When to introduce nuts?

[babyjonesmama]

At what age do people feel comfortable introducing nuts? DS will be 2 next month, and he doesn't get enough protein in his diet. I'd love to start him on cashews and almonds, but worry about the choking hazard. What have other people done?

[blumooned]

DS has been eating peanut & almond butters (I know peanuts aren't really a nut) since around age 1, I think - probably before.

To reduce choking risk - use nut butter. You can buy them or grind your own. Spread a thin layer on bread, cracker, or whatever. I also recently discovered sliced almonds - they are thin enough that DS can chew them just fine.

[Sayward]

I'm curious about this as well! My pediatrician just insisted I delay all nuts/butters until after 2 because of allergies. My understanding was that the thoughts on that had changed, but admittedly I haven't done much research yet. Anybody have any current links on this, preferably to the most recent studies/peer-reviewed literature? What is the consensus these days? (or is it split?) What did you all decide to do, and why?

Thanks!

[mamadelbosque]

We never delayed intro of any foods... both my boys started solids ~7.5-8 months or so, and from then on they got whatever we were eating - whether it had shrimp/seafood or peanuts or cashews or anything else. When I did research on solids before staring them w/ ds1, everything I read said that there was/is *NO* scientific studies suggesting that the delay of certain 'allergens' reduces allergies... and in fact, that there are/were some that suggested the opposite - that the longer you delayed the *MORE* likely it was to get an allergy (which makes a certain amount of sense - how many peanuts/strawberries are a 6-9 month old going to eat? How about a 2 yr old? 3 yr old?? IE a larger amount of them creates larger problems...). So, we never did. Both had peanuts/strawberries/dairy/cashews/almonds/pistachios/etc all from a very young age - probably ~9-10 months.

[mamadelbosque]

Oh, and the *MAIN* reason to delay intro of 'high allergen' foods, is simply to make it easier to notice an allergic reaction. Thats the point - it just makes it easier to spot a reaction and *MUCH* easier to treat the older they are (afterall, its not like a 9 or 12 month old can really tel you their throat is scratchy!!)

[babyjonesmama]

I have tried nut butters, they are kind of hit or miss with him. I really just want to know when I can actually give him nuts safely. I eat a lot of nuts, and he always acts like he wants them. I have given him a single peanut a few times and he gets really excited about that. I just want to have him eat cashews and almonds because they are so delicious, I think he'd eat it right up and I would just feel good about it because it would be so healthy for him. He just doesn't eat much. The concern is more about the choking bit than the allergy stuff. I am not too worried about food allergies for him - we don't have any in the family.

[Honey693]

We tried nut butters around 9 months and nuts around 14 or 15. It takes DD forever to chew nuts, but that's the only issue we've ever had.

[amma_mama]

Originally Posted by babyjonesmama

I have tried nut butters, they are kind of hit or miss with him. I really just want to know when I can actually give him nuts safely. I eat a lot of nuts, and he always acts like he wants them. I have given him a single peanut a few times and he gets really excited about that. I just want to have him eat cashews and almonds because they are so delicious, I think he'd eat it right up and I would just feel good about it because it would be so healthy for him. He just doesn't eat much. The concern is more about the choking bit than the allergy stuff. I am not too worried about food allergies for him - we don't have any in the family.

I did not worry too much about choking by that age, nuts or anything else, though I tried to cut stuff up into, well, nut-size pieces. But if choking is a real concern, then I would start with easier to chew or softer nuts, like sliced almonds, raw cashews, etc.