How To Introduce Allergens Yourself
Based on the research, health organizations from around the world are recommending allergen introduction as early as 4 months of age to prevent food allergies. To help bring this research home, below are our safe, all-natural recipes for feeding peanut, egg, and milk to your baby.
Peanut Recipes
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4+ months
Serves: 4
Total time: 5 minutes
Ingredients:
4 tbsp Creamy Unsalted Natural Peanut Butter (no sugar added)
½ cup Canned Organic Coconut Cream (briskly mix cream if any separation has occurred before opening)
1 small banana or ½ large banana
1 tsp Maple Syrup- optional
Instructions:
1) Blend all ingredients together in stand mixer or with hand beaters on medium speed until blended and uniform.
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6+ months
Ingredients:
2 bananas
1 cup chopped mango
2 tablespoons smooth peanut butter
1/4 cup coconut milkInstructions:
1) Chop the mango.
2) Blend the mango, banana and peanut butter until smooth.
3) Add the coconut milk until you've reached the texture you want.
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6+ months
Serves: 4
Total time: 15 minutes
Ingredients:
8 oz Rice noodles (can be rice noodles, quinoa noodles or a blend of the two)
3 tbsp unsalted, creamy no sugar added natural Peanut Butter
1/8 tsp ground ginger
1 tbsp Maple Syrup
1 tbsp Organic coconut aminos (optional)
1 tsp Sesame oil
¼ Garlic powder
1 tsp fresh lime (optional)
Instructions:
1) Follow directions on package to cook rice noodles
2) While noodles are boiling, make Peanut sauce: In a medium bowl, whisk together Peanut butter, ginger, maple syrup, coconut aminos, sesame oil, garlic powder and lime.
3) Strain noodles and toss with Peanut sauce while noodles are hot. Cool to desired temperature.
4) Scoop into bowl and serve warm.
*Can store in refrigerator for 5 days. Reheat on stove-top in small saucepan over medium heat to desired temperature, or in microwave safe bowl for 1.5-2 minutes.
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8+ months
Ingredients:
1 cup mashed bananas (2 medium bananas)
1 cup rolled oats
¼ cup smooth peanut butter
½ teaspoon cinnamonInstructions:
1) Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.
2) Lightly grease a cookie sheet.
3) Mash the bananas.
4) Divide the 1 cup of rolled oats in half.
5) Pour ½ cup of the rolled oats into a food processor and blend into flour. Leave the other ½ cup as is.
6) Mix the mashed bananas, oats, oat flour, peanut butter and cinnamon together in a large bowl.
7) Scoop out spoonfuls of the batter with a large spoon. Place each spoonful onto the cookie sheet.
8) Shape each spoonful into the shape you want now, because the cookies won’t change shape while they bake.
9) Bake for 10-12 minutes.
10) Remove the cookies from the oven and let them cool.
Cow’s Milk Recipes
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6+ months
Note: Never give an infant unpasteurized milk, or milk with added sugars.Serves: 12
Total time: 15 minutes
Ingredients:
2 cup Organic Greek Whole Milk Yogurt, plain unsweetened, no added sugar
¼ cup thinly sliced organic Strawberries
1 small thinly sliced banana (1/4” thick rounds)
1 tbsp Maple Syrup (optional)
Instructions:
1) In a medium bowl, stir yogurt. Mix in maple syrup if using it
2) Spread yogurt evenly onto a 9x13 cookie sheet.
3) Sprinkle strawberries and bananas all over the top evenly.
4) Place in freezer for 10 minutes.
5) Remove, slice into 2x2’ Squares and place in freezer safe Tupperware.
6) Gently thaw each square 10 minutes before consuming.
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6+ months
Note: Never give an infant unpasteurized milk, or milk with added sugars.Serves: 5
Total time: 30 minutes
Ingredients:
2 cup chopped zucchini (slice zucchini lengthwise twice, then slice into 1” pieces to make 1/4 moons.
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp organic whole or low-fat milk
1/2 cup Organic shredded mild Cheddar
1/4 cup Whole milk Ricotta
1 tbsp unsalted Butter
Instructions:
1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2) Coat the bottom of a 9x13 baking dish with 1 T butter.
3) Toss zucchini pieces and olive oil in a bowl until pieces are coated, then spread them into the buttered 9x13 pyrex. It is ok if zucchini are not in a single layer. Bake at 350 for 15-20 minutes until softened and slightly browned.
