Herbs, spices & condiments for babies and toddlers
Herbs and mild spices such as cinnamon, cumin, basil and dill add flavour without salt, and early variety helps babies accept new tastes. Stocks, sauces and condiments are often high in salt or sugar, so choose low-salt versions or make your own. Each page gives the typical starting age and how to use the ingredient in your baby's food; hot spices are best kept for later.
🧂 Apple cider vinegar
Apple cider vinegar is not a common allergen, though some vinegars contain natural or added sulfites, which…
🧂 Baking powder
Baking powder is not a common allergen, but it usually contains a starch such as cornstarch, and some brands…
🧂 Balsamic vinegar
Balsamic vinegar is not a common allergen, but many bottles contain sulfites, which can trigger wheezing or a…
🧂 Basil
Basil is not among the common food allergens, and reactions to it are uncommon. It belongs to the mint family…
🧂 Basil pesto
Classic basil pesto contains pine nuts, which can cause allergic reactions and are often grouped with tree…
🧂 Bay leaves
Bay leaf is not a common allergen, and reactions from eating it are rare. The bigger concern is physical…
🧂 Bee pollen
Bee pollen is not one of the major food allergens, but it has caused severe allergic reactions, including…
🧂 Beef gravy
Beef itself rarely causes allergies, but gravy is usually thickened with wheat flour and may contain butter or…
🧂 Beef stock
Beef allergy is rare, though a few children with cow's milk allergy also react to beef. Homemade stock…
🧂 Black pepper
Black pepper is not a common allergen, and true allergic reactions are rare. Its heat can make some babies…
🧂 Capers
Capers are the pickled flower buds of the caper bush and are not a common allergen; reactions are rare. Some…
🧂 Cayenne pepper
Cayenne is not a common allergen. Redness around the mouth or a sore bottom after a spicy meal is usually…
🧂 Chicken stock
Chicken is not a common allergen, but stock often contains celery, an allergen listed in the EU, and…
🧂 Chili powder
Chili peppers are not a common allergen, but chili powder is usually a blend that can include cumin, garlic…
🧂 Chives
Chives belong to the onion and garlic family and are not a common allergen; allergic reactions are rare. If…
🧂 Cilantro
Cilantro, the leafy part of the coriander plant, is not a common allergen, though rare reactions occur…
🧂 Cinnamon
Cinnamon is not a common food allergen, though it can occasionally cause a red rash around the mouth where it…
🧂 Coleslaw dressing
Most coleslaw dressings contain egg (from mayonnaise) and often mustard; yogurt-based versions contain milk…
🧂 Coriander seeds
Coriander is not a common allergen, but it belongs to the same plant family as celery, carrot and fennel, and…
🧂 Cranberry sauce
Cranberries are not a common allergen, although their acidity can leave a mild red rash around the mouth that…
🧂 Cumin
Cumin is not a common allergen, and reactions are rare. It belongs to the same plant family as celery, carrot…
🧂 Dill
Allergic reactions to dill are rare. It is related to celery, carrot and fennel, so children with a celery…
🧂 Dry yeast
Baker's yeast is not a common allergen, and true yeast allergy is rare. The foods it goes into, such as bread…
🧂 Fennel seeds
Fennel seed allergy is uncommon, but fennel belongs to the same plant family as celery, coriander and cumin…
🧂 Garam masala
Garam masala is a blend of warm spices such as cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, cumin, coriander seed and black…
🧂 Garlic
Garlic is not a common allergen, and true garlic allergy is rare, though it can cause gas, heartburn or a skin…
🧂 Ginger
Ginger is not a common allergen, and true allergy is rare. Its warming heat can briefly redden the lips or…
🧂 Harissa
Traditional harissa is a paste of chili peppers, garlic, olive oil and spices such as caraway, coriander and…
🧂 Herbs
Culinary herbs, fresh or dried, rarely cause allergies. Parsley, cilantro and dill belong to the celery family…
🧂 Horseradish
Horseradish is not a common allergen, but it belongs to the mustard and cabbage family, so talk to your…
🧂 Italian seasoning
Italian seasoning is usually a mix of dried oregano, basil, thyme, rosemary and marjoram, none of which are…
🧂 Mango chutney
Mango itself rarely causes allergies, but chutney recipes can include mustard seeds, nuts, sesame, garlic or…
🧂 Mayonnaise
Classic mayonnaise is made from egg yolk and oil, so it contains egg, a common allergen, and many brands also…
🧂 Mint
Mint (spearmint and peppermint) is not a common food allergen, and reactions are rare, though children…
🧂 Miso
Miso is made from fermented soybeans, so it counts as a soy allergen; fermenting does not remove that. Barley…
🧂 Mustard
Mustard is a common allergen in Europe and Canada, and reactions can be severe. Offer a small amount of a mild…
🧂 Nutmeg
Despite its name, nutmeg is the seed of a tropical tree, not a tree nut, and allergy to it is uncommon. Most…
🧂 Oregano
Oregano rarely causes allergic reactions, though children who react to related herbs such as thyme, basil or…
🧂 Parsley
Parsley is rarely allergenic, though it belongs to the same plant family as celery, an EU-listed allergen, so…
🧂 Pickles
Cucumber pickles rarely cause allergies, but the brine can contain mustard seeds and sulfites (both EU-listed…
🧂 Red curry paste
Many red curry pastes, especially Thai-made ones, contain shrimp paste, a shellfish allergen, and some also…
🧂 Red pepper flakes
Chili allergy is rare, but the capsaicin in red pepper flakes can redden the skin around the mouth, sting the…
🧂 Rosemary
Rosemary is not a common allergen and reactions are rare, though skin rashes have been reported, and children…
🧂 Sage
Sage is not a common allergen and reactions are rare; it belongs to the mint family along with basil, rosemary…
🧂 Salt
Salt isn't an allergen; the concern is sodium. A baby's kidneys can't handle much of it, so experts advise no…
🧂 Seasoning mix
Ready-made seasoning blends can hide common allergens such as wheat, milk powder, soy, sesame, mustard or…
🧂 Smoked paprika
Smoked paprika is made from peppers that are dried over wood smoke and then ground. Allergy to it is uncommon…
🧂 Soy sauce
Most soy sauce, light or dark, is brewed from soybeans and wheat, so it contains two common allergens, soy and…
🧂 Sweet chili sauce
Classic sweet chili sauce is made from chilies, sugar, vinegar, garlic and salt, but some brands add soy…
🧂 Thyme
Thyme allergy is rare. Thyme belongs to the mint family, so a child who has reacted to oregano, basil…
🧂 Vanilla paste
Vanilla allergy is rare, though vanilla can occasionally irritate sensitive skin. Most pastes are made from…
🧂 Vegetable stock
Vegetables rarely cause allergies, but stock often contains celery, a listed allergen in the EU, and cubes or…
🧂 Wine vinegar
Red and white wine vinegars are not common allergens, but both usually contain natural or added sulfites…
🧂 Worcestershire sauce
Traditional Worcestershire sauce contains anchovies (fish), and many brands use malt vinegar made from barley…
Daily food suggestions, matched to your child
The app picks foods from this database by age, season and what your child has already tried, and lets you log them in one tap.