Allergens & Safety

Allergen Introduction Tracker for Babies

Guidance on food allergens changed substantially over the last decade. Where parents were once told to delay peanut, egg and other common allergens, the current advice is to introduce them early — generally around the time solids begin — and to keep them in the rotation once introduced.

The allergens to track

Nine foods account for the large majority of food allergies: milk, egg, peanut, tree nuts, soy, wheat, fish, shellfish and sesame. The tracker gives each its own row so you can see at a glance which have been introduced and which are still outstanding.

How to introduce an allergen

  • Offer it at home, earlier in the day, when you can watch your baby for a few hours afterward — not right before bed and not on the way out the door.
  • Start with a small amount, in an age-appropriate form: thinned peanut butter rather than whole nuts, well-cooked egg rather than runny.
  • Introduce one allergen at a time and wait a couple of days before the next.
  • Once tolerated, keep it in the diet regularly. Ongoing exposure is part of what maintains tolerance; reintroducing after a long gap is not the same thing.
  • Record the date and the reaction on the sheet. Written notes are far more useful to a clinician than a recollection weeks later.

Signs worth knowing before you start

Mild reactions can include hives around the mouth, a rash, vomiting or loose stools. Severe reactions — trouble breathing, swelling of the face or tongue, repeated vomiting, going pale or floppy — are a medical emergency and mean calling emergency services immediately, not waiting to see whether it passes.

Knowing what you are watching for before you offer the food is the point of doing this deliberately at home rather than incidentally at a restaurant.

When to talk to your provider first

Babies with severe eczema, an existing food allergy, or a strong family history of allergy may need a different approach, including testing or a supervised first exposure. That conversation should happen before you start, not after a reaction.

Common questions

When should allergens be introduced to a baby?
Current guidance favors introducing common allergens early, generally around the time solid foods begin at about six months, rather than delaying them. Babies with severe eczema or an existing food allergy should be discussed with a healthcare provider first.
How long should I wait between allergens?
Give each new allergen a couple of days on its own before introducing the next, so that any reaction can be traced to a specific food.
Does my baby need to keep eating an allergen after introducing it?
Yes — regular ongoing exposure is part of maintaining tolerance. Introducing a food once and then dropping it for months is not the same as keeping it in the diet.

Recipes to try

Stage 1 (4-6m)

Related resources

  • 100 First Foods for Babies

    A printable checklist of 100 first foods to offer your baby, grouped by food type, so you can track variety in the first year.

  • Baby Feeding Chart by Age

    A printable baby feeding chart by age: how much milk, how often, and where solid foods fit in from newborn through twelve months.