Introducing Common Allergens to Your Baby, Step by Step

Introducing allergens can feel like the most nerve-racking part of starting solids. It helps to know that current guidance is to introduce common allergens early and often, as part of your baby’s first foods, and that there is a simple, repeatable way to do it.

This guide covers the 9 common food allergens in the BabyJoy food guide: peanut, egg, cow’s milk (dairy), wheat, soy, sesame, fish, tree nuts and shellfish. For each one, you’ll find a gentle first food and a link to its allergen page.

Before you start

If your baby has severe eczema or a known food allergy, talk to your pediatrician before introducing allergens. They can advise on the right approach for your baby.

For every other baby, the same calm routine works for each allergen.

A calm step-by-step routine

1. Pick a good time. Choose the morning or early afternoon for a first exposure.
2. One new allergen at a time. Start with single ingredients, so you know exactly what your baby has tried.
3. Start small. Offer a small amount first, mixed into a food your baby already eats and enjoys.
4. Increase gradually. If all is well, offer a little more next time.
5. Leave a gap. Wait 2 to 3 days between introducing different new allergens.
6. Keep a food diary. Note the food, the day and anything you noticed. BabyJoy helps you introduce the 9 common allergens one at a time.
7. Keep it going. Once an allergen is part of your baby’s diet, keep offering it regularly. “Early and often” is the idea.

If you are worried about a reaction at any point, contact your pediatrician. In an emergency, call your local emergency number.

The 9 common allergens, one by one

Peanut

Offer smooth peanut butter thinned with warm water, breast milk or formula, or stirred into a food your baby already eats. Never offer whole peanuts or thick spoonfuls of peanut butter, which are choking hazards. More on the peanut page.

Egg

Offer well-cooked egg, such as hard-boiled egg or an omelette cooked through, cut into strips. Our scrambled egg strips are an easy first try. More on the egg page.

Cow’s milk (dairy)

Offer dairy in food, such as full-fat plain yogurt or cheese, or milk used in cooking. Cow’s milk should not be the main drink before 12 months; breast milk or formula stays your baby’s main drink. Our yogurt popsicles are a cool option for warm days. More on the cow’s milk page.

Wheat

Offer wheat-based foods such as toast fingers, soft pasta or wheat cereal. Lightly toast the bread and cut it into strips for little hands. More on the wheat page.

Soy

Offer soft tofu strips or plain soy yogurt. Our tofu fingers are easy to grip. Edamame are introduced from 9 months in our guide; mash or flatten them and never serve them whole. More on the soy page.

Sesame

Offer smooth tahini (sesame paste) thinned, or stirred into yogurt or smooth hummus. Sesame oil can also contain sesame protein. More on the sesame page.

Fish

Offer well-cooked, boneless fish such as salmon or cod, flaked, and choose lower-mercury fish. Our white fish with pea puree is a mild start. The FDA/EPA advice about eating fish explains which fish are lower in mercury. More on the fish page.

Tree nuts

Offer smooth nut butters, thinned, or finely ground nuts mixed into food. For example, stir about a teaspoon of ground almonds into porridge, yogurt or mashed fruit so it is fully mixed in with no dry clumps. Never offer whole or chopped nuts, which are a choking hazard for children under 5. More on the tree nuts page.

Shellfish

Offer well-cooked shrimp or prawns, finely chopped or minced. More on the shellfish page.

Keeping allergens in the routine

Once your baby has tried an allergen, the aim is to keep it in their diet. A few easy ways to do that:

• Swirl thinned peanut butter or tahini into porridge.
• Make egg a regular breakfast, in strips or in soft muffins.
• Offer plain full-fat yogurt as part of a meal.
• Include flaked fish in a meal during the week.

Every baby is different, and some families will need a plan from their pediatrician. If you have any questions about your own baby, that is the best place to start.

Related guides

New to solids? Start with first foods at 6 months. For shapes and sizes, see how to cut food safely by age.

This guide is based on published guidance, including ASCIA’s How to introduce solid foods to babies for allergy prevention, the NIAID Addendum guidelines for the prevention of peanut allergy, the FDA/EPA Advice about Eating Fish, the AAP’s Starting Solid Foods and the CDC’s Choking Hazards.