Spices and Herbs for Babies: Adding Flavour Safely
Last updated June 2026 · Reviewed by Nibli Editorial Team
Why your baby's food doesn't need to be bland, which herbs and spices are good to start with, and what to avoid.
Many parents assume baby food should be plain and bland, but that isn't the case. From around 6 months, when your baby starts solids, you can gently introduce herbs and mild spices into their meals. Far from being too much for little tummies, a variety of gentle flavours can make mealtimes more enjoyable and help your baby learn to like a wide range of foods.
Early flavour exposure matters more than many people realise. Research and infant-feeding guidance from bodies like the AAP, NHS, and WHO suggest that offering varied tastes during the first year may support food acceptance and reduce fussy eating later in toddlerhood. The textures and tastes your baby meets now help shape their preferences for years to come.
This guide explains when and how to add herbs and spices to your baby's food, which ones make great first choices, and the few important things to avoid, including salt and honey. With a little know-how, you can cook flavourful family-style meals the whole household can enjoy together.
Key takeaways
- Babies can have herbs and mild spices from around 6 months; food need not be bland.
- Early, varied flavour exposure helps acceptance and may reduce picky eating.
- Great starters include cinnamon, mild cumin and coriander, basil, dill, oregano, and cooked garlic and onion.
- Avoid added salt and salty stock cubes, gravy granules, and seasoning blends.
- Go easy on very hot chilli, and never give honey before 12 months.
- Introduce one new flavour at a time and stay allergen-aware.
- Remove whole spices and large seeds, which can be a choking hazard.
When Can Babies Have Herbs and Spices?
Babies can start having herbs and mild spices from around 6 months, at the same time they begin eating solid foods. There is no need to wait until your baby is older, and there is no reason to keep their food bland. Adding small amounts of gentle seasoning to home-cooked meals is perfectly safe and can make food more appealing.
Around 6 months is the recommended window for starting solids because most babies can sit with support, hold their head steady, and show interest in food. Once your baby is happily eating purees or soft finger foods, herbs and spices can simply be part of how you cook for them, just as they are for the rest of the family.
The key is moderation and variety. Use flavours to enhance food rather than overwhelm it, and offer a range of tastes over time. If your baby was born prematurely or has any medical conditions, check with your pediatrician or health visitor about the right time to start solids and new flavours.
- Start solids and gentle flavours from around 6 months
- Look for signs of readiness: steady head, sitting with support, interest in food
- Food does not need to be bland to be baby-friendly
- Ask your pediatrician if your baby was premature or has health needs
Why Early Flavour Exposure Helps
The first year is a window of opportunity for shaping your baby's palate. Babies are naturally more open to trying new tastes during this period, and repeated exposure to a flavour helps them learn to accept and even enjoy it. Offering bland food only may make it harder to introduce variety later on.
Studies on infant feeding suggest that babies who experience a range of flavours early tend to accept new foods more readily and may be less likely to become picky eaters as toddlers. Bitter vegetables like broccoli, for example, are often better accepted when paired with gentle herbs and offered repeatedly without pressure.
Flavour exposure also starts before solids. Breastfed babies taste hints of the foods their parent eats through breast milk, which is one reason variety in the family diet can be helpful. Cooking with herbs and mild spices simply continues this natural learning process at the table.
- Early, repeated exposure helps babies accept new foods
- Varied flavours may reduce fussy eating in toddlerhood
- Gentle herbs can make bitter vegetables more appealing
- Offer new tastes calmly, without pressure to finish
Best Herbs and Spices to Start With
Mild, aromatic flavours are the best place to begin. Warm spices like cinnamon work beautifully with fruit, porridge, and yogurt, while gentle savoury herbs such as basil, dill, and oregano lift vegetable and pasta dishes. Mild cumin and coriander add depth to lentils, beans, and soft curries without any heat.
