Baby Food Allergen Introduction: A Week-by-Week Schedule

Introducing allergens early (from 6 months) is now the standard pediatric recommendation. The LEAP study showed that early introduction reduces the risk of developing food allergies. But doing it safely requires a system.

The top 9 allergens

These are the foods responsible for about 90% of food allergies:

Milk / Dairy
Eggs
Peanuts
Tree nuts (almonds, cashews, walnuts, etc.)
Wheat / Gluten
Soy
Fish
Shellfish
Sesame

The 3-day rule

Introduce one new allergen at a time and wait 3 full days before introducing the next. This gives you a clear window to spot delayed reactions like eczema, digestive issues, or hives.

A sample schedule

Starting at 6 months, you could introduce all 9 allergens over about 5 weeks:

Week 1: Dairy (plain yogurt) on day 1, wait 3 days. Egg (well-cooked scrambled) on day 4, wait 3 days.
Week 2: Peanut (thinned peanut butter on a spoon) on day 1. Tree nut (almond butter) on day 4.
Week 3: Wheat (toast strips) on day 1. Soy (tofu strips) on day 4.
Week 4: Fish (flaked salmon) on day 1. Shellfish (shrimp) on day 4.
Week 5: Sesame (tahini drizzled on food) on day 1.

What to watch for

Mild reactions (slight redness around the mouth) are common and usually not allergic. Watch for:

Hives or widespread rash
Swelling of face, lips, or tongue
Vomiting (not just spit-up)
Difficulty breathing

If you see any of these, stop and call your pediatrician. For breathing difficulty, call emergency services immediately.

Keep offering them

Introduction isn't a one-time event. To maintain tolerance, offer each allergen regularly (2-3 times per week). This is the part most parents struggle with. Tracking helps.

SowAndSpoon's allergen checklist tracks which allergens your baby has been introduced to, enforces the 3-day waiting period, and marks each one as cleared. It's free for all users.