Introducing foods to prevent food allergy

Updated 29 October 2026.

Author: Kathy Beck APD Paediatric Allergy Dietitian

Starting solids is an opportunity for your baby to explore new tastes and textures. It is also an important time to introduce common allergy-causing foods.

Research has changed our understanding of allergy prevention. Rather than delaying foods such as peanut and egg, current recommendations encourage introducing them early in the complementary feeding period, in forms that are safe for babies to eat. The strongest evidence for reducing food allergy risk relates to peanut and egg.

Food allergies develop through a complex combination of factors. Following feeding recommendations can help reduce the risk, but cannot prevent every food allergy. If your baby develops an allergy, it does not mean you have done something wrong.

When should my baby start solids?

Offer solid foods when your baby is developmentally ready, usually around 6 months of age and not before 4 months.

Signs of readiness include:

• Good head and neck control.
• Being able to sit upright with support.
• Showing interest in food, such as watching others eat or reaching for food.
• Opening their mouth when food is offered.

Continue breastmilk or infant formula while introducing solids. Begin with small amounts and gradually increase the variety and texture to match your baby’s feeding skills.

Include iron-rich foods such as iron-fortified infant cereals, meat, poultry, fish, well-cooked egg and legumes, alongside vegetables, fruit and grains.

When should allergy-causing foods be introduced?

Offer well-cooked egg and peanut soon after your baby starts eating solid foods. Introduce the other common allergy-causing foods during the first year, prioritising foods your family regularly eats.

The common food allergens are:

• Cow’s milk.
• Egg.
• Peanut.
• Tree nuts.
• Wheat.
• Soy.
• Sesame.
• Fish.
• Shellfish.

Introduce only one new common allergen at each meal so it is easier to identify the food responsible if a reaction occurs. Once a food has been introduced without a reaction, continue offering it at least once a week as part of your baby’s usual meals.

Practical tips for introducing allergens

Choose a time when your baby is well, preferably earlier in the day when you can watch them afterwards. Start with a small amount mixed into a familiar food, then gradually increase the amount as tolerated.

Offer the food for your baby to eat. Do not rub it onto their skin to test for an allergy.

Use a texture appropriate for your baby’s feeding skills, and always supervise them while eating. Avoid whole nuts, nut pieces and thick spoonfuls of nut butter because they can cause choking.

Simple ways to offer common allergens

• Peanut: Mix smooth peanut butter with water, breastmilk or prepared infant formula to make a thin, smooth consistency, or stir it into a familiar puree.
• Egg: Mash well-cooked whole egg, including both white and yolk, into vegetables or another familiar food.
• Cow’s milk: Offer plain, full-fat yoghurt or mix it into fruit or cereal. Cow’s milk can be used in food, but should not replace breastmilk or infant formula as the main drink before 12 months.
• Tree nuts: Offer individual smooth nut pastes, thinned and mixed into familiar foods. Finely ground nuts can also be mixed thoroughly into moist food. Introduce different tree nuts separately before offering mixtures.
• Wheat: Offer an iron-fortified wheat-based infant cereal or soft wheat pasta prepared in an appropriate texture.
• Sesame: Stir a small amount of smooth tahini into a familiar puree.
• Soy: Mash soft tofu into vegetables or another familiar food.
• Fish: Offer thoroughly cooked, carefully deboned fish, mashed or flaked to suit your baby’s feeding skills.
• Shellfish: Offer thoroughly cooked shellfish, with all shell removed, finely minced or pureed into a familiar food.

What if my baby has a reaction?

If your baby develops symptoms suggesting an allergic reaction, such as widespread hives, swelling or vomiting, stop offering that food and seek medical advice before trying it again.

A mild rash limited to the skin around the mouth, without other symptoms, may be a contact reaction rather than a food allergy. This does not automatically mean the food needs to be avoided. Ask your healthcare professional for advice if you are unsure.

Difficulty breathing, tongue swelling, collapse, or becoming pale and floppy can be signs of anaphylaxis. Give adrenaline immediately if an injector has been prescribed, follow your baby’s ASCIA Action Plan and call 000 for an ambulance.

When to seek individual advice

If your baby has severe eczema, a diagnosed food allergy or a previous reaction to food, speak with their doctor or allergy team about introducing allergens. Avoid delaying all other allergens unnecessarily while seeking advice.

How ChildD can help

Our paediatric dietitians can help you introduce foods in ways that suit your baby’s development and your family’s meals. We provide practical guidance on textures, nutritional needs and keeping tolerated allergens in the diet. If your baby has a food allergy, we work with their medical team to support safe food choices and suitable alternatives.

For further information and recipes, visit Nip allergies in the Bub.