Yes. For most babies, peanut butter is a good food to start once they're eating solids, usually from around 6 months. It gives them protein, healthy fats and energy, and introducing it early can lower the chance of a peanut allergy developing. The key is giving it the right way.
Why early introduction matters
For years, parents were told to keep peanuts away from babies. Large studies have since shown the opposite: babies who eat peanut regularly in their first year are less likely to develop a peanut allergy than babies who avoid it. Many paediatric guidelines now recommend introducing peanut foods alongside other first foods.
When to start
Most babies can try peanut butter from about 6 months, once they're already eating a few other solid foods without trouble. Speak to your doctor first if your baby:
- has severe eczema
- has already reacted to egg or another food
- has a parent or sibling with a peanut allergy
These babies are at higher risk, and a doctor may want to guide the first taste.
How to give peanut butter to a baby
- Choose smooth peanut butter with no added sugar or salt. Babies under 1 shouldn't have added salt or sugar.
- Thin it. Mix a small amount, about a quarter of a teaspoon, with warm water, breast milk or formula until it's runny. You can also stir it into pap, oats or another porridge your baby already eats.
- Offer it at home, during the day, when your baby is well, so you can watch them closely afterwards.
- Watch for about 2 hours after the first taste.
- If all is well, keep it in their diet a few times a week. Eating it regularly helps keep allergy risk down.
What never to give a baby
- Whole or chopped peanuts. They're a choking hazard for children under 5.
- Thick peanut butter straight from the spoon. It can stick to the roof of the mouth and block the airway.
- Sweetened or salted peanut butter before age 1.
Signs of an allergic reaction
Mild signs include a few hives or redness around the mouth. If you see these, stop feeding and speak to your doctor.
Get emergency help straight away if your baby has swelling of the lips, face or tongue, repeated vomiting, trouble breathing, coughing or wheezing, or becomes pale and floppy.
Which peanut butter is best for babies?
A single-ingredient peanut butter is the best choice. Dodan Natural Peanut Butter is made from 100% roasted Nigerian peanuts with no added sugar, salt or oil. Stir the jar well before use, since the natural peanut oil rises to the top, then thin a little as described above.
The same steps work for our Natural Cashew Butter. Cashew is a tree nut, so introduce it on a different day from peanut. That way, if your baby reacts, you know which food caused it.
This guide is general information and doesn't replace advice from your baby's doctor.
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