Carrots 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.

 6-9+ months - quartered in long sticks: Cooked carrots that are bigger in size, usually quartered and 4-5 inches is best to serve to babies 6+ months or just starting on solid foods. It’s best to start your baby with a bigger piece of cooked carrots so your baby can chew, gnaw and take bites without them being a choking hazard.  You can also use a crinkle cutter to give the stick of cantaloupe more grip. 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 - cooked and diced, small sticks, or chopped, or raw and grated: Small cooked pea-sized pieces of carrots can be offered at this age for babies developing their pincer grasp. You can also try raw, finely grated carrots, although picking up tiny pieces of carrots may be frustrating for some babies.

18-24+ months - raw, quartered: Uncooked, quartered carrots can be served with supervision. You can also continue to offer cooked carrots and raw grated carrots as well. As your toddler gets closer to 2 years of age and depending on their skill level, you can consider introducing whole baby carrots with supervision.

Carrot for Self Feeding

Prep Time: 2 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Servings: 4-6 serving
Age: 6+ months 

Ingredients

• 2-3 carrots, peeled and sliced in half lengthwise
• 1/2 tbs olive or avocado oil (optional)
• nutmeg (optional)

Instructions

1. In a medium saucepan, bring 2" of water to a boil over high heat. Add a steamer basket and add the large halves of the carrots into the basket in a single layer. Cover and cook for 10-12 minutes or until tender when pricked with a fork. Remove from heat and let cool.
2. If adding spices or herbs, take the carrots and toss in the olive oil and nutmeg (or other spices or herbs of your choice, see below for some other suggestions).
3. Slice or chop the carrots to be age-appropriate for your baby. Serve and enjoy.
    

Notes

Age: 6+ months

Yield: 3-4 small portions for baby

Storage: you can store these recipes in the fridge in an air-tight container for up to 3 days. 

Spices/Herbs: Adding spices to your baby’s foods is a great way to introduce more complex flavors at an early age. Some great spices and herbs to add to cooked carrots are a pinch of cinnamon, cloves, mild curry, garlic powder, and cumin, or you can add in a pinch of chopped fresh rosemary, chives, mint, basil, or you can even add in the greens from the carrots.

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

Though carrots are naturally sweet, they have loads of nutrients that make them an excellent food for your baby.

• They contain a ton of beta-carotene, the precursor to vitamin A, which is necessary for protecting eye health and immune function.
• High Source of antioxidants to help strengthen immunity.
• Good source of fiber, which helps to keep the digestive system working properly.
• High in vitamin K, which is necessary for blood clotting.
• Contains calcium to help strengthen bones.