Cherries, which come in a variety of flavors and can be either sweet or sour, can be introduced to babies as early as 6 months of age (although you may want to wait until 9 months to serve them alone). Cherries should always be pitted and, depending on your child's age, quartered or cooked and smashed.

In addition to offering intense flavor and lots of fiber, which promotes healthy digestion, the fruit contains carotenoids that act as antioxidants. Cherries also contain Vitamin C, an essential nutrient that nourishes cells and helps build a robust immune. 

Cherries also come in both sweet and sour flavors. Both have a similar nutritional profile, except that sweet varieties contain more natural sugar and sour varieties contain higher levels of vitamin C, carotenoids, and polyphenols. 

Note that dried cherries should not be given to babies, as they are a choking hazard and hard to chew.

When it comes to introducing cherries, I like to start with a compote. The version below, cooked in juice, helps to balance the tartness of sour cherries and compote itself can be mixed into or paired with numerous other foods.

Happy eating!