Vegetable

Radish for babies

Raw radish is too hard and too peppery for a baby, but roasted radish is a different vegetable entirely: mild, sweet and soft.

Age suggestion 6 months+ Choking risk High Iron-rich No Common allergen No

When can babies have radish?

Cooked, from around 6 months. Raw from around 4 years.

How do you serve radish 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.

6–8 months

Halve or quarter lengthways and roast at 200 °C for 20 minutes until soft. Serve as soft wedges.
9–11 months

Soft roasted pieces for the pincer grasp.
12–18 months

Roasted radish as a side or in a tray bake.
24 months+

Raw radish from around 4 years, sliced thinly.

Prep tip

Roasting removes almost all of the peppery heat. If you have only ever eaten radish raw, roasted radish is worth trying for yourself too.

Storage

Remove the leafy tops before storing or they draw moisture out of the root. Keeps a week refrigerated.

Is radish a choking hazard for babies?

Choking risk High

Raw radish is hard, round and firm — the same hazard class as raw carrot, and it should wait until around 4 years. Cooked radish is soft. Cut lengthways rather than into coins whatever the age.

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 radish a common allergen?

Common allergen No

Radish 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 radish healthy for babies?

Nutritionally light, but roasting transforms the flavour completely — the peppery bite disappears and it becomes sweet and mild. A useful way to widen the range of vegetables a baby has met without much cost or effort.

What radish brings
Vitamin C	Good source
Folate	Some
Potassium	Some
Water	Very high
Iron per serving	~0.2 mg

Common questions about radish

Can babies eat raw radish?

No. Raw radish is hard and round — a choking hazard in the same class as raw carrot. Roast it, or wait until around 4 years.

Are radish leaves edible?

Yes, and they are more nutritious than the root. Cook and chop them like any leafy green.

Reference material

Guidance on this page follows the sources listed below.

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