🌾 Couscous
Allergen note
Couscous is made from wheat semolina, so it contains wheat, a common allergen, and gluten. Offer a small amount first, watch for hives, vomiting or swelling, and once your baby tolerates it, keep wheat in their diet regularly.
How to serve
At 6–8 months, stir soft couscous into a smooth vegetable puree, yogurt or mashed avocado so it holds together on a preloaded spoon. From 9 months, offer it moist in a bowl to scoop by hand, or in soft patties made with egg and vegetables and cooked through.
Preparation
Choose plain couscous rather than flavored boxed mixes, which are usually salty. Pour about 1½ times its volume of boiling water or unsalted stock over it, cover for 5–10 minutes and fluff with a fork; stir in a little extra liquid or olive oil so it stays moist, and skip added salt.
Texture and choking risk
Dry, loose grains can scatter in the mouth and be breathed in, so serve couscous moist and bound with puree, sauce or yogurt, and boil larger pearl couscous until very soft. Coughing or gagging on stray grains is common while babies learn; seat your baby upright and always supervise.
Sources: cdc.gov · cdc.gov · healthychildren.org · healthychildren.org · nhs.uk · nhs.uk
Starting ages are typical guidance for healthy, full-term babies who show signs of readiness. Your paediatrician may advise differently, especially where there is a family history of allergy.
Track first tastes and reactions
Log when your child first tries couscous, note any reaction and see it in the allergen tracker.
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