Tofu

Choking risk

Tofu is a low choking risk - soft enough to squash between your fingers and easy for new eaters.

Mash soft or silken tofu, and cut firm tofu into strips or small cubes. See how to serve for age-by-age prep.

Allergens

Tofu is made from soy, a common food allergen, and is often a baby's first taste of it.^[1]

There's no reason to delay it - offer soy from around 6 months and keep it in the diet regularly once tolerated.^[2]

Offer it on its own, early in the day rather than before a nap or bedtime, so you can watch for a reaction in the hours after. Start with a small amount and watch for a reaction.

Call 911 for trouble breathing, swelling of the lips or tongue, or if baby becomes pale or floppy.

The good news: soy allergy is one of the more commonly outgrown ones.

If baby refuses

Plain tofu is bland and a bit jiggly, which not every baby takes to. Try crisping it up - roasted or pan-fried tofu firms up and tastes nuttier than the soft steamed kind. Or blend silken tofu into something baby already likes: a fruit smoothie, a pasta sauce, mashed into oatmeal. It picks up whatever flavour it's cooked in, so a little cinnamon, a dab of nut butter, or mixing it through a familiar puree usually helps.

Food safety

Store-bought tofu isn't really raw - it's cooked and pasteurized during production, so it's safe straight from the package once you drain it. No need to cook it first, though you can if you prefer the texture.

Check the label for other allergens: some ready-to-eat tofu also contains sesame or wheat, so it's worth a look if your baby hasn't had those yet. Choose plain tofu over flavored or marinated kinds, which can be high in salt. And skip fermented tofu for now - unlike regular tofu, it isn't pasteurized after fermenting.

Once opened, keep unused tofu in the fridge covered in fresh water in a sealed container, changing the water daily, and use it within a few days. Cooked tofu keeps for a couple of days.

How to serve

6+ months old

Mash or finger-length strips

Strips about 2 to 3 inches long

Mash soft or silken tofu onto a pre-loaded spoon or into a vegetable puree, or cut firm tofu into finger-length strips baby can grip and gnaw. A quick pan-fry firms up the surface so the strips are easier for little hands to hold onto.

How to cook

No real cooking needed - store-bought tofu is already cooked. Mash or blend silken tofu smooth; for firm tofu, drain, cut into strips, and serve as-is or pan-fry in a little oil until lightly golden for grip. Skip salt and salty sauces.

9+ months old

Small cubes or strips

Cubes about 1/2 inch

As the pincer grasp develops, offer firm tofu in small cubes for picking up, alongside a few strips for biting practice. Pan-frying firms up the surface and makes the pieces easier to grip. Tofu also works stirred through stir-fries and one-pot dishes now, as long as any sauce is kept low in salt.

How to cook

Pan-fry, bake, or steam firm tofu for texture, or crumble it into vegetable and grain dishes. Pairing it with a vitamin C food like tomato or bell pepper helps baby absorb more of its iron.

12+ months old

Cubes, crumbles, or in family dishes

Pieces about 1/2 inch, or crumbled

Serve tofu in family meals: cubes in stir-fries and curries, crumbled and scrambled like egg, or blended into smoothies and sauces. This is a good stage to offer a fork for utensil practice. Keep choosing lower-salt sauces.

How to cook

Pan-fry, bake, steam, crumble, or blend tofu into family dishes. Scrambled tofu with soft vegetables makes a quick, iron-rich meal. Keep sauces and marinades low in salt.