How can I introduce nuts to my baby?

You can introduce nuts as either nut butter or ground nuts from the age of 6 months, mixed with foods your baby has already eaten and tolerated. Offer one type of nut at a time, when your baby is well, ideally in the morning. Start with a tiny amount of nut butter or ground nuts (a quarter teaspoon or less) mixed with a fruit or veg puree, cereal or yoghurt.

If your baby tolerates it without any reaction, slowly increase the amount offered, every few days until your baby is eating about a teaspoon, mixed with familiar foods.

You can then offer about a teaspoon of nut butter or ground nuts twice a week to maintain your baby’s tolerance. You can try other nuts or allergens 3 days after your baby has tried and tolerated this nut.

At what age can I introduce nuts to my baby?

While some allergy specialists recommend introducing peanut and egg first, the Department of Health advises introducing all allergens, one by one, gradually from the age of 6 months and this includes all nuts, from peanuts to cashews or almonds. In practice, if you have introduced other allergens and ensured that they are tolerated before introducing nuts, then it might not be in the first few days of weaning and that’s fine. Go at your baby’s pace.

Tips for introducing nuts to your baby

Start with small amounts

As with any allergen food, only introduce it in tiny amounts at a time when your little one is well, with no illness. It’s best if it’s early in the day and when you have plenty of time to spend with your baby so you can spot any potential reactions that might be delayed.

Introduce one nut at a time

Introduce one nut at a time and only offer it with foods that your baby has already tried e.g. familiar vegetable or fruit purees. Once you are sure the nut is tolerated, you can move on to another type but wait 3 days before you do this.

How to prepare nuts for a baby

You will need to use either ground nuts or nut butter to make sure the texture is safe, as whole nuts can be a choking risk for any child under the age of 5. Store bought ground nuts or nut butters are fine as long as there is no added salt or sugar. Alternatively, you can grind unsalted nuts to make a butter at home if you wish.

How much to offer?

On the first occasion, offer a quarter of a teaspoon or less of nut butter, mixed with a familiar food such as a vegetable or fruit puree, plain yoghurt or a cereal your baby has eaten before. You might need to add a little warm water to soften the nut butter so it mixes well.

Gradual increases in amount

Over the course of a few days, gradually increase the amount of the specific nut offered to half, then three quarters and finally a whole teaspoon, always mixed with familiar foods and softened by mixing with a little warm water (if using nut butter).

Always keep an eye on your baby for signs of any reaction.

Signs of a food allergy

If your baby is having a reaction, there could be signs that you see immediately, or the symptoms may be delayed.

Signs of an immediate reaction

An immediate reaction, which usually occurs within 30 minutes of eating the food, may be mild, like:

• Irritated or itchy skin rash (e.g. hives), especially around your baby's face
• Swollen lips, face or eyes
• Tummy pain or vomiting

If your baby has a reaction like this, don’t offer the allergen food again and dial 111 for advice or speak with your doctor.

If your baby has a swollen tongue, persistent cough, difficulty breathing or is pale, floppy or unconscious, dial 999 right away for help.

It’s important to note that not all allergic reactions are immediate, and your little one may have a delayed-type food allergy, which may not cause symptoms for several hours after the food has been eaten.

Symptoms of a delayed reaction

• recurring tummy pains, vomiting or reflux
• food refusal
• loose and frequent poo (more than 6-8 times a day) or constipation (2 or less a week)
• skin reddening or itch all over the body
• worsening eczema (if present)

If your baby has a reaction like this, stop offering the food and wait for symptoms to subside (usually in a few days). Try offering the food again 1-2 weeks later and if symptoms re-occur, have a chat with your doctor.

Maintaining tolerance and ways to give nuts to your baby

The NHS recommends that once you have offered allergens, like nuts, to your little one and they have had no reaction, they should become a regular part of their diet.

As well as mixing nut butter or ground nuts into your baby’s usual pureed and mashed meals, for babies already eating finger food, you could spread 1 teaspoon of nut butter onto some wholemeal toast fingers at lunchtime (wholemeal toast has a less sticky texture than white, when combined with nut butter, so is safer from a choking point of view).

Or you could mix 1 teaspoon into a pasta sauce or stew.

Is a nut allergy common?

In the UK, just under 2% of people are allergic to tree nuts, while 0.7-1.4% have a peanut allergy.

For general advice about introducing allergen foods, take a peek here: Introducing allergens during weaning

Disclaimer

This is a guide for parents and carers of little ones who do not have a family history of allergies (food allergies or eczema, asthma or hay fever) who are starting to think about weaning their baby and want advice on when and how to introduce nuts.

This advice is generic NHS information but remember that all babies are different. It’s always best to chat to your healthcare professional for specific advice, especially if there is a family history of nut or any other allergies before introducing nuts.