Quick answer
Most babies can start bell pepper around 6 months, once they show signs of readiness: sitting up with little or no support, good head and neck control, and showing interest in food. Bell pepper is not a common allergen, and there is no need to delay it. As with any vegetable, offer it on its own at first so you can watch how your baby responds.
When can babies eat bell pepper?
Most babies can start bell pepper around 6 months, once they show signs of readiness: sitting up with little or no support, good head and neck control, and showing interest in food. Bell pepper is not a common allergen, and there is no need to delay it. As with any vegetable, offer it on its own at first so you can watch how your baby responds.
At the early stage, the main consideration is texture rather than allergy. Raw bell pepper is firm and the skin can be hard to chew, so cooking it until soft makes it much safer and easier for young babies to manage. As your child's chewing and pincer grasp develop, you can move toward smaller and firmer pieces.
See our first foods for baby guide for more ideas.
Safety Tips
- ✓Always supervise your baby while eating and keep them seated upright, never lying back, walking, or playing.
- ✓Cook bell pepper until soft for younger babies and remove the firm skin, which can be tough to chew and easy to choke on.
- ✓Remove all seeds and the white inner pith, and offer bell pepper on its own at first so you can watch how your baby responds.
- ✓Learn the difference between gagging and choking, and consider taking an infant first-aid or CPR class before starting solids.
Select Baby's Age
How to cut bell pepper for a 6 month old
At 6 months, serve bell pepper roasted, steamed, or sautéed until very soft, and remove the slippery skin once it is cooked since the peel can be tough and hard to gum. Cut the softened pepper into long strips about the length and width of an adult finger, roughly 8 to 10 cm long and 1.5 to 2 cm wide, so your baby can grasp one end while the other end sticks out of a closed fist. This shape is ideal for a palmar grasp at this age. Avoid serving raw bell pepper, thin or small pieces that could be inhaled, and any large chunks of leftover skin. Always remove the seeds and the white pith, and make sure each piece is soft enough to squish easily between your fingers before serving.
6 month baby feeding schedule for more tips.
Bell pepper recipe ideas for babies
Once your baby is comfortable with plain bell pepper, try these simple, flavorful ways to serve it. See our baby recipes.
- ★Roasted bell pepper strips drizzled with a little olive oil, served as soft finger food
- ★Bell pepper and sweet potato mash blended until smooth for younger babies
- ★Mini veggie omelet bites with finely diced soft bell pepper and egg
- ★Bell pepper and white bean puree spread thinly on soft toast fingers
Explore our baby-led weaning food list and first foods for baby for more inspiration.
Frequently Asked Questions
When can babies eat bell pepper?
Most babies can eat bell pepper from around 6 months when starting solids. Always serve it in a safe size and texture appropriate for your baby's age and development.
How do you cut bell pepper for baby led weaning?
For babies around 6 months, bell pepper should be cut into large pieces that are easy to grasp with their hands. As babies develop their chewing skills, the pieces can gradually become smaller.
How to serve bell pepper baby led weaning?
For BLW, cut bell pepper into strips or wedges that babies can hold. The texture should be soft enough to mash easily with gentle pressure.
Can babies choke on bell pepper?
bell pepper can become a choking hazard if served in small round or hard pieces. Cutting it into larger soft pieces appropriate for baby-led weaning helps reduce choking risk.
How should bell pepper be served to a 6 month old?
At around 6 months, bell pepper should be served in large soft pieces that babies can hold with their hands. See our full ingredient guide.
Is bell pepper safe for baby led weaning?
bell pepper can be included in baby-led weaning when cut into safe shapes and soft textures that babies can hold and gum.
How small should bell pepper be cut for older babies?
From around 9 months, babies typically use a pincer grasp, so bell pepper can be cut into smaller pea-sized pieces. Continue ensuring pieces are soft enough to mash and watch for any choking risk shapes.
Should bell pepper be cooked or raw for babies?
Cook bell pepper until easily mashable when raw textures are too firm for babies to gum. Soft ripe fruits are often offered raw, while firmer foods are typically steamed, roasted, or boiled until tender.
Can bell pepper be served as a finger food at 6 months?
Yes, bell pepper can be a 6-month finger food when cut into long graspable strips and softened to a mashable texture. Always supervise meals and adjust shape as your baby's chewing skills develop.
How to cut bell pepper for a 7 month old?
At 7 months babies still use a palmar (whole-hand) grasp. Cut bell pepper into long strips about 2-3 inches long and finger-width thick, with part sticking out of the fist for chewing. Soft enough to mash between two fingers.
How to cut bell pepper for an 8 month old?
At 8 months babies are refining grasp and may begin pincering. Continue offering bell pepper in 2-inch strips alongside a few small pea-sized pieces to practice the pincer grasp. Cooked until easily mashable.
How to cut bell pepper for a 9 month old?
At 9 months most babies have developed the pincer grasp. Cut bell pepper into pea-sized pieces (about ½ inch / 1.5 cm) for self-feeding practice. Continue avoiding round, hard, or sticky shapes; soft enough to mash with mild pressure.
How to cut bell pepper for a 10 month old?
At 10 months babies eat a wider variety of textures. Offer bell pepper in pea-sized pieces or small bite-sized cubes (½ inch / 1.5 cm). They can manage slightly firmer textures, but pieces should still mash easily.
How to cut bell pepper for a 12 month old?
From 12 months babies eat in pieces about ½ inch (1.5 cm). Round foods (grapes, cherry tomatoes) must still be quartered until age 4 due to choking risk. Soft enough to chew without much molar work.
Can babies eat bell pepper for breakfast?
Yes — bell pepper can be part of a balanced baby breakfast when prepared in baby-safe shapes. Pair with a protein, healthy fat, or whole grain (eggs, yogurt, oats, nut butter on toast) for a complete morning meal.
verifiedSources & References
This guide is informed by current guidelines from leading health organizations:
Cut every food safely in seconds
Pick a food, pick an age, see the safe size and shape. 50+ cutting guides in Nibli — built for parents who don't want to second-guess at the high chair.
Try Nibli today to start planning your baby's meals.
