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Olive oil for babies
A teaspoon of olive oil stirred into a vegetable purée does more for a baby's energy intake than another spoonful of vegetable would. Fat is not the enemy here.
When can babies have olive oil?
From around 6 months, in cooking and stirred into food. There is no reason to restrict fat in an infant diet — babies need roughly half their calories from it.
How do you serve olive oil 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
A teaspoon stirred into vegetable purée or mash, or used to roast vegetables. It also helps slippery foods hold a coating.
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9–11 months
In cooking, drizzled over vegetables, or in dips.
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12–18 months
As the family uses it.
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18–24 months
As the family uses it.
Prep tip
Drizzle olive oil over cooked carrots, squash or sweet potato. The fat substantially increases how much beta-carotene your baby absorbs from them.
Storage
Store in a dark cupboard, not next to the hob. Light and heat degrade it.
Is olive oil a choking hazard for babies?
No choking risk.
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 olive oil a common allergen?
Olive oil is not one of the nine most common food allergens. Any food can trigger a reaction, though, so offer it on its own the first time and watch for hives, vomiting, swelling or a change in breathing over the next two hours.
Is olive oil healthy for babies?
Olive oil is the easiest way to add calories without volume, which matters enormously for a baby whose stomach fills before their energy needs are met. Extra virgin olive oil also carries vitamin E and polyphenols, and the fat helps absorb the fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E and K from the vegetables it is served with.
| Monounsaturated fat | Very high |
|---|---|
| Vitamin E | High |
| Vitamin K | Good source |
| Polyphenols | High |
| Iron per serving | ~0 mg |
Common questions about olive oil
Should I limit fat in my baby's diet?
No. Fat restriction is for adults. Babies need a high-fat diet — around half of the calories in breast milk come from fat — and low-fat versions of anything are not appropriate under 2.
Extra virgin or regular olive oil?
Extra virgin for drizzling and low-heat cooking — it carries more polyphenols and vitamin E. Regular olive oil for higher-heat roasting.
Reference material
Guidance on this page follows the sources listed below.
Foods parents look at next
Dairy & eggs
Butter
Fine in cooking from 6 months — babies need fat, and butter is fat.
Fruit
Avocado
Soft, buttery and ready without cooking — the first food most parents start with.
Vegetable
Sweet potato
Roasts to a soft, sweet spear that is easy to hold and hard to get wrong.
Vegetable
Carrot
Safe when cooked soft, one of the highest-risk foods when raw — the shape matters more here than almost anywhere.