
Fruit
Fig for babies
Fresh fig is one of the softest fruits going. Dried fig is a small but genuine calcium and iron source — and a chewy choking hazard whole.
When can babies have fig?
From around 6 months, fresh and cut into wedges, or dried and stewed or finely chopped.
How do you serve fig to a baby?
The shape is what makes a food safe, and it changes as your baby’s grip and chewing change. Find your baby’s age band.
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6–8 months
Fresh: quarter a ripe fig, skin on if thin. Dried: stew until soft and purée, or chop very finely into porridge.
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9–11 months
Small pieces of fresh fig; finely chopped stewed dried fig.
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12–18 months
Fresh wedges; dried fig chopped small.
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24 months+
Whole dried figs from around 4 years.
Prep tip
Stewed dried fig purée is stronger than prune for constipation, and it carries calcium at the same time.
Storage
Fresh figs are very perishable — two days refrigerated at most. Dried figs keep months sealed.
Is fig a choking hazard for babies?
Fresh ripe figs are very soft and low risk cut into wedges. Dried figs are chewy, sticky and dense — chop them finely or stew them soft for children under about 4 years. The skin on fresh figs is edible but can be tough on larger fruit.
Whatever you serve, stay within arm’s reach, keep your baby upright in a supportive seat, and never let them eat in a moving car, buggy or carrier. Gagging is loud and normal. Choking is silent.
Is fig a common allergen?
Fig is not one of the nine common allergens. Fresh fig sap can irritate skin on contact in sensitive children.
Is fig healthy for babies?
Dried figs are one of the better plant calcium sources and carry useful iron and a lot of fibre — worth knowing in a dairy-free household. Fresh figs are gentler and mostly fibre and potassium. Both are strongly laxative in quantity.
| Fibre | Very high |
|---|---|
| Calcium (dried) | Good source |
| Potassium | High |
| Iron (dried) | Good source |
| Iron per serving | ~0.5 mg |
Common questions about fig
Are dried figs safe for a baby?
Not whole. Chop them very finely or stew them soft. They are dense and chewy, which is the wrong texture for a child without molars.
Will figs cause diarrhoea?
In quantity, quite possibly — they are strongly laxative. A teaspoon or two of purée is a reasonable dose for a constipated baby.
Reference material
Guidance on this page follows the sources listed below.
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