First foods database
🌰 Walnuts for babies: when and how to serve it
Can babies eat walnuts? Not whole or chopped: whole and chopped nuts are a choking hazard for children under 5. Finely ground walnuts or smooth walnut butter can be offered from about 6 months, and walnuts are one of the few nuts with plant omega-3 fats.
Good source of: Omega-3, Healthy fats, Copper, Manganese
How to serve walnuts by age
6 to 9 months
Not as whole or chopped walnuts. Grind walnuts to a fine powder and stir a little into porridge, yoghurt or fruit purée. Introduce on their own, a small amount first.
9 to 12 months
Ground walnuts in pancakes, banana bread, muffins and smooth sauces.
12 months and up
Ground walnuts in bakes and pesto. Whole or chopped walnuts wait until age 5.
Choking safety
Whole and chopped walnuts are hard and break into pieces that can be inhaled. Grind finely for children under 5.
Gagging is common and noisy while babies learn to eat. Choking is usually silent. Always stay with your baby while they eat, sitting upright. How to help a choking baby (NHS).
Good to know
- Tree nuts are a major allergen: introduce one type at a time.
- If your baby has severe eczema or known allergy, speak to your GP first.
Introducing it as an allergen
It contains tree nuts, one of the 14 major allergens. How to introduce tree nuts
Goes well with
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Questions parents ask
Can babies eat walnuts?
Can babies eat walnuts? Not whole or chopped: whole and chopped nuts are a choking hazard for children under 5. Finely ground walnuts or smooth walnut butter can be offered from about 6 months, and walnuts are one of the few nuts with plant omega-3 fats.
When can my child eat whole walnuts?
Finely ground from about 6 months; whole or chopped only from 5 years.
Are walnuts good for babies?
Yes. Ground walnuts add healthy fats, including plant omega-3.
Sources
- NHS: Foods to avoid giving babies and young children
- NHS: How to stop a child from choking
- BSACI: Early feeding guidance
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).