How to introduce allergens to your baby, with meal ideas
5 min read
Quick answer
To introduce allergens to your baby, start from around 6 months and offer one new allergen at a time, in a small amount, mixed into a food they already eat. Watch for a reaction, then keep that food in their diet regularly. Talk to your GP or health visitor first if your baby has eczema or a food allergy.
- Start from around 6 months, once your baby is eating some solids
- One new allergen at a time, in a small amount
- Keep giving each allergen regularly once it is tolerated
- Delaying allergens does not prevent allergies
- Talk to your GP or health visitor first if your baby has eczema or a known allergy
When should I introduce allergens to my baby?
The NHS advises introducing foods that can cause allergic reactions from around 6 months, alongside other solid foods. The NHS says holding back peanut and hen's egg past the 6 to 12 month window may make an allergy to them more likely. The AAP says delaying allergens does not prevent allergies, and that early introduction of peanut lowered the risk of peanut allergy in babies at high risk.
Which foods are common allergens?
Foods the NHS lists as ones that can trigger allergic reactions include:
- Cows' milk
- Eggs
- Foods containing gluten, such as wheat
- Nuts and peanuts, crushed or ground
- Seeds, crushed or ground, such as sesame
- Soya
- Fish and shellfish (shellfish must not be raw or lightly cooked)
- Celery, mustard, beans, lentils and peas
How to introduce allergens safely
Introduce each allergen on its own, in a small amount, so you can tell which food caused any reaction.
Offer it at a time when you can watch your baby afterwards. Most reactions happen within minutes, but they can take up to 2 hours, and reactions to cows' milk can take up to 3 days. The AAP suggests waiting at least a day before trying another new allergen.
Once your baby has eaten an allergen without a problem, keep it in their usual diet. The NHS says this helps minimise the risk of allergy.
Allergen meal ideas
Mix each allergen into a food your baby already enjoys.
- Egg: a little well-mashed hard-boiled egg in mashed potato, or soft scrambled British Lion egg
- Peanut: smooth peanut butter thinned with breast milk, formula or water and stirred into porridge or fruit puree
- Tree nuts: finely ground almonds or cashews stirred into yoghurt or porridge
- Cows' milk: porridge made with whole milk, or plain full-fat yoghurt
- Wheat: soft pasta pieces or toast fingers
- Sesame: a little smooth tahini mixed into mashed chickpeas
- Fish: flaked boneless salmon or cod in mashed potato
- Soya: soft tofu cubes or mashed tofu in vegetable mash
Signs of an allergic reaction in babies
If you notice any of these signs, stop giving the food and talk to your GP or health visitor, who may refer you for specialist advice. If you are worried and cannot reach them, call NHS 111.
- A red, itchy rash
- Swelling of the lips or face
- Red, itchy, watery eyes
- Sneezing, a runny or blocked nose, coughing or wheezing
- Feeling or being sick, tummy pain, diarrhoea or constipation
- Eczema that gets worse
What to do if your baby has a severe reaction
Anaphylaxis is a severe allergic reaction and a medical emergency that needs urgent treatment. Signs develop fast and can include difficulty breathing, swelling of the tongue or throat, and a raised rash that itches. If your baby has been prescribed an adrenaline auto-injector, use it first, then call 999, or your local emergency number, straight away and say it is anaphylaxis.
If your baby already has a food allergy or eczema, or food allergies, eczema, asthma or hay fever run in your family, check with your GP or health visitor before you start allergens. The AAP advises the same for babies with severe or persistent eczema, or who have had an allergic reaction to a food such as egg.
Sources
We check this guide against these sources. It is general information, not medical advice: speak to your health visitor, GP or paediatrician about your own baby.
Questions parents ask
How long should I wait between new allergens?
The NHS says to introduce allergens one at a time so you can spot any reaction. Reactions usually start within minutes but can take up to 2 hours, or up to 3 days for cows' milk. The AAP suggests waiting at least a day before introducing another new allergen.
Can I give my baby peanut butter?
Yes, from around 6 months, as smooth peanut butter or finely ground peanuts rather than whole peanuts, which are a choking risk until 5 years. Thin it with a little milk or water and stir it into porridge or fruit, or spread it thinly on toast. Never give nut butter on its own.
How often should my baby eat allergens once introduced?
Keep them as a regular part of your baby's diet once they have had them without a reaction. The NHS says this helps minimise the risk of allergy, and the AAP recommends serving them routinely. Rotating egg, peanut, dairy, wheat and fish through the week is a simple way to do it.
Should I introduce allergens if my baby has eczema?
Talk to your GP or health visitor first. The NHS advises this if your baby has eczema or a food allergy, or if allergies, eczema, asthma or hay fever run in your family. The AAP advises the same for babies with severe or persistent eczema, so the doctor can advise how and when to introduce peanut.