Allergen guide
🥯 Introducing Sesame to Your Baby: When and How
Sesame can be introduced from around 6 months, starting with a small amount of tahini or hummus mixed into a familiar food. Once it suits your baby, keep offering it regularly.
When to introduce sesame
Sesame can be offered from around 6 months, once your baby has started on a few other foods. Tahini, which is a smooth sesame paste, and hummus are easy ways to begin. Whole sesame seeds are tiny and fine on bread or ground into food, but a paste is simpler for first tries. If your baby has severe eczema or already has a food allergy, speak to your GP or health visitor before you start.
How to start
- Pick a day when your baby is well and you are at home
- Offer sesame earlier in the day so you can watch how they get on
- Start with a small amount, around a quarter of a teaspoon of tahini
- Mix it into yoghurt, porridge or a vegetable puree they already like
- If all is well, slowly offer a little more over the next few days
First ways to offer it
- Tahini swirled into plain yoghurt
- A little hummus on soft toast fingers
- Tahini stirred into mashed sweet potato
- Ground sesame seeds sprinkled onto porridge
Keep it going
When sesame is going well, aim to offer it once or twice a week. Hummus as a dip, tahini in porridge or a sprinkle of seeds on toast all count. Keeping it in regular rotation helps your baby stay used to it.
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 sesame can hide
- Hummus and falafel
- Bagels, burger buns and breadsticks
- Za'atar and other spice mixes
- Sesame oil in stir fries
- Some crackers and snack bars
- Middle Eastern and Asian dishes
Foods in our database that contain it
Allergens with OBubba
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Questions parents ask
Is sesame oil enough to introduce sesame?
Refined oils can contain very little protein, so tahini or hummus is a more reliable way to introduce sesame.
Can my baby eat shop-bought hummus?
Yes, in small amounts. Some hummus is quite salty, so a lower salt or homemade version is a good choice for babies.
Are whole sesame seeds a choking risk?
They are very small, so they are not considered a choking risk in the way whole nuts are. Ground seeds or tahini are just easier for new eaters.
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).