BabyJoy
Pinto Beans for babies
When and how to serve pinto Beans at every stage of starting solids.
- Introduce from
- 6–9 months
- Safety notes
- Common choking hazard
- Iron rich
- Protein rich
How to prepare pinto Beans by age
6–9 months
Use canned beans with no added salt (rinse well) or dried beans soaked and cooked until very soft. Mash, or flatten each bean between your fingers; never serve whole at this age.
9–12 months
Flatten or halve soft beans, or mash into homemade refried-style beans (no added salt) on toast fingers.
12 months+
Serve soft whole beans once your child chews well, in rice dishes, stews and wraps.
Choking hazard
Pinto Beans can be a choking hazard for babies and young children. Prepare it exactly as described for your baby’s age, seat your baby upright and always supervise meals.
Gagging (loud coughing, watery eyes, a red face) is a normal part of learning to eat. Choking is silent: your baby cannot cough, cry or breathe and needs immediate help. Learn infant CPR and choking rescue.
Nutrition highlights
- Iron rich
- Protein rich
- High fiber
- Folate rich
Serving ideas
- Mashed pinto beans on toast fingers
- Bean and rice bowl
- Mashed into a soft wrap (12m+)
Prepare these as described above for your baby’s age.
Choosing and storing
Storage: Canned: once opened, refrigerate in a covered container and use within 3 days. Cooked: refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze.
Sources
This guide is based on published guidance from:
