Papaya for baby? Definitely! Introducing a variety of foods to your baby is so important in their first year, and while papaya might not be the first food you try, it’s a great choice to include once they’re ready for new flavors. With its sweet, tropical taste and smooth, creamy texture, papaya is easy for little ones to enjoy.

Medically reviewed and cowritten by Jamie Johnson, Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN), and Lauren Braaten, Pediatric Occupational Therapist (OT).

Teal blue kids plate sitting on my white marble counter with papaya cut and pureed in different shapes and textures for baby.

Looking for a slightly less traditional fruit to introduce to your baby? Look no further than papaya!

After you check off the more conventional first foods for baby – apple, sweet potato, and broccoli – papaya is a great addition to your baby’s growing list of foods.

While you can serve papaya as a simple puree, both of my babies found they loved it even more when paired with yogurt to add some creaminess, either mixed into the puree or as a dip for a slice of fresh papaya. For baby-led weaning, the best option is to start with a larger piece of papaya so they can use their palmar grasp to fist it as they gnaw. As your baby’s pincer grasp develops, you can use smaller pieces of papaya for them to pick up on their own. Over the years, I found that it helps to roll some of these smaller pieces of the slipper fruit in some hemp seeds, ground coconut, baby cereal, or flax seeds.

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Let’s Make Papaya Baby Puree –>

A papaya sitting on my white kitchen counter.
Clear blender on my counter with chunks of papaya and my hand squeezing lime inside.
Blender sitting on my kitchen coutner with pureed papaya baby food inside.
A gray baby bowl on a counter with a smooth papaya baby puree.
  • Grab a ripe papaya.
  • Cut the papaya into chunks and place them into a blender. Add a splash of lime.
  • Blend for 1 minute or until creamy and smooth.
  • Serve to your baby and freeze the rest for a later meal.

How to Serve for Baby-Led Weaning

teal baby plate showing different ways to serve papaya to a baby with graphics and arrows showing which age baby can have which one.

6+ Months – Large Slices, Mashed or Puree: It’s best to serve larger strips of papaya – roughly 2-3″ long so baby can have an easier time picking up the papaya with their palmar grasp. If serving mashed or pureed, give your baby a preloaded spoon to self-feed.

9+ months – Chopped: You can chop papaya into bite-sized pieces for your baby to pick up or serve on a preloaded fork. If your baby still has a hard time picking up pieces, you can roll the pieces in chia seeds, hemp seeds, or shredded coconut to help them grasp it.

Teal blue kids plate sitting on my white marble counter with papaya cut and pureed in different shapes and textures for baby.

Get the recipe: Homemade Papaya Lime Baby Food (puree and BLW)

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Papaya for baby? Definitely! Introducing a variety of foods to your baby is so important in their first year, and while papaya might not be the first food you try, it’s a great choice to include once they’re ready for new flavors. With its sweet, tropical taste and smooth, creamy texture, papaya is easy for little ones to enjoy.
Yield: 12 ounces
Prep: 3 minutes
Total: 3 minutes
Author: Michele Olivier
Course: baby food
Print Recipe

Ingredients 

Papaya Baby Puree

  • 2 cups papaya chunks, peeled and deseeded
  • 1/2 tsp fresh lime juice (optional)

Instructions 

Papaya Baby Puree

  • Place the papaya into a small blender.
  • Add in a squeeze of lime (optional)
  • Blend for 30-60 seconds or until smooth. Serve or store for a later meal.
    A gray baby bowl on a counter with a smooth papaya baby puree.

Notes

Age: 6+ months
To Serve Papaya for Baby-Led Weaning: Take 2 slices of papaya and cut them to the desired size depending on your baby’s age. Add a squeeze with lime (optional). 
6+ Months – Large Slices, Mashed or Puree: It’s best to serve larger strips of papaya – roughly 2-3″ long so baby can have an easier time picking up the papaya with their palmar grasp. If serving mashed or pureed, give your baby a preloaded spoon to self-feed.
9+ months – Chopped: You can chop papaya into bite-sized pieces for your baby to pick up or serve on a preloaded fork. If your baby still has a hard time picking up pieces, you can roll the pieces in chia seeds, hemp seeds, or shredded coconut to help them grasp it.

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