Allergen guide
🌭 Introducing Mustard to Your Baby: A Gentle Guide
Mustard can be introduced from around 6 months by stirring a tiny amount of mild mustard into a familiar dish, such as a cheese sauce. Mustard can be salty and strong, so a little goes a long way.
When to introduce mustard
Mustard is part of many family meals and can be offered from around 6 months, once your baby is eating a range of other foods. Because mustard is strong and can be salty, a very small amount of a mild variety mixed into a cooked dish is plenty. Ground mustard seeds and mustard leaves also count. There is no rush, so it can wait until your baby is enjoying more family foods.
How to start
- Choose a mild mustard rather than a hot English one
- Stir a tiny amount, such as a pinch or a smear, into a dish your baby knows
- Offer it earlier in the day while you are at home
- Keep it as the only new food that day
- If all goes well, use it in family cooking from time to time
First ways to offer it
- A tiny amount of mild mustard in a cheese sauce for pasta
- A pinch of ground mustard in a vegetable mash
- A little mild mustard in a homemade dressing for soft vegetables
- Cooked mustard greens finely chopped into a dish
Keep it going
Once your baby is fine with mustard, simply let it appear in family meals now and then, such as in a cheese sauce or a stew. Keeping it in the mix regularly, even in tiny amounts, is enough to keep it a familiar part of the food your family shares.
Signs of a mild reaction
- A red, blotchy or raised itchy rash, often around the mouth or on the face
- Mild swelling of the lips, face or around the eyes
- Itchy or red skin
- A runny or blocked nose, sneezing or watery eyes
- Being sick, tummy ache or diarrhoea
If you notice mild signs, stop offering the food and speak to your doctor or health visitor before trying again.
Signs of a severe reaction
- Swelling of the tongue or throat
- Trouble breathing, or noisy, fast or hard breathing
- Wheezing, or a cough that will not stop
- A hoarse voice, or trouble swallowing
- Becoming pale and floppy, or suddenly very sleepy
- Collapse, or not responding to you
Call 999 straight away and say you think your baby is having a severe allergic reaction (anaphylaxis). If your baby has been given an adrenaline auto-injector, use it now. Do not wait to see if it settles. If you only see mild signs, stop offering the food and speak to your GP or health visitor before trying it again.
Where mustard can hide
- Mayonnaise and salad dressings
- Ketchups, relishes and pickles
- Curry powders and spice blends
- Marinades and barbecue sauces
- Sausages and processed meats
Foods in our database that contain it
Allergens with OBubba
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Questions parents ask
Is mustard too spicy for babies?
Hot English mustard can be fiery, so start with a mild one and only a tiny amount. Babies can enjoy gentle flavours from early on.
Does mustard contain a lot of salt?
Some do, which is why only a very small amount is needed. It is about flavour and familiarity, not quantity.
Do mustard seeds in curries count?
Yes. Mustard seeds and ground mustard in spice mixes contain the allergen, so they are another gentle way to introduce it.
Other allergens
Sources
- NHS: Food allergies in babies and young children
- BSACI: Early feeding guidance
- NHS Start for Life: Weaning
OBubba gives general information based on UK guidance. It is not medical advice and does not diagnose anything. Every baby is different. If your baby has a known allergy, severe eczema or a medical condition, speak to your doctor or health visitor before starting solids. Learn baby first aid, and in an emergency call your local emergency number (999 in the UK).