When Can Babies Eat Eggs?

Eggs are a baby superfood. 🦸‍♀️

They’re full of protein, iron, and essential vitamins.

They’re easier to chew than meat, gentler on their tummies than pulses, and they’re quick and easy to prepare.

Eggs are super-nutritious, but some parents worry that they’re also a common allergen.

So when can babies eat eggs for the first time?

And what are the best ways to introduce them?

Let’s crack on.

In this article 📝

When can babies have eggs?

The latest advice from the American Academy of Pediatrics is that eggs can be one of the first solid foods that your baby tries.

There are a couple of great reasons for this:

• Eggs are full of iron and, at six months (which is when a lot of babies are starting to get into solids), your little one is no longer getting all the iron they need from breast milk or formula alone
  
• Eggs are a great “one-ingredient food”. The safest way to introduce foods is one at a time so that you can watch for any signs of allergies. Eggs tick this box perfectly

Speaking of allergies…

Are most babies allergic to eggs? ​

You might have heard that it’s best to hold off offering your baby foods such as egg, milk, soy, nuts, and shellfish until after their first birthday because these are the most common allergens.

That was the advice before, but things have changed. It actually seems to be less likely that kids will develop a food allergy if they’re introduced to these proteins at a younger age.

“We recommend introducing the allergens early and often,” says Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN) Kacie Barnes, “one at a time is a good idea so you could pinpoint if anything were to go wrong, but evidence is showing that it is actually protective against the development of food allergies to introduce the common allergens early in the diet.”

However, if your little one has eczema, or if there’s a history of egg allergies in your family, it’s best to ask your pediatrician for advice before you introduce eggs and to take things slow.

If you’re worried that your little one is among the 2% of children who are allergic to eggs, watch for signs of a reaction like:

• Breathing issues: Such as wheezing, coughing or, in rare cases, swelling and difficulty breathing
  
• Stomach issues: Such as vomiting and diarrhea, or new diaper rashes
  
• Skin problems: Such as hives or rashes

In addition to worries about allergies, always make sure that the eggs are clean and cooked through (just as you were advised when you were pregnant) because there is still a small risk of salmonella from raw eggs.

Young babies are more vulnerable to this severe form of food poisoning.

How do I introduce eggs to my baby?

However you choose to feed your baby, you’ll be able to find a way to serve them eggs.
Scrambled eggs are a great start.

“You can even make them with splash of milk or with a dollop of ricotta cheese to make them creamy and add even a bit more nutritional value”, recommends Barnes.

When can babies have scrambled eggs?

If you’re spoon-feeding, as soon as they’ve mastered completely smooth foods like fruit purees and rice cereal, they’ll be ready to move on to scrambled eggs.

If baby-led weaning is more your thing, your little one will still be able to pick up firm scrambled eggs by themselves.

Egg ideas for a baby

Mealtime is supposed to be fun, so if they clearly prefer their eggs scrambled to boiled, take your lead from them.

That said, if scrambled eggs don’t seem that exciting, or you’d like to try something else, how about:

• A thin omelet cut into fingers or triangles – a fun finger food
  
• A mini “quiche” of eggs baked in the oven. Feel free to add some veggies or ham if your little one is older. You can add these for little ones too, just make sure they’re chopped finely!
  
• Sliced hard-boiled eggs
  
• French toast, which you can also make by mixing egg and mashed banana

The only thing we’d add is that eggs can have a lot of different textures, and it might take your little one a few tries to decide what they like most.

Keep trying different things until the right one sticks.

What age can a baby have eggs: the final word

So just to recap:

Can a 6-month old eat eggs? Yes.

Can an 8-month old eat eggs? Yes.

Can a 10-month old eat eggs? 100% yes!

You get the idea.

It’s completely up to you what foods you introduce, in what form, and when.

But unless you have anything in your family’s medical history which might indicate a need for caution, eggs are one of the best foods you could offer your little one.

For more egg-citing egg recipe ideas, check out what other mamas have found that works in our Peanut community.