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Lentils for babies

How to serve it at 6, 9 and 12 months.

The CDC lists lentils among vegetables to offer babies 6 to 12 months. Not on the CDC's or AAP's choking lists. Not a major allergen. At about 6 months: Cook until very soft and mash or puree. At about 9 months: Soft cooked lentils, lightly mashed.

Checked October 29, 2026.

How to serve lentils at 6, 9 and 12 months

Serving lentils, following the CDC and AAP texture and choking guidance
AgeHow to serve it
About 6 monthsCook until very soft and mash or puree.
About 9 monthsSoft cooked lentils, lightly mashed.
About 12 monthsSoft cooked lentils on a spoon or mixed into other foods.

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 lentils a choking hazard?

It is not named on the CDC's or AAP's choking lists, but the CDC says its list may not include every hazard, so the size and texture rules still apply. 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 lentils 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: Foods and Drinks to Encourage. 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