Safe from 6 months. Tomatoes provide vitamin C, potassium, lycopene (a powerful antioxidant), and vitamin A. Cooked tomatoes actually have more bioavailable lycopene than raw ones.
Raw ripe tomatoes are juicy, bright, and sweet-tart with a fresh acidity and thin skin that can be slippery. Cooking concentrates the sugars, deepens the umami, and softens the flesh into a jammy, saucy consistency with a richer, rounder flavor and higher lycopene bioavailability than raw. They pair naturally with olive oil, garlic, basil, oregano, parmesan, eggs, zucchini, white beans, and mozzarella.
Choking risk: medium
Cherry tomatoes are a serious choking hazard and must be quartered lengthwise. Large tomato slices or cooked tomato are low risk. Always cut small round tomatoes before serving.
Cherry tomatoes: cut in quarters lengthwise. Larger tomatoes: remove skin, cut into strips. Tomatoes can be acidic - introduce slowly and watch for reactions.
Quartered cherry tomatoes or diced larger tomatoes. Skin can stay on now.
Any preparation. Whole cherry tomatoes are fine now that chewing is more developed.
Ingredients
Steps
Cooking tomatoes dramatically increases lycopene bioavailability compared to raw. This sauce freezes well in ice cube trays for up to 4 months.
Garden notes
Whole cherry tomatoes are a choking risk under 12 months - always quarter them.
Start indoors 6-8 weeks before last frost - one of the slowest to mature.
Harvest for baby
Fully ripe tomatoes slip off the vine easily. For babies: peel, remove seeds, serve soft wedges.
See what other families are growing for their babies
Free account. Log foods, track reactions, get harvest reminders, and join a community of parents growing their baby's first foods.
Add Tomatoes to my garden