INTRODUCING NUTS

A question I am commonly asked is when are nuts okay to introduce to baby? Which nuts to start with? And how to introduce nuts?

WHEN: Current Australian allergy guidelines recommend introducing allergenic foods prior to 11-12 months (preferably between 6-9 months). I would recommend introducing nuts after baby has been introduced to some other non-allergenic foods with no issues first (ie. don’t offer peanuts as your babies VERY first food).

WHAT WITH: Tree nuts and peanuts are different (peanuts are actually legumes, not nuts). It doesn’t matter which you start with first, but it is important that you test all nuts individually! Tree nuts include (but not limited too) cashews, macadamias, almonds, hazelnut, Brazil nut, pistachio & pine nuts.

The easiest way to introduce nuts is with a nut butter. You can make this yourself by blitzing some activated soaked raw nuts, or you can purchase. Make sure that your nut butter if purchasing is unsalted, no sugar, preservatives or hydrogenated oils added. 

Also make sure your nut butter JUST contains the nut you want to test unless you know your baby can tolerate the other nuts that may be combined. Personally I like Noya Nut Butters.

I understand buying multiple nut butters can be expensive, and it may be difficult to find a pure nut butter. If this is the reason, you can purchase a couple of the nuts you want to introduce (organic/raw) and grind with a mortar and pestle, or finely grate the nut. You can then add this nut paste/powder into foods baby has already tolerated (eg coconut yoghurt like this photo). HOW: you can start by adding small amounts of smooth nut butter or ground nuts to baby purée, or BLW can add to foods baby has already tolerated well (I.e spread on banana, or sweet potato).

You can also mix with coconut oil to thin, as thick/claggy nut butter can be a choking risk.

HOW MUCH: start with 1/4 tsp or a small rub of smooth nut butter in babies mouth (not on the skin) and wait 10 minutes for a reaction, if there is no reaction you can proceed to offer more. 

HOW OFTEN: introduce the nut once, monitor for reaction for 3-4 days, if no reaction offer the SAME nut again, and observe for 3-4 days, if no reaction again offer the SAME nut and observe for 3-4 days. Do not introduce any other new foods in this time.

You can read more about introducing allergens here