Learn how to prepare watermelon for your baby! In this guide, you will find all of the information you need, including; the benefits of watermelon for your baby, FAQs, how to select and store watermelon, as well as 8 delicious and easy recipes. You can serve this sweet fruit to your baby as a baby food puree, a solid for the finger food stage or for baby-led weaning. Watermelon can be served to babies 6 months and up.

Graphic for post – watermelon for baby, purée or baby led weaning. Images are in a grid showing different ways you can serve watermelon to your six month old and up.

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

Watermelon for Baby

Looking for information on how to serve sweet and juicy watermelon 🍉 to your baby during the hot summer months?

Then, look no further!

This guide will give you all of the information you need in order to serve watermelon to your baby as a puree, as a finger food, or for baby-led weaning. Below you will learn the benefits of watermelon for your baby, FAQs, how to select and store watermelon, as well as 8 delicious and easy recipes.

First time making homemade baby food? Then, I would suggest that you start by reading my very in-depth Guide on how to Make Homemade Baby Food – which goes over all the important information such as the best cooking tools to have on handsafe storagehow to know when baby is ready for solidshow to introduce pureesthe best first foods for baby, and more! If you are doing Baby-Led Weaning, then be sure to check out my Complete Guide to Baby-Led Weaning – which covers what exactly is baby-led weaning, to every parent’s concern of baby-led weaning and choking, this guide goes over it all. I will also share how to know when baby is ready for BLW, the top 10 best first foods, a helpful sample blw feeding schedule, helpful tools to have on hand, and much much more!

Want more information? Then make sure to check out my best-selling cookbook for even more information and recipes!

Watermelon for Baby Video

Watch this video to see all the different ways you can serve delicious watermelon to your baby!

To hold holding a wedge of watermelon against a white background.

Reasons to Love Watermelon for Baby

  • delicious baby food purees – 6+ months
  • great for baby-led weaning – 6+ months 
  • also great for the finger food stage – 9+ months
  • full of essential nutrients for baby
  • different ways for baby to eat – spoon-fed or self-feed 
  • easy to make – no cooking required

Benefits of Watermelon for Baby

Watermelon is full of essential vitamins and minerals for your baby.

  • Excellent source of vitamin C, which supports the immune system and helps with iron absorption.
  • Good source of vitamin A, which helps support healthy eyes, teeth and skin.
  • Contains different antioxidants including lycopene, carotenoids, and cucurbitacin E.
  • High water content which can help keep your baby hydrated.
A wedge of watermelon sitting on the white background

How to Pick, Store and Freeze Watermelon

Here are some tips on how to pick a fresh, juicy watermelon:

  • Shape: look for symmetry and avoid any dents or cuts
  • Weight: choose a watermelon that feels heavy for its size, which means its ripe and juicer
  • Spot: the field (or the ground) spot is where one side of the melon has been in contact with the ground as it grows. Look for a field spot that’s more yellow than white, indicating ripeness
  • Touch: a ripe watermelon should have a firm rind that doesn’t give easily when pressed
  • Sound: if you tap a watermelon with your fist and hear a deep sound (instead of a hollow sound), it’s ready to cut

HOW TO STORE A WATERMELON

You can store a whole watermelon at room temperature for up to 3 days or in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. If you want to cut up one half of your watermelon at a time, wrap the uncut half tightly with plastic wrap and place in the fridge. Cut watermelon is best stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. You can freeze watermelon cubes for up to 10 months.

Frequently Asked Questions

When can baby eat watermelon?

Baby can have watermelon as one of their first foods. When a baby can start on solids is determined by their own rate of development, which generally comes around 6 months of age. Some of the developmental milestones babies need to reach in order to start solids include: if your baby has solid control of their head and neck, if your baby has doubled in weight, and if your baby is reaching for or opening their mouth when you eat (see my guide here). Before you start your baby on purees, you should consult with your pediatrician to make sure your child is developmentally ready.

When can I introduce watermelon to baby?

You can introduce watermelon when your baby is ready for solids, usually around 6 months of age.

Is watermelon a choking hazard?

Watermelon is not typically a choking hazard, but due to its mixed consistency of liquid and solid parts, it can cause coughing and gagging and be difficult for babies to manage.

Is watermelon a common allergen?

No, watermelon is not a common allergen, however, as with any food, start with a small portion and be aware of any signs that might be an allergic reaction after introducing it. Some people with Oral Allergy Syndrome may experience itching or tingling in or around the mouth but this isn’t usually dangerous.

Does watermelon cause constipation for babies?

Watermelon is not known to cause constipation. In fact, because of its high water content, it may actually help with constipation.

Helpful Tools

These tools will make it a lot easier for you to do Baby-Led Weaning with your little one. For more of my favorite kitchen tools make sure to check out my shop.

