Pear for Babies: How to Serve It at Every Age

• From around 6 months
• Not a common allergen
• Very ripe, or cook until soft

Pear is a gentle first food from around 6 months: sweet, juicy and easy to mash. Only very ripe, soft pear is suitable raw. If it is still firm, steam or poach it until a piece squashes easily between your fingers.

📲 12 Bibful recipes with pear

How to serve it by age

1. 6–8 months

   ✋ Finger food (BLW)

   Offer large, thick wedges of very ripe or cooked pear, peeled and with the core removed, about the size of an adult finger.

   🥣 Purée or spoon

   Mash or grate ripe pear, or stir it into porridge or yogurt.

3. 9–12 months

   ✋ Finger food (BLW)

   Cut very ripe or cooked pear into small, thin, flat pieces of about 1 cm.

   🥣 Purée or spoon

   Mash it roughly, or mix small soft pieces into porridge.

5. 12+ months

   ✋ Finger food (BLW)

   Offer thin slices of ripe pear, with the skin on if your toddler manages it, and let them practise with a fork.

   🥣 Purée or spoon

   Stir chopped pear into porridge, yogurt or family desserts.

Have pear at home? See what you can cook

Add a second ingredient to see matching Bibful recipes.

✓ 🍐 Pear+ 🌾 Oats+ 🥛 Yogurt

12 Bibful recipes with pear

• 
  Pear, Beetroot & Blueberry Overnight Oats5 min · from 6 months
• 
  Avocado & Pear Yogurt5 min · from 6 months
• 
  Pear & Oat Porridge8 min · from 6 months

See the recipes in Bibful

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Preparation tips

• Firm pear is a choking risk. Raw pieces of firm pear are hard and slippery; cook them until soft, or grate them.
• Remove the core and seeds. Cut them out before serving at every age.
• Thin and flat, not cubes. Small pieces are easier to manage when they are thin and flat.

Frequently asked questions

When can babies eat pear?

From around 6 months, mashed or grated, or as large wedges of very ripe or cooked pear.

Can babies eat raw pear?

Only when it is very ripe and soft. Firm raw pear should be cooked until soft or grated, as hard pieces can cause choking.

More first foods

• 🍎 Apple
• 🥑 Avocado
• 🍌 Banana
• 🥩 Beef
• 🫐 Blueberries
• 🍞 Bread
• 🥦 Broccoli
• 🎃 Butternut squash
• 🥕 Carrot
• 🍗 Chicken
• 🥚 Egg
• 🫛 Green beans
• 🫘 Lentils
• 🥣 Oats
• 🥜 Peanut
• 🐟 Salmon
• 🍓 Strawberries
• 🍠 Sweet potato
• 🥛 Yogurt

This page is general information, not medical advice. It follows NHS Start for Life and World Health Organization guidance on introducing solid foods. Always stay with your baby while they eat, and speak to your health visitor or GP if you have concerns about feeding, allergies or choking.