4) While zucchini are roasting, make the cheese sauce: combine the ricotta, milk, cheese and the other 1 T of butter over low heat in a medium saucepan. Stir slowly until blended (3-4 minutes), add pinch of sea salt.
5) Reduce heat to low, stir frequently for 5 minutes. Remove from heat.
6) Remove zucchini from oven, pour cheese sauce over zucchini, return to oven for 5 minutes.
7) Remove from oven and let cool.
8) Serve warm and store in sealed tupperware in refrigerator up to 5 days.
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8+ months
Servings: 18-20 biscotti
Total time: 1 hour 15 minutes
Ingredients:
1 cup flour
⅓ cup butter, softened
⅓ cup applesauce
¼ cup light brown sugar
1 tsp baking powder
½ tsp cinnamon or vanillaInstructions:
1) Preheat oven to 375 degrees
2) Put butter, light brown sugar and applesauce in a bowl
3) Stir until combined.
4) Add plain flour, baking powder and cinnamon
5) Scoop into bite size pieces and place on a non-stick cookie sheet
6) Roll out into flat 1-2 inch ovals
7) Bake on center rack for 20-25 minutes
8) Flip cookies and bake for an additional 5 minutes
9) Let cool 1 hour
*We recommend starting with soft foods, however if your baby has begun to eat solid foods they may enjoy this. This biscotti is great for teething babies and doesn’t contain any added sugars unlike traditional biscotti.
Egg Recipes
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6+ months
Servings: 2
Total time: 5 minutes
Ingredients:
1 egg (will use ½ of the cooked egg in the smoothie)
6 frozen strawberries
1oz of breastmilk or formula
2 to 3 cubes of ice
Instructions:
1) Crack egg into a bowl and scramble
2) Heat ½ tbsp of butter or ½ tbsp of avocado oil or olive oil in a small frying pan using low to medium heat
3) Add egg and gently scramble until soft cooked
4) Remove from heat and let cool
5) Add 6 frozen strawberries, 1 oz breastmilk or formula, ½ the scrambled egg and 2 to 3 ice cubes
6) Cover and blend on high for 45 to 75 seconds.
7) Serve with a spoon and enjoy!
Notes: You can freeze leftovers in 2oz silicone baby storage containers for up to 3 months.
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6+ months
Servings: 8-10
Total time: 10 minutes
Ingredients:
1 egg
½ avocado
¼ tbsp butter or ¼ tbsp avocado oil (or neutral oil)
Instructions:
1) Scramble egg in a bowl.
2) Turn on heat to medium and add butter or oil to the sauté pan (about 6-7in pan preferred). Make sure the whole pan is covered in butter or oil to ensure the egg doesn’t stick.
3) Add egg to the pan and swirl so the whole pan is covered.
4) Use a silicon spatula to lift the egg on the sides, when the bottom is fully cooked, flip egg sheet for 30 seconds and remove from the pan.
5) While the egg is cooling, slice the half avocado into thin slices, if desired mash avocado.
6) Once egg is cooled layer 5 or 6 slices of avocado or avocado mash on one side of the egg wrap.
7) Roll egg wrap like seaweed or a tortilla around the avocado, then slice into 1in pieces. You’ll get about 8-10 pieces depending on how big you cut them.
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12+ months
Servings: 4
Total time: 15 minutes
Ingredients:
1 banana
1 egg
¼ cup old fashion oats
½ tbsp butter or ½ tbsp avocado oil (or neutral oil)
2 tsp of chia seeds or ¼ tsp cinnamon or 2 tsp of flax seeds (optional)
Instructions
1) Mash banana with fork or masher tool. Mash until completely smooth.
2) Transfer to a bowl.
3) Crack one egg and beat well with mashed banana
4) Add ¼ cup oats, mix and allow to rest for 5 minutes.
5) If too thick add breastmilk or formula to thin.
6) Add 1/2 tbsp of butter or alternative to frying pan on medium to low heat.
7) Add ¼ cup of batter for 4 larger pancakes or spoonful’s for 8 smaller pancakes.
8) Wait 2 minutes to flip, then another 45 seconds on the other side and the pancakes are done!
But Early and Frequent Feeding Can Be Difficult…
Many infants are not developmentally ready to regularly eat solid foods at 4-6 months.
Infants are picky eaters, so maintaining exposure to specific foods can be challenging.
In the largest clinical trial, more than 50% of parents were unable to sustain exposure, and therefore did not see food allergy reduction.
Feeding allergens can be hard and complicated for many parents, involving many overwhelming steps.
