Cherry tomatoes for babies
How to serve it at 6, 9 and 12 months.
The CDC's choking list names uncut cherry and grape tomatoes as choking hazards for young children. A choking hazard on the CDC's list. Not a major allergen. At about 6 months: Not served whole; cook and puree if you offer them.
Checked October 29, 2026.
How to serve cherry tomatoes at 6, 9 and 12 months
| Age | How to serve it |
|---|---|
| About 6 months | Not served whole; cook and puree if you offer them. |
| About 9 months | Cut into small pieces; never whole. |
| About 12 months | Cut small and served at the table. |
Every baby is different. Start the same way for every food: your baby sits up, you are right there, and the pieces match what they can do.
Is cherry tomatoes a choking hazard?
It is named on the CDC's choking list. The AAP says to cut food for infants and young children into pieces no larger than one-half inch, to have children sit while they eat, and to watch every meal.
Is cherry tomatoes an allergen?
It is not one of the nine major food allergens the FDA names.
Even so, try one new single-ingredient food at a time, so you can tell what a food does (CDC).
Where this comes from
Named by: CDC: Choking Hazards. The serving steps follow the CDC's texture advice and the AAP's finger-food and choking pages.
Call your pediatrician if…
Your pediatrician knows your child. Call them if you have a worry about a food, a reaction or choking. The AAP and the CDC have more:
Peabody editors write these pages from the sources below. We are not doctors, and this is not medical advice for your child.
Sources
- CDC: Choking Hazards (checked October 29, 2026)
- CDC: Tastes and Textures (checked October 29, 2026)
- AAP, HealthyChildren.org: Choking Prevention for Babies and Children (checked October 29, 2026)
- CDC: When, What, and How to Introduce Solid Foods (checked October 29, 2026)