HeySolids
Choking risk
Soft, well-cooked millet is a low choking risk - the grains are tiny and squash easily.
Cook millet soft and keep it moist, stirring loose grains into a puree, sauce, or mash so they clump, and skip dry puffed or popped millet. See how to serve for age-by-age prep.
Allergens
Millet is not a common food allergen, so a true allergy to it is rare.[2]
It's also naturally gluten-free, a handy grain for families avoiding wheat or gluten.
Start with a small amount and watch for a reaction.
If baby refuses
Millet's mild, nutty taste can take a few tries to win over. Stir it into mashed potato, pureed vegetables, fruit, or a favorite sauce to soften the flavor, or bind it into soft fritters, which older babies often take to more readily than loose grains.
How to serve
6+ months old
Creamy porridge or mixed into mash
Spoon-fed, or a ball too big to fit in the mouth in one go
Cook millet down into a soft, creamy porridge, or stir the grains into purees, mashed vegetables, yogurt, or a soft sauce so they aren't loose. Pre-load a spoon and hand it to baby, or press the cooked millet into a large soft ball they can grip and gnaw. Keeping it moist and clumped makes it easier for young babies to manage.
How to cook
Simmer about 1 part millet to 3 parts water for 20 to 25 minutes until very soft, adding a little more liquid for a smooth porridge. Skip the salt, then serve as porridge or stir it into a soft food so it holds together.
9+ months old
Soft clumped grains, fritters, or patties
Offer soft cooked millet clumped together for scooping, stirred through soft family dishes, or bound into fritters and patties baby can pick up. A little melted cheese, yogurt, olive oil, or sauce helps the grains stick for an early pincer grasp. Keep offering creamy millet porridge too.
How to cook
Cook until very soft, fluffy or as a porridge. Bind into soft fritters or patties, or mix into soft dishes so the millet holds together rather than scattering. Skip the salt.
12+ months old
Soft millet as a side or in dishes
Serve millet as part of family meals: a soft side, a fluffy pilaf or porridge, or stirred into stews and soups. Offer a fork or spoon for practice and pre-load as needed; it's fine if your toddler still prefers hands. Keeping it moist and slightly clumped gives them more success with a utensil.
How to cook
Cook until soft and serve to your family's taste, as a fluffy pilaf or a creamy porridge. Keep skipping puffed or popped millet, hold the salt, and vary the grains you offer across the week.