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Turkey for babies

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

The CDC lists turkey among proteins for babies 6 to 12 months, as soft, small pieces; the AAP's choking page says to avoid or change meat chunks. A choking hazard on the AAP's list. Not a major allergen. At about 6 months: Puree well-cooked turkey, or shred it very fine and mix it into a smooth food.

Checked October 29, 2026.

How to serve turkey at 6, 9 and 12 months

Serving turkey, following the CDC and AAP texture and choking guidance
AgeHow to serve it
About 6 monthsPuree well-cooked turkey, or shred it very fine and mix it into a smooth food.
About 9 monthsSoft, shredded or finely chopped turkey, in small pieces.
About 12 monthsTender, shredded or small pieces; no tough or large chunks.

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 turkey a choking hazard?

It is named on the AAP's choking page. 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 turkey 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; AAP: Choking Prevention. 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