Garlic and onion, cooked into dishes, are wonderful flavour builders and are well tolerated by most babies. Fresh herbs like parsley, mint, and chives can be finely chopped and stirred through food. There is no need to buy special baby seasonings, ordinary kitchen herbs and spices used in small amounts are perfect.
Start with a pinch and build up gradually. You are aiming to season food the way you might enjoy it yourself, just without adding salt. Over time you can expand your baby's repertoire to include flavours from many different cuisines.
- Cinnamon: lovely with fruit, oatmeal, and yogurt
- Mild cumin and coriander: great in lentils, beans, and mild curries
- Basil, dill, and oregano: perfect for vegetables and pasta
- Garlic and onion: cook into dishes as a flavour base
- Parsley, mint, and chives: chop finely and stir through food
- Use a pinch at first and build up gradually
What to Avoid: Salt, Hot Chilli, and Honey
While most herbs and spices are fine, a few things should be left out. The most important is salt. A baby's kidneys cannot handle much salt, so avoid adding it to their food and skip salty stock cubes, gravy granules, bouillon, soy sauce, and ready-made sauces or seasoning blends, which are often very high in sodium. Choose low-salt or no-salt-added options and season with herbs and spices instead.
Go easy on very hot chilli and fiery spices. A tiny hint of warmth in a family dish is usually fine, but strong heat can be uncomfortable for a baby. There is no need to avoid spiced cuisines altogether, just keep the chilli mild so your baby can enjoy the other flavours.
Never give honey to babies under 12 months, even a tiny amount cooked into food. Honey can contain spores that cause infant botulism, a rare but serious illness. Wait until after your baby's first birthday before offering any honey.
- No added salt; avoid stock cubes, bouillon, soy sauce, and salty sauces
- Choose low-salt or no-salt-added versions of packaged foods
- Keep chilli and very hot spices mild and gentle
- No honey under 12 months, even cooked into food
- Check labels on seasoning blends, which often contain hidden salt
How Much Salt Is Too Much?
Babies need only a very small amount of sodium, and most of what they need comes naturally from breast milk, formula, and unprocessed foods. The NHS advises that babies under 12 months should have less than 1 gram of salt per day, which is roughly 0.4 grams of sodium. This is much less than adults and is easily met without adding any salt at all.
The biggest sources of hidden salt are processed and packaged foods rather than the salt shaker. Bread, cheese, ready meals, processed meats, and savoury snacks can add up quickly, so it helps to check labels and choose lower-salt options when feeding the whole family.
By seasoning with herbs and spices instead of salt, you give your baby plenty of flavour while keeping sodium low. This habit is good for everyone at the table and makes it easier to cook one meal for the whole family.
- Under-1s should have less than 1 g of salt (about 0.4 g sodium) per day
- Most salt babies eat comes from processed foods, not cooking
- Watch bread, cheese, processed meats, and snacks for hidden salt
- Flavour with herbs and spices, not the salt shaker
Introducing New Flavours and Allergens Safely
Introducing one new flavour at a time makes it easier to spot how your baby responds and to notice any reaction. This is especially helpful alongside allergen awareness. Common allergens such as egg, peanut, dairy, fish, and tree nuts should be introduced one at a time, in small amounts, ideally earlier in the day so you can watch for any reaction.
Most herbs and spices are not common allergens, but introducing them individually is still a sensible habit. Wait a couple of days between brand-new foods or strong new flavours, then you will have a clearer picture if anything doesn't agree with your baby. Once a flavour is well tolerated, you can combine it freely with others.
If your baby has eczema, a known food allergy, or a family history of allergies, talk to your pediatrician or health visitor before introducing common allergen foods. Signs of an allergic reaction can include a rash, swelling, vomiting, or difficulty breathing, and any breathing difficulty needs emergency care immediately.