How to Serve Watermelon to Baby

There are several different ways to prepare watermelon for your baby! You can make it into a smooth puree, a combination puree, a chunky puree for stage three, mashed and spread on toast or whole for baby-led weaning or a finger food. Here are 8 of my favorite ways to serve watermelon:

Stage One Puree

  • Basic Watermelon Puree
  • Watermelon Yogurt Puree

Stage Two Puree

  • Watermelon Apple and Beet Puree

Stage Three Purees

  • Watermelon Pasta with Basil
  • Watermelon mixed into Cottage Cheese

Baby-Led Weaning or Finger Foods

  • Watermelon for Baby-Led Weaning or Finger Foods: thick strip, cut into small pieces or in a small wedge. Or use the rind as a teether.
  • Watermelon Rolled in Hemp Seeds
  • Watermelon Lime Baby Popsicle
  • Watermelon Pasta with Basil

Watermelon Yogurt Puree

While the Basic Watermelon Puree is tasty, it does contain a good amount of liquid, making it sometimes hard for babies to eat. I love to drain away some of that liquid and add watermelon puree to plain whole milk yogurt as a great stage one/stage two puree. The yogurt gives the puree a thicker consistency and the watermelon rounds out the tartness of the yogurt – it’s a win-win in my book!

Instructions (for the full recipe, see recipe card below): blend or mash a ripe piece of watermelon. Take out any seeds and using a spoon, scoop out the chunky parts of the watermelon puree and add that to a bowl with a little plain whole milk yogurt. Mix and serve.

More Ways to Serve: you can serve watermelon puree with yogurt, mixed with applepear, or sweet potato puree, or swirled into oatmeal, quinoa, cottage cheese or ricotta.

Watermelon Apple and Beet Puree

I mean.. whoazers.. the color of this puree is 😍! For this creamy and smooth stage two baby food puree, we are steaming apples and beets before pureeing them with watermelon. If you are feeling extra, you can add in a pinch of fresh mint.

Instructions (for the full recipe, see recipe card below): steam an apple and medium beet until fork tender. Transfer to a blender, add watermelon and puree until smooth.

Watermelon Pasta with Basil

This fresh pasta dish, is refreshing, delicious and will be hit all summer long! Take any shaped pasta you prefer and mix in some chopped watermelon, feta and chopped basil. It’s an easy dish to make during a busy week and stores well for leftovers.

Instructions (for the full recipe, see recipe card below): cook and drain any pasta you prefer. Add in some chopped watermelon, crumbled feta, sliced basil and a drizzle of olive oil. Serve to your baby and enjoy a bowl for yourself.

Are graphic for watermelon baby led weaning, a image of a teal baby plate with different ways you can serve a watermelon to baby for six months, nine months and 12 months.

Watermelon for Self Feeding

Watermelon is a good food for your baby to self-feed, whether for baby-led weaning, which happens around 6 months of age, or during the finger foods stage at 9 months.

Rind or Large Stick (6+ months): great for babies 6+ months or just starting on solid foods. It’s best to start your baby with a bigger piece of watermelon on the rind, with most of the watermelon cut off, or a larger stick the size of 2 fingers.

Chopped (9+ months): when your baby’s pincer grasp has developed, you can serve chopped bite-size pieces of watermelon to your baby.

Wedges or Smaller Sticks (12+ months): as your baby’s eating skills advance you can serve them wedges of watermelon so they can learn how to take a bite as well as smaller sticks.

BLW Tip: Make sure the watermelon you are serving to your baby for self-feeding is ripe with no black seeds. Hard, unripe watermelon can be a choking hazard for your baby. Note that the combination of soft solid parts and juices of watermelon often causes babies to gag at first with this fruit. Always supervise and ensure the pieces given will squish easily between your fingers.

Watermelon Rolled in Hemp Seeds

This fun watermelon recipe helps your baby be able to hold onto sometimes slippery watermelon while also adding in some plant-based protein into their diets.

Instructions (for the full recipe, see recipe card below): Depending on your baby’s age, cut an age-appropriate size of a watermelon stick and then roll it into some hemp seeds.

Watermelon Lime Baby Popsicle

Want a fun way to serve watermelon to your baby? Then try these Watermelon Popsicles! Made with only 4 ingredients, these no sugar added popsicles will be a fun (if not a little messy) way for your baby to explore this popular summertime fruit! You can read the full post on these Watermelon Popsicles.

Instructions (for the full recipe, see recipe card below): blend watermelon, frozen strawberries, fresh lime juice and chia seeds. Pour into small baby-friendly popsicle molds and freeze. Once frozen, take a popsicle out of the mold and hand to your baby.

