How To Serve Kiwi

Kiwi fruit is not one a lot of parents think of straight away when starting solids, but these little balls of juicy goodness are an excellent fruit to include in bub’s diet. 

Nutrition:

The kiwi is known for having many benefits when it comes to their nutrition profile. Most notably kiwi fruit has a good amount of soluble and insoluble fibre, which has the ability to support digestion and the gut microbiome as well as helping with constipation.(1) Kiwi fruits also pack a punch when it comes to vitamin C, potassium, Vitamin E and folate. 

Is it an allergen:

Kiwi is not a top 9 allergen and the chance of your little one having an allergy is very low, although rates of kiwi allergy are on the rise in school aged children.(2) Children with a latex allergy are also at an increased risk of kiwi allergy.(3) Although an allergic reaction is uncommon, as with many acidic fruits (like orange and strawberries) when the juice of a kiwi fruit makes contact with a baby’s sensitive skin, there can be a contact rash.(4,5) The food doesn’t need to be avoided in most cases, but as always, consult your healthcare team if you are concerned. 

How to introduce it and serve it:

Kiwi fruits can be firm and slippery, which increases the risk of choking. There is no need to worry though, there are a few simple things to do to make them safe. Firstly, ensure it is ripe and soft. Storing kiwi with bananas can speed up the ripening process too. Secondly, cut and prepare the fruit so it is appropriate for the age and development of your little one. You can serve kiwi with the skin on, but wash it well prior. Large pieces of skin can be difficult for little bubs to manage, so peeling most or all the skin until they can chew food well is a good idea.

6-12 months 

• Serve as a puree or fork mashed 
• Serve the whole fruit or half
• Leaving some skin on the bottom can help bub to get a good grip

12 months+

You can continue to serve as you would at 6-9 months of age, but as they get better at eating, grabbing and chewing you can also:

• Serve in larger chunks 
• Can offer thin slices 
• And then as they approach 12 months you can offer smaller pieces

Recipe ideas:

• Serve with yogurt 
• Rolling pieces in seeds (hemp, chia or sesame), almond meal or coconut so it is less slippery and easier to grab 
• In muffins or pancakes 
• Through oats or on Weet-Bix

References

1. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6267416/
2. https://www.schn.health.nsw.gov.au/fact-sheets/allergy-fruit-and-vegetable-allergy
3. https://www.rch.org.au/kidsconnect/prereferral_guidelines/Latex_allergy/
4. https://www.schn.health.nsw.gov.au/fact-sheets/allergy-food-allergies-and-eczema
5. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3970830/