HeySolids
Choking risk
Rhubarb is a moderate choking risk - raw stalk is firm and stringy, too tough for a baby to manage, and only stewing softens it.
One rule before anything else: the leaves are toxic and are never eaten, at any age - buy trimmed stalks, and if yours come with leaves, cut them off and throw them away. Stew the stalks until a piece presses easily between two fingers, then serve as a smooth puree or soft compote. See how to serve for age-by-age prep.
Allergens
Rhubarb is not a common food allergen, so a true allergy to it is rare.[2]
Start with a small amount and watch for a reaction.
If baby refuses
Rhubarb is sharp on its own, so refusal is common at first. Stew it soft and blend it into apple, pear, or banana, or stir a little through yogurt or oatmeal. Build up the flavor slowly, and resist adding sugar to win baby over.
Food safety
Only the stalks are food. The leaves are toxic and are never eaten, at any age - not cooked, not in small amounts. Buy trimmed stalks, and if yours come with leaves, cut them off and throw them away.
Rhubarb's other trap is sugar: it's so tart that nearly every traditional recipe drowns it in sugar, and added sugar is best avoided before age 2. Sweeten it the fruit way instead - stew rhubarb with apple, pear, or strawberries, and let the sweet fruit do the work.[3]
How to serve
6+ months old
Smooth stewed compote, leaves removed
Spoon-fed, blended smooth
Stew chopped rhubarb stalks until collapsing soft, then blend smooth and stir the puree through a sweeter fruit mash, yogurt, or oatmeal to soften the tartness. Never serve rhubarb raw - the stalk stays firm and stringy until it's stewed. The leaves are toxic and are never eaten, at any age - cut them off and throw them away.
How to cook
Chop the trimmed stalks and simmer in a little water for 5 to 10 minutes, until they collapse - rhubarb goes from firm to fallen-apart all at once, so it's done when it slumps.
Sweeten it the fruit way: stew it with chopped apple, pear, or strawberries and no sugar - strawberry-rhubarb is a classic precisely because the strawberry was always doing the sugar's job. Blend or mash smooth and cool before serving.
12+ months old
Stewed rhubarb in family dishes
Small amounts at mealtimes
Rhubarb is very sour on its own, so it works best cooked down with sweeter fruit and stirred through something else. Serve a few spoonfuls next to the rest of the meal rather than as a dish on its own.
Don't sweeten it with sugar. Children under 2 don't need added sugar, and most rhubarb recipes written for adults use a lot of it.
Raw rhubarb isn't served in this age range. It's tough, stringy, and too sour to eat in any real amount.
How to cook
Cut the leaves off the stalks and throw them away. Only the stalks are eaten, and rhubarb leaves are poisonous.
Most rhubarb sold in stores comes with the leaves already removed. Wash the stalks, trim the ends, and slice them into short pieces. Simmer with chopped apple or pear and a splash of water until the pieces press easily between two fingers. The strings soften as it cooks, so keep going until nothing firm is left. Stir the cooked rhubarb through oatmeal, yogurt, or ricotta, or bake it into a family dish.