Baby-friendly ways to introduce the “top 9” allergens
Although technically nearly any food can trigger an allergic reaction, there are nine foods – milk, eggs, peanuts, tree nuts, fish, crustacean shellfish, wheat and soy – that are responsible for over 90% of all food allergies. That’s why early introduction of these are key! Here are some easy ways to introduce in little diets for babies starting solids and up.
Peanut
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Peanut puffs like Mission MightyMe Proactive Peanut Puffs.
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Smooth peanut butter diluted with warm water and cooled.
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Mix peanut powder into purees.
Egg
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Include egg in a muffin, pancake or other fully cooked baked good to start.
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After that, try well scrambled eggs.
Tree Nut
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Tree Nut puffs like Mission MightyMe Proactive Nut Butter Puffs.
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Tree Nut butter diluted with warm water, cooled and mixed into purees.
Dairy
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If you haven’t given your baby infant formula, begin with milk in baked foods or yogurt.
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Cheese can be given later in infancy, around the 6-7 month mark.
Soy
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Soy milk, soy yogurt, tofu or soybeans, well-cooked and mashed.
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Sesame Tahini mixed into a puree.
Wheat
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Softly cooked pasta or finger-sized pieces of toasted whole-grain cereal.
Fish/Shellfish
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Small amounts of mashed, cooked fish or shellfish.
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Don’t give more than 2 portions of fatty fish per week, according to the FDA, to limit mercury exposure.
"Research shows that early introduction of potential allergens in the first year, starting around 6 months of age, and keeping them in the diet is the easiest and most effective way to prevent food allergies at this point. My advice to mothers is to feed their babies potential allergens, particularly infant-safe peanut and egg, early and often." - Sherry Coleman Collins, MS, RDN, LD
Get ready for a fun chapter of adventurous eating and exploring new foods with your little one. Next, learn why diet diversity is so important!
Ready to introduce and include nuts in your little one’s diet? Check out the full Early Allergen Introduction Guide here.
*FDA HEALTH CLAIM: For babies with an increased risk of peanut allergy (babies with severe eczema, egg allergy or both), introducing age-appropriate, peanut-containing foods as early as 4 months may reduce the risk of developing a peanut allergy. Caregivers should check with the baby’s healthcare provider before feeding the baby peanut-containing foods.
