How and when to introduce allergens to your baby

When to start

Most babies are ready for solid foods around 6 months. Experts used to recommend delaying allergenic foods, but newer research found no benefit to waiting. Once your baby is ready for solids, offering small amounts of common allergens can help.

NIAID's guidelines say most infants can have infant-safe peanut foods when they are developmentally ready for solids, and as early as 4 to 6 months. Peanut shouldn't be the very first solid food.

If your baby is at higher risk

Babies with severe eczema or an egg allergy have a higher risk of peanut allergy. Their doctors often recommend starting infant-safe peanut foods between 4 and 6 months. Talk to your pediatrician first — they may suggest a test or a first taste in the clinic.

How to introduce a new allergen

• Offer one new allergen at a time, in a small amount, on a day your baby is well.
• Give it at home, earlier in the day, so you can watch for a reaction afterwards.
• If it goes well, keep offering it regularly — several times a week. In the main peanut study, babies kept eating peanut foods regularly, and that steady exposure is what protected them.
• Never give whole nuts, nut pieces or thick spoonfuls of nut butter — they are choking hazards for babies and young children.

Signs of a reaction

Mild signs include a few hives or redness around the mouth. Get emergency help right away for swelling of the lips or face, trouble breathing, repeated vomiting, widespread hives, or if your baby becomes pale or floppy. Stop the food and speak to your doctor after any reaction.

Main allergens and easy first forms

• 🥛 Cow's milk — Yogurt or cheese mixed into food (cow's milk as a main drink waits until 12 months).
• 🥚 Egg — Well-cooked egg — hard-boiled and mashed, or scrambled.
• 🥜 Peanut — Smooth peanut butter thinned with water, breast milk or formula, or peanut powder stirred into purée.
• 🌾 Wheat — Soft wheat toast strips, pasta or wheat cereal.
• 🫘 Soy — Soft tofu or soy yogurt.
• 🐟 Fish — Flaked, boneless cooked fish such as salmon.
• 🦐 Shellfish — Finely chopped or minced cooked shrimp mixed into food.
• ⚪ Sesame — Tahini (sesame paste) thinned or stirred into purée or hummus.
• 🟡 Mustard — A small amount of mild mustard mixed into food.
• 🥬 Celery — Soft-cooked celery, puréed or in soup.
• 🌼 Lupin — Food made with lupin flour (common in some European breads and pastas).
• 🐚 Molluscs — Finely minced cooked mussels, clams or squid.

Why tree nuts are tracked one by one

Tree nuts aren't one allergen. A baby can react to cashew but not almond, so each nut needs its own introduction and its own regular servings. Allergens.baby lists every tree nut separately for that reason.

• 🌰 Almond — Smooth nut butter thinned, or finely ground nut stirred into purée.
• 🌰 Cashew — Smooth nut butter thinned, or finely ground nut stirred into purée.
• 🌰 Walnut — Smooth nut butter thinned, or finely ground nut stirred into purée.
• 🌰 Hazelnut — Smooth nut butter thinned, or finely ground nut stirred into purée.
• 🌰 Pistachio — Smooth nut butter thinned, or finely ground nut stirred into purée.
• 🌰 Pecan — Smooth nut butter thinned, or finely ground nut stirred into purée.
• 🌰 Brazil nut — Smooth nut butter thinned, or finely ground nut stirred into purée.
• 🌰 Macadamia — Smooth nut butter thinned, or finely ground nut stirred into purée.
• 🌰 Pine nut — Smooth nut butter thinned, or finely ground nut stirred into purée.

Sources

• NIAID — Peanut allergy prevention guidelines: summary for parents (PDF)
• NIAID — Guidelines for food allergy in the United States
• HealthyChildren.org (American Academy of Pediatrics) — When to introduce egg, peanut butter & other common food allergens

Disclaimer

Content on this website is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always consult your baby's pediatrician before making decisions about their health, nutrition, or development.