What a great question!

Cabbage has a bad reputation but it’s such a versatile veggie that’s rich in antioxidants (red cabbage especially), high in Vitamin C and calcium. It is also very good for the digestion and for people with skin problems.

Cabbage is great raw, but for a 12 month old, raw cabbage is a pretty tough chew! Cabbage is a fibrous vegetable that needs to be chewed well. I’d venture that your little one doesn’t have enough teeth or the cognition to chew sufficiently, since so much of he/she eats has been processed for better assimilation.

My suggestion would be to blend it (don’t gag yet!) with a fruit and make into a puree, a smoothie or sorbet. Even though cabbage has a pungent flavor when it’s cooked, it doesn’t have the same bite in it’s raw state. You’ll be surprised at how well it combines with fruit. but add a little acid (lemon or lime) if comes out a little too sweet.

In a year or two, when more teeth come in, experiment with fermented cabbage like kimchee and sauerkraut.

Be sure to come back and tell me if you’ve tried the blending idea and how that worked out for the both of you!