Bread
Grains- AGE
- 6 months +
- COMMON ALLERGEN
- Wheat
- CHOKING RISK
- Moderate
- IRON
- Not iron-rich
- GOOD FOR
- Iron · Folate
When can babies have bread?
From 6 months (corrected age), in the age-right form below.
- Many sandwich breads are fortified with iron and B vitamins such as folic acid
- Delivers wheat protein, one of the common allergens worth introducing early and keeping in the diet
How do I serve it at each age?
Safe form at 6–8 months
One slice of low-sodium bread toasted just until lightly golden and springy, cut into strips about the width of one adult finger and the length of two.
Pass/fail test: The pinch test: squeeze a strip between thumb and forefinger — it should compress and spring back. If it rolls into a dense, doughy ball, it needs more toasting.
Why this form: At this age babies grip with a whole fist and gnaw on the part sticking out, so a long strip gives a handle; light toasting stops the crumb collapsing into the sticky wad that fresh bread becomes against bare gums.
How to prepare
- Pick the lowest-sodium loaf you can find (compare labels — sodium per slice varies widely) with no honey listed before 12 months.
- Toast lightly until the surface is just golden and the slice springs back when pressed — not hard and cracker-like.
- Cut off the toughest crust edges and slice into finger-width strips.
- First time: serve early in the day, a small amount, and watch for 2 hours.
Common mistakes
- Serving fresh, fluffy white bread — softness is the hazard here, because it gums into a sticky wad.
- Toasting until hard and crunchy, which swaps the gumming hazard for sharp, dry fragments.
- Adding a thick layer of spread — any topping should be a paper-thin smear.
How much?
One lightly toasted strip is plenty to start — much of it is exploration; let the baby set the pace.
About twice a week once tolerated keeps the wheat exposure steady
Amounts are starting points, not targets — watch the baby, not the numbers.
How do I get the texture right?
- Bread is one of the saltiest staples in the cart — compare nutrition labels and pick the lowest sodium per slice you can find.
- Day-old bread toasts more evenly than fresh; keep a loaf sliced in the freezer and toast strips straight from frozen.
- A paper-thin smear of mashed avocado or thinned nut butter adds grip and calories without creating a sticky glob.
- If strips keep tearing in a tight fist, toast a shade darker — a slightly firmer surface survives the palmar grip better.
Is bread a choking hazard?
Choking care
Fresh, soft white bread compacts against the palate into a sticky, gummy wad that can block an airway. Mitigate by lightly toasting every serving so the crumb stays springy instead of doughy, and cutting it into finger-width strips rather than handing over a fluffy slice or torn hunks.
Is bread a common allergen?
Common allergen: Wheat
Yes — introduce it early in the day, alongside familiar foods, and watch for 2 hours. See the Wheat introduction program →
Anything to watch for?
Bread is one of the saltiest everyday staples — compare labels and pick the lowest sodium per slice.
Skip loaves with honey in the ingredients before 12 months.
What nutrients does it bring?
Iron tip: vitamin C boosts iron absorption — pair with apple, apricot, bell pepper.