How to introduce common allergy causing foods
Once your baby shows signs they are ready for solid foods, it is important to introduce foods to support your baby’s nutrition needs. Foods containing iron (such as iron enriched cereals, meats, poultry, fish, well cooked egg, tofu and legumes) should be included from around 6 months of age.
It is also important to feed your baby the common allergy causing foods before one year of age to help prevent food allergies. If possible, continue to breastfeed while you introduce solid foods to your baby. If breastfeeding is not possible, a standard cow’s milk-based infant formula can be given.
Once you have fed your baby the common allergy causing foods, it is important to continue to include these foods in your baby’s meals about twice a week.
How do you introduce the common allergy causing foods?
Introduce the common allergy causing foods one at a time. By introducing only one common allergy causing food at each meal, it will make it easier to identify the problem food if an allergic reaction occurs.
You should continue to introduce and feed your baby the other common allergy causing foods. Only avoid foods that you think your baby has had an allergic reaction to. If an allergic reaction occurs, you should stop feeding your baby that food and see your doctor for medical advice.
Once you have fed your baby the common allergy causing foods, it is important to continue to include these foods in your baby’s meals about twice a week.
If you are worried about giving your baby an allergy causing food, you can place a small amount of the food on the inside of their lip to start. Never rub food on your baby’s skin, especially in babies with eczema, as this may increase the chance of your baby developing a food allergy.
Food ideas and recipes to help keep the allergy causing foods in your baby’s diet are available here.
What about feeding my baby peanut and egg?
Parents are sometimes worried about giving egg and peanut to their babies, as they are common allergy causing foods in children.
However, it is important to offer your baby well cooked egg (not raw or runny egg) and smooth peanut butter or paste before they are one year of age as delaying the introduction of these foods increases the chance of developing allergies to these foods.
Once you give these foods to your baby, you should continue to offer these foods regularly (about twice a week).
Feeding the common allergy causing foods to your baby when you can watch for any signs of an allergic reaction is important. For example, feeding well cooked egg and smooth peanut butter or paste soon after your baby wakes allows you to watch your baby and easily respond if they show signs of an allergic reaction.
How to introduce peanut and egg to your baby
Introduce well cooked egg and smooth peanut butter or paste in small amounts to start with.
For example, mix a small amount (about a quarter of a teaspoon) of hard-boiled egg or peanut butter/paste into your baby’s usual food, such as vegetable puree.
If your baby does not have any signs or symptoms of an allergic reaction, gradually increase the amount next time to about half a teaspoon.
Never smear or rub food on your baby’s skin, especially if they have eczema. This will not help to identify possible food allergies and may cause skin irritation and possibly contribute to your child developing a food allergy, as the food was introduced through the skin and not the mouth.
If you are worried, you can place a small amount of the food inside your baby’s lip when you give the food for the first time. If there is no allergic reaction after a few minutes, you can start giving small amounts of the food as explained above.
How much of the allergy causing foods should I feed my baby?
There is no clear research about how much of the common allergy causing foods your baby needs to eat to prevent food allergy, so it is recommended that you start with a small amount. Start with a quarter of a teaspoon and increase the amount as your baby grows and eats more.
What about the texture of food?
Your baby needs to learn about different textures of food as they develop. Start with smooth foods and then quickly move to soft lumpy foods and finger foods, allowing your baby to eat the foods in the same way as the rest of the family.
Children under 5 years of age should only be given peanuts or tree nuts as a smooth nut butter or paste or as nuts ground up to be a powder or flour.
More information including food ideas and recipes are available here.
What if my baby is allergic to a food?
If your baby has had what could be an allergic reaction or is allergic to a particular food, do not feed your baby that food until you have seen a doctor.
More information about allergic reactions and what to do is available here.
What if our family doesn’t eat a particular food?
As it is important to continue to feed your baby the common allergy causing foods once introduced, you should only feed them the foods that you are able to continue to feed them. Your baby will eventually be eating family foods, so if your family does not eat a particular food, you may choose not to introduce that particular food to your baby, knowing that they are not likely to continue eating it once they are able to eat family meals. You may wish to discuss this with your doctor or an allergy dietitian.
How often should I feed my baby allergy causing foods once introduced?
Once you’ve fed your baby the common allergy causing foods, it is important to continue to include these foods in your baby’s meals, about twice a week. This is important to help prevent your baby possibly developing an allergy after eating the food. If you feed your baby the common allergy causing foods but your baby does not continue to eat the foods, they could develop a food allergy if they have not eaten the food for some time.
There is no clear research to tell us exactly how much of the allergy causing foods your baby needs to eat to prevent food allergy, so it is recommended that you choose small amounts (for example, 1 teaspoon) to start with and increase the amount as your baby grows and eats more. Remember – if you think your child has had an allergic reaction to a food, stop feeding them the food and seek medical advice.
As it is important to continue to feed your baby the common allergy causing foods once introduced, you should only feed them the foods that you are able to continue to feed them. Your baby will eventually be eating family foods, so if your family does not eat a particular food, you may choose not to introduce that particular food to your baby, knowing that they are not likely to continue eating it once they are able to eat family meals. You may wish to discuss this with your doctor or an allergy dietitian.
For example, once you have fed your baby egg for the first time, you should include well cooked (not raw or runny) egg in your baby’s food about twice a week.
For a younger baby around 6 months of age, this may mean including well cooked egg in a food (such as pureed vegetables) that they normally eat.
For older babies on more textured food (around 7-9 months), you might feed your baby scrambled egg or mash a hard boiled egg together with mashed potato.
Once your baby is eating finger foods (around 12-18 months), you can include egg in many foods such as muffins, pikelets or a chopped up omelette in fried rice.
The important thing is to include the food in your baby’s meals about twice a week.
If your baby has had what could be an allergic reaction or is allergic to a particular food, do not feed your baby that food. Consult a doctor if you think your child has had an allergic reaction.
Recipes for your baby
Looking for ideas to help you to feed your baby the common allergy causing foods? Download these food ideas and recipe booklets:
