Peanut butter and jelly (jam) sandwiches are a favourite amongst kids for a reason – because peanut butter is just so darn delicious! It’s yummy on toast, spread on a slice of apple, stirred into a curry, or even smeared on an oreo. But will your baby like it? And more importantly, given that peanut allergies are fairly common and rather serious, is it safe for them to eat?

When is it safe to feed my baby peanut butter?

So long as your family doesn’t have a history of allergies, it is generally considered beneficial to introduce your baby to watered-down peanut butter from as early as six months old, after they’ve been introduced to a few non-allergenic foods. In fact, experts agree that it’s better to introduce this delicious spread sooner rather than later.

But why is that? What are these supposed benefits?

What are the potential benefits of introducing my baby to peanut butter?

Helps to reduce the development of a nut allergy. A study known as LEAP (Learning Early About Peanut allergy) proved that early exposure to peanuts helps reduce the risk of developing a peanut allergy before age 5.

Peanut butter is a great source of healthy fats. Peanut butter contains polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fatty acids, which are essential for brain growth and development.

It’s a great source of plant-based proteins. Peanut butter also provides a wonderful protein source, helping your little one’s muscle and bone growth.

It’s delicious. And to top it all off, your baby will love the smooth and creamy taste!

But are there any risks when introducing peanut butter to my baby’s diet?

Choking hazard. While they’re still young, babies shouldn’t be given chunky peanut butter, and even the smooth variety will likely need to be thinned down, simply because it’s so sticky. You can do so with water, formula milk, or breastmilk.

Food allergies. It is generally recommended that babies who have shown a susceptibility to food allergies or other kinds of allergy (such as eczema) are introduced to peanuts earlier to try and prevent the development of a nut allergy. And because the symptoms are generally less severe at a young age. However, if your tiny tot has any other allergies, please speak to your paediatrician before introducing a new food.

So, we have a fairly good idea as to the benefits of peanut butter and its early introduction, but how exactly should you go about it?

When and how can I introduce peanut butter?

When you give your baby peanut butter for the first time, do so at home, where you know how to get to the nearest medical facility, and serve it up for breakfast or lunch (during hospital business hours). This is just a precaution, but it is important.

Heat 2 or 3 teaspoons of water, formula, or expressed breast with 1 or 2 teaspoons of peanut butter. Once it’s cooled down, give your baby a very small amount – less than a baby spoonful – of the butter mixture and wait 10 minutes, watching them closely for any signs of a reaction. This could include a rash, hives around their mouth and face, vomiting, coughing or wheezing, a change in skin colour, swollen lips or face, and sudden limpness. If, after 10 minutes, your baby seems to be looking and acting as normal, gradually serve the remainder of the peanut butter mixture.

Once peanut butter has been introduced to your baby’s diet and there’s no sign of an allergic reaction, it’s a good idea to offer 1 or 2 teaspoons a couple of times a week.

Can my baby have peanut butter?

And does the variety of peanut butter matter?