- Introduce one new flavour or food at a time
- Offer common allergens one at a time, early in the day
- Wait a couple of days before adding another brand-new food
- Seek advice first if there is eczema or a family allergy history
- Get emergency help for any breathing difficulty or swelling
Choking Safety With Whole Spices and Seeds
Most ground spices and finely chopped herbs are no concern for choking because they blend into food. The thing to watch is whole spices and large, hard seeds, which can be a choking hazard for babies. Whole peppercorns, mustard seeds, cumin seeds, cardamom pods, cloves, star anise, and bay leaves should be removed before serving.
If you cook with whole spices for flavour, fish them out or strain the dish before giving it to your baby. Ground versions of the same spices are a safe and easy alternative. Always serve food at an appropriate texture for your baby's stage, soft enough to mash with gentle pressure.
As with all baby meals, stay close and supervise your baby while they eat, and make sure they are sitting upright rather than reclined or moving around. Knowing the difference between gagging, which is normal and protective, and choking, which is silent and needs action, can help you feel confident at mealtimes.
- Remove whole spices: peppercorns, cloves, cardamom pods, star anise, bay leaves
- Strain dishes cooked with whole spices, or use ground versions
- Watch large, hard seeds as a choking hazard
- Always supervise meals with baby seated upright
- Learn the difference between normal gagging and choking
Easy Ways to Add Flavour to Baby Meals
Adding flavour can be as simple as cooking your baby's portion alongside the family meal and seasoning it before you add any salt for the adults. A pinch of cinnamon in porridge, a little garlic and basil in a tomato pasta sauce, or mild cumin in a lentil stew all introduce new tastes without any extra effort.
Fresh herbs can be stirred into mashed vegetables, blended into purees, or sprinkled over soft finger foods. Roasting vegetables with a touch of olive oil and dried oregano brings out natural sweetness that babies often love. The goal is real, recognisable flavours rather than anything fancy.
Cooking one flavourful meal for everyone saves time and helps your baby feel part of family mealtimes, which itself encourages good eating habits. Keep offering a variety of tastes, and don't be discouraged if a flavour is rejected at first, it can take many tries before a baby accepts something new.
- Cook baby's portion with the family, seasoning before adding salt
- Stir fresh herbs into purees, mashes, and finger foods
- Roast vegetables with olive oil and a little oregano
- Keep offering rejected flavours; acceptance can take many tries
Frequently Asked Questions
When can my baby start having herbs and spices?
From around 6 months, when your baby begins solid foods. There is no need to keep their food bland, mild herbs and spices can be part of everyday meals.
Does baby food really need to be plain?
No. Bland food is a common myth. Gentle flavours make meals more enjoyable and help your baby learn to like a variety of foods, which can reduce fussy eating later.
Which spices are best to start with?
Mild ones like cinnamon, cumin, and coriander, plus herbs such as basil, dill, oregano, and cooked garlic and onion. Start with a pinch and build up gradually.
Can babies have garlic and onion?
Yes. Garlic and onion cooked into dishes are flavour-friendly and well tolerated by most babies from around 6 months.
Why should I avoid salt in my baby's food?
A baby's kidneys cannot handle much salt. Under-1s should have less than 1 gram a day, so skip added salt, stock cubes, and salty sauces, and season with herbs instead.
Can my baby eat spicy or chilli food?
A tiny hint of warmth is usually fine, but go easy on very hot chilli, which can be uncomfortable for babies. Keep spiced dishes mild so they can enjoy the other flavours.
Why can't babies have honey?
Honey can contain spores that cause infant botulism, a rare but serious illness. Never give honey, even cooked into food, before 12 months of age.
Should I introduce one spice at a time?
Introducing one new flavour at a time helps you notice how your baby responds. It also fits well with introducing common allergen foods one at a time.
Are any spices a choking hazard?
Whole spices and large hard seeds, such as peppercorns, cloves, cardamom pods, star anise, and bay leaves, can be a choking risk. Remove them or use ground versions.
Can early flavours really prevent picky eating?
Offering varied flavours early may help your baby accept new foods and become less fussy, though no approach guarantees it. Keep offering tastes calmly and repeatedly.
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