Blueberries are a good food for your baby to self-feed, whether for baby-led weaning, which happens around 6 months of age, or during the finger foods stage at 9 months.

6+ months - flattened or puree: Flatten blueberries between your fingers to change the round shape and reduce the choking risk. Babies this age may still not be able to pick them up very well because their pincer grasp hasn’t fully developed, so you can also try serving them in yogurt or warm cereals. You can offer purees and still allow your baby to lead the way with self-feeding by placing some spoonfuls directly on your baby's tray or bowl to let them explore on their own, or you can hand them a pre-loaded self-feeding spoon. 

9-12 months - halved or quartered: Half or quarter blueberries, especially larger ones, to reduce the choking risk. Offering blueberries this way is great practice for developing baby’s pincer grasp. You can also continue to offer them flattened. 

12-24 months - halved, quartered, or whole:  Toddlers may be ready to try a whole blueberry around this age, if they are chewing well and not overstuffing their mouth. Always supervise and remember you can continue to offer cut or smashed blueberries as needed, depending on your child’s skill level.

Blueberry for Self Feeding

Prep Time: 2 minutes
Cook Time: 0 minutes
Servings: 1-2 servings
Age: 6+ months 

Ingredients

• 2-3 tbsp fresh blueberries

Instructions

1. Serve to baby flattened, halved or quartered depending on your baby's age

Notes

Age: 6+ months

Yield: 1 serving 

Puree for Self-Feeding: Yes, it can be done! You can offer purees and still allow your baby to lead the way with self-feeding.

• Place a few spoonfuls of purees directly on the tray or in a bowl for your baby to dip fingers into. Model how to dip your fingers into the puree and bring them to your mouth, to taste some.
• Offer your baby a pre-loaded self-feeding utensil and hold it out for them to grasp or set on their tray. 
• Use a solid food as a dipper. You can also offer a soft stick-shaped piece of food, such as a soft roasted carrot or bread lightly toasted and cut into strips to dip into the puree.

Nutritional Information

Blueberries are touted as a superfood because of all of the nutrients they contain and have been associated with numerous health benefits, including reducing the risk of cancer, heart disease, and diabetes. 

• High in vitamin C, which is necessary for proper immune function and iron absorption
• High in vitamin K, which is important for blood clotting for when your baby gets a boo boo
• Fiber for digestion and gut health
• Antioxidants for cancer prevention