Carrot For Babies: Everything You Need To Know

Cooking carrots for baby-led weaning can be tricky if it’s your first time doing so. 

As a mom who’s done baby-led weaning with all my kids, I know how tricky it can be to start when you have so many questions. 

My goal with this post is to help answer some of your questions on how to cook carrots for your baby. 

Carrot is such a great first good for baby-led weaning. It has so many health benefits to help babies and toddlers grow stronger. 

Its mild taste, smooth texture, and color make it easy to incorporate with other foods and served in many ways. 

Let’s jump in!

How long do you steam carrots for baby-led weaning?

You can steam carrots for baby-led weaning between 10-15 minutes or until the carrot is soft enough to pierce with a fork.

Some carrots might take longer depending on how thin you cut the slices. The thicker the carrot slice, the longer it will take to cook. 

Are baby carrots okay for baby-led weaning?

Baby carrots can be used for baby-led weaning. Like all carrots, you should cook them long enough to be squished between your fingers or pierced with a fork. 

Do not serve baby carrots raw to your baby who’s new to baby-led weaning. They are a common choking hazard when eaten raw.

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How to steam carrots for a baby without a steamer.

You can steam carrots for a baby without a steamer by using a steamer basket like this one and a pot of water. 

If you don’t have a steamer basket, a small metal strainer like this one on Amazon that fits inside your pot may work. 

If all else fails then just boil your carrots. It will still taste as good as a steamed carrot.

How to steam carrots for baby-led weaning 

To steam carrots for baby-led weaning, all you need is a steamer basket and a small pot of water. 

Peel your carrots and cut them into strips. Choose medium-sized or small carrots so the steaming process is quicker. 

Pot a small amount of water in a pot large enough for your steamer basket to fit into. 

Place your cut carrots into the steamer basket and place them in the pot. 

Steam for about 10-15 minutes or until the carrots are soft enough to be pierced through with a fork.

Some people prefer to use the Beaba Babycook Express Steamer. It comes with storage containers and all the bells and whistles you’ll need to steam and make baby food.

Can I give my 6-month-old steamed carrots?

You can give your 6-month-old steamed carrots as long as it’s soft enough to be pierced through with a fork, or soft enough to be squished between your fingers.

Carrots that are not prepared correctly are a choking hazard for babies. 

Is it better to steam or boil carrots for a baby?

In general, it is better to steam carrots for babies rather than boil them. This is because steamed carrots don’t lose as much nutrients in the water as boiled carrots.

When carrots are boiled in water, a lot of the vitamin C, vitamin B1, and folate leak from the vegetable into the water. Since you won’t be drinking the water afterward, most of those nutrients are lost down the drain. 

Steaming is much gentler and doesn’t result in as much loss of nutrients. So it’s better to steam carrots for your baby rather than boiling them (source).

How to cook carrots for baby 6-9 months 

You can steam or boil carrots for your baby who is between 6-9 months. 

Most 6 months old still have the Palmer grasp. This means they can only hold large pieces of food in their palms. So cutting them into large strips, mashing, grating, roasting, etc. would be best.

Let’s elaborate on each way below.

Cut steamed carrots into strips to feed to a 6-9-month-old 

To feed carrots to 6 – 9 months olds, cut the carrots into long strips when cooking. It will help your baby hold it better in order to self-feed.

Mash or grate carrots and mix in other foods

A 6-month-old can be fed carrots that have been mashed and mixed with other food. foods you can mix carrot purée into include pasta and meatballs.

Roast the carrots to bring out the flavors 

Roasted carrots are great to feed a 6 – 9-month-old for baby-led weaning. Roasting carrots helps bring out the sweet flavor. It kind of tastes like baked sweet potatoes. 

Make carrot pancakes or fritters

Carrot pancakes are a great way to feed carrots to babies. Fritters and pancakes make it easy for babies to hold their own food and feed themselves.

Bake into carrot cake 

Homemade carrot cake made with whole wheat flour is a great way for babies and toddlers to enjoy dessert. They’ll get the benefit of the carrot as well as the B vitamins found in whole wheat flour. 

With homemade carrot cake, you can also control the sugar content. Remove the sugar entirely for children less than 1-year-old. Carrot is naturally sweet so they won’t miss it.

Check out my delicious and quick carrot pancake recipe for baby-led weaning 

How to cook carrots for a baby 9-12 months 

Most babies have developed their pincer grasp between the ages of 9-12 months. This means they can now pick up small pieces of food from their plates. 

You can give cooked or steamed carrots to a baby 9-12 months old by grating them and mixing them with other foods like meatballs, pancakes, or pasta. 

You can also choose to chop the carrots into small chunks and feed that directly to your 9-12-month-old baby. 

How to cook carrots for toddlers 12 + months

By the age of 12 months, most toddlers can handle carrots prepared in multiple different ways. 

You can cook carrots for a toddler by chopping them into smaller pieces and offering that directly. You can also grate them and offer those directly.

My kids love cooked carrot sticks with a dipping sauce like ketchup or sesame sauce. 

You can also offer raw carrots when a child becomes a toddler. Most toddlers have the jaw strength and chewing power to break down raw carrots. 

What are some carrot recipes for babies and toddlers?

Super simple carrot pancake for baby-led weaning