Dill
Herbs & spices- AGE
- 6 months +
- COMMON ALLERGEN
- No
- CHOKING RISK
- Low · prep still matters
- IRON
- Not iron-rich
- GOOD FOR
- Fiber
When can babies have dill?
From 6 months (corrected age), in the age-right form below.
- The real value is flavor variety, not nutrition — a fresh, grassy-bright herb that seasons without salt or sugar
- Like all leafy herbs it adds a trace of plant fiber at the small amounts a baby actually eats
How do I serve it at each age?
Safe form at 6–8 months
A small pinch of finely chopped fresh dill fronds stirred through plain yogurt, potato mash, or a smooth puree until the green flecks are evenly scattered with no long strands.
Pass/fail test: Look for strands, then taste: no frond piece longer than a grain of rice, and a spoonful should carry a mild fresh-grass note, not a mouthful of herb.
Why this form: Flavor variety without salt or sugar is the point — a baby who meets dill in familiar yogurt or potato learns early that green flecks mean flavor, not something to pick out.
How to prepare
- Start with about 1/8 teaspoon of finely chopped fronds — feathery leaves only, no stems — per serving.
- Snip with kitchen scissors directly over the bowl, then stir until the flecks are even.
- Repeat across several meals before increasing the amount.
Common mistakes
- Leaving long feathery strands that can string across a small tongue — chop to rice-grain size.
- Using the tough stems, which are stringy and bitter compared to the fronds.
How much?
A small pinch (about 1/8 teaspoon) of chopped fronds stirred into one serving — flavor exposure is the serving.
Amounts are starting points, not targets — watch the baby, not the numbers.
How do I get the texture right?
- Kitchen scissors beat a knife for dill — snip the fronds straight over the bowl into rice-grain confetti.
- Add dill at the end, off the heat; cooking flattens its flavor within minutes.
- Freeze leftover chopped dill flat in a zip bag and crumble off what you need — it keeps its flavor far better than a wilting bunch in the fridge.
- Dill-yogurt dip is the classic gateway: familiar yogurt, new flavor, and something to dunk soft vegetables into.
Is dill a choking hazard?
Low risk in the forms above — shape and texture do the safety work. Any food can be a hazard served the wrong way, so match the form to your baby’s age.