4 Exact Steps to Introduce Allergy Foods Like Nuts, Egg or Wheat to Your Baby (Safely & Calmly)

If you’re preparing to introduce common allergy foods like nuts , egg or wheat to your baby, you might be feeling a bit nervous, especially when you hear things like “9 out of 10 children develop food allergies.”

You’re definitely not alone.

Parents often tell me things like:

“I know I should give them these foods early… but how much do I start with? What if they react? And what’s actually normal?”

As a paediatric nurse and allergy nurse, my goal isn’t to make feeding more stressful, it’s to make it clear, calm and safely practical.

Below, I’ll walk you through 4 exact steps to introduce these foods, using a simple nut example, that you can follow at home with confidence.

Watch or Listen First

If you prefer to watch or listen, you can start here:

Watch the YouTube video

You can also keep reading below for a clear written breakdown

Watch or Listen First

If you prefer to listen, you can start here:

Listen to the podcast here below:

You can also keep reading below for a clear written breakdown

Make Sure Your Baby Is Ready (Not Just Old Enough)

Before you introduce any allergy food, the most important thing isn’t age — it’s whether your baby is developmentally ready for solids.

A ready baby typically:

Sits with good head and neck control
Shows interest in food
Opens mouth when offered food

Once your baby is truly ready, early introduction of allergenic foods like nuts, egg or wheat is actually associated with lower rates of food allergy development later on.

Start Small and Follow a Step-by-Step Process

Here’s where most parents want specifics, and that’s exactly what you’ll find here.

Let’s use a smooth almond, brazil & cashew spread as an example — a practical starting point for nut introduction:

Start with ⅛ teaspoon
Wait 20 minutes and watch for any signs
If no reaction → double the amount to ¼ teaspoon
Wait another 20 minutes
If still well → increase to ½ teaspoon
Stop there for the day
Optional: work up to 1 teaspoon
Continue to observe for about 2 hours

This step-wise approach gives your baby’s immune system a gentle first exposure — and you time to notice how they respond.
Most reactions happen within this window, so this method helps you observe confidently and calmly.

PAUSE HERE, Get These Free Safety Tools

Before we go further, if you’re in the stage of introducing allergenic foods, these two free resources will support you immediately:

Free Resource 1: The Nest Weaning Blueprint

A simple, nurse-led guide including:

Allergy tracker
Top 9 allergenic foods
Choking first aid basics

Download it free here

Free Resource 2: Quick Reference Allergy Kit

Perfect for saving on your phone:

What allergy signs look like in an older child
What allergy signs look like in a baby & toddler
A list of questions for your GP or allergist

Get instant access here

Now let’s talk about when a reaction becomes serious.

What to Look For (And What to Do If Something Happens)

Reactions can look different depending on your baby — and the food you’re introducing. For example:

Cashews — more likely to cause a reaction (nut allergies are on the rise)
Almonds — among the least likely tree nuts to trigger allergies
Brazil nuts — also less common
If your baby seems to react, simply stop and start again later with the food that’s most likely the trigger (like cashew first).

Signs that might show a mild reaction

Redness around the mouth
Small rash or hives
Fussiness
Mild tummy upset

These may feel scary, but they don’t always mean a severe allergy.

Serious reaction signs (seek urgent help)

If ANY of the following occur, treat it like a medical emergency:

Trouble breathing or wheezing
Repeated vomiting
Swelling of the face, lips or tongue
Lethargy or collapse
Bluish or very pale skin
These can be signs of anaphylaxis, a life-threatening reaction, so call emergency services immediately and use an epinephrine auto-injector if one has been prescribed.

Quick note about antihistamines:
If you give an antihistamine, it helps relieve symptoms, but it doesn’t stop an allergy. It simply helps your baby feel more comfortable.

Keep Allergy Foods On the Menu Once They’re Tolerated

One of the biggest mistakes parents make is introducing a food once, and then never offering it again.

The research and clinical guidance is clear: once a baby tolerates a food, include it regularly (about 2–3 times per week) in meals to help maintain tolerance.

This simple consistency builds familiarity for your baby, and confidence for you.

Food allergy introduction doesn’t have to be fear-fuelled or confusing.
With a simple step-by-step plan, calm observation, and the right support tools at your side, you can do this with confidence.

You’re doing an amazing job, one small step at a time