Tips for Feeding Watermelon to Baby

  • Seedless: Serve seedless watermelon to prevent choking on seeds
  • Buy & Serve Whole Watermelon: make sure to buy and serve the whole watermelon vs. pre-cut and always wash before cutting to minimize salmonella risk
  • Teething Remedy: For babies just starting on solids, cut most of the fruit off the rind and serve a chunk of the rind as a teether.
  • Wash First: Make sure you wash and dry your watermelon for cutting into it.

Or watch the shortened video here.

It's a grid of nine photos showing purées and baby led weaning style recipes for watermelon for your baby against a white background.

Get the recipe: Watermelon for Baby: Puree & BLW

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Learn how to prepare watermelon for baby with these 8 delicious and easy ways! You can serve watermelon to babies 6 months and up.

Ingredients 

Basic Watermelon Puree

  • 1 cup cubed watermelon

Watermelon Yogurt Puree

  • 1/2 cup cubed watermelon
  • 1/2 cup plain whole milk yogurt, or plain plant-based variety

Watermelon Apple and Beet Puree

  • 2 large apples, peeled, cored and roughly chopped
  • 1 medium beet, peeled and roughly chopped
  • 1 cup cubed watermelon

Watermelon Pasta with Basil

  • 2 cups cooked pasta, any shape you prefer
  • 1 cup chopped watermelon
  • 3 tbsp feta crumbles
  • 2 leaves basil, finely chopped
  • 2-3 tbsp olive oil

Watermelon for Self Feeding

  • 1 slice watermelon, cut according to baby's age and abilities

Watermelon Rolled in Hemp Seeds

  • 1 slice watermelon, cut according to baby's age and abilities
  • 2-3 tbsp hemp seeds

Watermelon Lime Baby Popsicle

  • 2 cups watermelon, cubed
  • 1 cup strawberries, fresh or frozen
  • 1/2 lime, juiced
  • 1 tsp chia seeds

Instructions 

Basic Watermelon Puree

  • Place the watermelon in a blender and puree until smooth.

Watermelon Yogurt Puree

  • Place the watermelon in a blender and puree until smooth. Using a spoon, scoop out the watermelon puree, trying to leave the watermelon seeds and juice behind, and place in a bowl.
    A teal baby bowl with chunky purée watermelon and yogurt.
  • Add in the yogurt and stir until combined.
    A peach baby spoon resting on a teal baby bowl with a chunky watermelon and yogurt purée that is sitting on a purple plate against the white back out.

Watermelon Apple and Beet Puree

  • In a medium saucepan, bring 2" of water to a boil over high heat. Add a steamer basket with the apple and beets. Cover and cook for 8-10 minutes or until tender when pricked with a fork. Remove from heat, and let cool.
    A steamer basket sitting on the white background filled with apples that have been sliced in chunks of red beets.
  • Transfer the cooked apple and beet, along with the watermelon to a blender, and puree for 60-90 seconds or until smooth.
    A clear blender with a bright pink purée made of beets, apples and watermelon.
  • Serve and enjoy!
    A peach baby bowl with a gray baby spoon resting on top holding a bright pink purée against away background.

Watermelon Pasta with Basil

    Watermelon for Self Feeding

    • Serve to baby on the rind, in thick sticks, chopped, as a wedge or in small sticks depending on your baby's age (see graph).
      Are graphic for watermelon baby led weaning, a image of a teal baby plate with different ways you can serve a watermelon to baby for six months, nine months and 12 months.

    Watermelon Rolled in Hemp Seeds

    • Depending on your baby’s age, cut an age-appropriate size of watermelon – big sticks, small sticks or bite-size pieces.
      A wooden Korean board with three sticks of watermelon in a small bowl of hemp seeds.
    • Roll the watermelon pieces into hemp seeds.
      A wooden cutting board with watermelon sticks world of hemp seeds.
    • And serve to your baby!
      A peach baby plate with three sticks of watermelon world and hemp seeds.

    Watermelon Lime Baby Popsicle

    • Place all of the ingredients into a blender and blend for 45-60 seconds on medium or until everything this pureed.
      Clear blender on a white background with watermelon frozen strawberries, Chia seeds and my juice.
    • Using your favorite baby-friendly popsicle mold, pour the watermelon mixture into the molds until the fill line. Place in the popsicle sticks.
      Purple popsicle tray full of watermelon popsicle filling half of the colorful sticks in there.
    • Place the popsicle mold into the freezer and let freeze for at least 5 hours but preferably overnight. Take a popsicle out of the mold and hand to baby to enjoy.
      A purple kids plate on a white background with purple, green, blue popsicle sticks with watermelon popsicles and chunks of watermelon on the plate.

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