Allergen note
Lemon allergy is uncommon. The acidic juice often leaves a red rash around the mouth where it touches the skin, which usually fades within an hour; hives beyond the mouth, swelling or vomiting need prompt medical advice.
How to serve
From around 6 months, use a squeeze of lemon juice to flavor vegetables, fish, lentils or chicken instead of salt. Don't give lemon juice or sweetened lemonade as a drink; babies need only breast milk or formula, plus sips of water from 6 months.
Preparation
Wash the lemon, remove the seeds and squeeze the juice straight into cooked food or spreads such as mashed avocado. Fresh juice is best; some bottled lemon juice contains sulfite preservatives, so check the label if you use it. For zest, finely grate only the yellow outer layer of an unwaxed lemon, and don't add sugar to tone down the sourness.
Texture and choking risk
Lemon juice isn't a typical choking concern, but the seeds are small and slippery and the peel is tough. Remove every seed, and if your baby licks a large seedless wedge, stay close and take it away once they start biting off peel.
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 lemon, note any reaction and see it in the allergen tracker.
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