Weaning for Allergy Prevention
Weaning advice for families who have already been assessed in our specialist clinic.
Most paediatric guidelines worldwide recommend introducing single-ingredient foods between 4 and 6 months of age, one food at a time.
Based on our landmark LEAP and EAT Studies, there is a particular emphasis on peanuts and, to a lesser degree, the introduction of cooked eggs, but recommendations now generally extend to all common food allergens (geographic location depending)
In the UK, the focus should be on introducing at least the following: sesame, peanut, cashew (which shares allergens with pistachio), and walnut (which shares allergens with pecan nut).
Trust your ‘maternal/paternal instincts’, and when your baby appears hungry despite adequate milk intake (e.g. waking at night, hunger cries more frequently, following and grasping at foods, tongue thrust reflex lost...), then commence weaning.
There is no need to wait until six months of age; most infants will demand additional nutrition before this age.
If your child has eczema, the chance of developing a food allergy is substantially higher, so this must be treated “practically and early weaning becomes a priority, and ideally, you should aim to wean between 4-6 months. Doing so at 6 months may be too late for many infants.
Initial weaning foods in the Western diet typically include rice or oat cereals, yellow/orange vegetables such as sweet potato, squash, carrots, fruits, e.g. apples, pears, bananas, and green vegetables. There is, however, little evidence that any specific sequence is superior; priority should be given to foods that are safe to swallow and that provide dietary diversity.
It is typical for acidic fruits and the nightshades, e.g. berries, tomatoes, citrus fruits, aubergine, and some vegetables, to cause, upon contact with the skin, localised, peri-oral reactions that may include an erythematous rash (even urticaria) due to irritation from the acid in these foods and high levels of histamine-releasing compounds within the foods, respectively. These do not usually cause systemic reactions; therefore, delaying the introduction of such foods is not recommended. Such foods are best tolerated when cooked and when a thick emollient is applied to any dry skin or eczema on the cheeks.
Even highly allergenic foods such as peanut, cashew, and sesame may be introduced during weaning (if tests for those foods are negative in high-risk infants).
Allergenic foods are healthy and typically rich in protein and healthy foods, e.g. peanut, egg, milk, cashew, sesame …
The Food Standards Agency has details on other foods to be avoided in the first year for reasons other than allergy concerns, e.g. whole cow’s milk (not appropriate in make-up for children's needs, dairy products are fine (if NOT milk allergic), honey (risk of Botulism), certain fish species, under-cooked egg (risk of Salmonella), whole nuts (risk of choking).
For families who have been seen in our practice, more detailed advice will be provided regarding feeding regimens, including amounts, frequencies, and specific foods.
Guidelines in this area are continually updated; you may find the following ASCIA Guidelines helpful: ASCIA Guideline: Infant Feeding for Food Allergy Prevention
You may also wish to read our recent publication - November 02, 2025, Open Access - Preventing Food Allergy by Early Food Introduction: East Meets West With the Lack Dual-Allergen Exposure Theory