Bread For Babies: Safety, Right Age, Precautions, And Recipes

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Parents, especially new ones, often appear to struggle with determining what to feed their infants. Bread for babies can be considered as the first food as it contains a variety of nutrients such as carbohydrates, dietary fiber, and micronutrients. It is made from wheat flour and is a common food for many people worldwide. However, because wheat is a common allergen, take measures while feeding wheat bread to babies for the first time (1).

This post discusses the nutritional content of bread, when you should start feeding your baby wheat bread, and what precautions you should take when feeding it to babies.

Is It Safe To Give Bread To Babies?

Yes, bread is safe for babies. Experts recommend feeding 100% whole-wheat bread as it can provide considerable amounts of carbohydrates, protein, dietary fiber, and essential micronutrients, like iron, zinc, and thiamin (2). However, while adding it to your baby’s weaning diet, check for possible sensitivity or allergic reactions, especially if you or anyone in your family has a history of allergies.

Babies with a confirmed wheat allergy should avoid all wheat products, including baby cereals, bread, pasta, and crackers. Most infants outgrow wheat allergy within early childhood (3) (4).

Look for breads that do not contain any additives and preservatives such as BHA, BHT, wheat gluten. In the supermarket, one may encounter many bread types, such as whole grain bread, soft, or cornbread, etc. Go through the nutritional content on the package and choose the bread with ingredients such as whole sprouted grains and seeds with minimal or no added oil. Otherwise, you can consult your pediatrician on the best type of bread for your baby.

When Can You Give Bread To Babies?

According to the UK National Health Service, you can introduce bread to babies from the age of six months (5). Bread can be among the first foods when a six-month-old begins eating solids. Pick fresh, 100% whole-wheat bread without any seeds or nuts (6). Serve lightly-toasted bread, cut in small pieces that are easy to swallow for a baby without the risk of choking.

Experts say

Anthony Porto, MD, MPH, FAAP, suggests, “There is no evidence that delaying the introduction or limiting allergy-causing foods such as wheat beyond four to six months prevents food allergy or the onset of celiac disease.” So, wheat may be introduced as infant cereal (17).

Nutritive Value Of Bread

Below is the proximate composition comparison of one medium-sized slice of refined bread, whole wheat bread, and enriched bread (7) (8) (9). Whole-wheat bread is made from whole-wheat flour that contains all the nutritious parts of the wheat grain, namely bran, germ, and endosperm, while refined wheat flour only contains the endosperm. Enriched bread is made from enriched flour, which is refined flour fortified with nutrients that were lost during the milling process.

Source: U.S. Department of Agriculture 

How Much Bread Should You Give To Your Infant?

Whole-wheat bread in moderation can be an important part of a well-balanced diet. Below is the daily suggested intake for grains, including bread, for babies (10) (11).

Source: NCBI and South Dakota WIC Program

Precautions To Take While Giving Bread To Babies

Here are some simple precautions to ensure the safe intake of bread for babies and toddlers.

1. Prefer whole-wheat bread to refined or enriched bread. Look for “100% Whole-Wheat” labels on the bread packaging.
2. Not every “brown bread” is 100% whole-wheat bread. Check the ingredients for the mention of 100% whole-wheat flour. Also, check for the percentage of whole-wheat. Use bread made from 100% whole-wheat flour.
3. Avoid multi-grain whole-wheat bread since it may contain seeds and nuts. Only pick single grain (whole-wheat) bread to avoid possible allergic reactions.
4. Go for low sodium and no-added sweetener varieties. Also, check for the presence of any other additives, such as food color.
5. Check the manufacturing date and “best before” or “use by” date. Prefer fresh bread.
6. Follow a “three to five-day wait” while introducing bread to rule out sensitivities or allergies towards wheat. Add no new food while you are feeding bread to your baby.
7. General symptoms of wheat allergy are hives, wheezing, stomach ache, and diarrhea, occurring immediately after the baby eats food made with wheat (1) (3). Babies that experience bloating, vomiting, diarrhea, and stomach ache but no wheezing or hives are likely to have wheat sensitivity or celiac disease (12) (13). It can be hard to distinguish symptoms of wheat allergy or sensitivity from those of celiac disease (14). Therefore, stop feeding wheat products to the baby and consult a doctor for the precise diagnosis. A study by multiple institutes discovered that around 21.3 cases per 100,000 person-years were diagnosed with celiac disease each year among children.

8. Babies with wheat allergy or wheat sensitivity can have bread made from flours of almonds, legumes, and tubers. Take your pediatrician’s opinion before introducing these alternative options. Ancient grains such as millet, quinoa, buckwheat, and teff make nutritious breads.

Point to consider

In most cases, wheat allergies resolve by early childhood and do not last until adulthood (17).

9. If wheat suits the baby, then feed whole-wheat bread in moderation and as part of a well-balanced diet. Overconsumption may fill up the baby’s tummy and leave no space for breast milk and other foods.
10. Toast the bread and cut it into small pieces that are easy to swallow. If the baby does not like the bread, wait for a few days and try again. You can also introduce bread in combination with other foods, such as vegetable and fruit purees.
11. Babies above eight months of age can consume small, bite-sized lightly toasted bread, breadsticks, bread crusts, and pitta bread as finger foods (15).
12. For toddlers who eat a wide variety of solids, you can consider trying other types of bread, such as whole-grain cornbread, whole-grain or sprouted rye bread, whole-grain multi-grain bread, sourdough bread, and flax bread, after consulting a pediatrician.

How To Make Bread At Home

Simple ingredients and techniques can help you make chemical and preservative-free bread at home for your little one. We bring you an easy whole wheat bread recipe, which can help you make soft and fluffy bread at home.

You Will Need:

• 3 cups whole wheat flour
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1tbsp salt
• 1tsp sugar
• 1tbsp olive oil
• 2tsp levelled dried yeast
• 1 1/2 cups water

How To:

1. Take some warm water, add sugar, and stir it until it dissolves, and then add the yeast to it. Keep this mixture aside until it froths.
2. Take a large bowl and add the flour to it along with the salt. Make a well in between and add the olive oil.
3. Add the yeast mixture to the above bowl and make a firm dough. Use some warm water if required while kneading the dough.
4. On a clean surface, sprinkle some flour and knead the dough for 10 more minutes.
5. Grease a large bowl, add the dough to it, and cover it with a cloth. Keep this in a warm place for an hour.
6. Take the raised dough on the floured surface and knead it for a minute more.
7. Grease 2 1lb loaf tins, divide the dough, stretch it, make it fit in the tin, cover it with cling wrap and keep aside for 45 mins.
8. Preheat the oven to 375 deg F. Remove the plastic from the above tin and place the tin in the oven. Bake for 20-30 minutes. Let the bread cool, and then slice it.

Tasty Bread Recipes For Babies

You can feed bread to your baby as a simple toast or by soaking it in a small quantity of warm milk. In addition, you may incorporate bread in different forms such as bread crust and bread crumbs on pureed desserts or meals to give your little one extra nutrition and crunch. Alternatively, you may use the following recipes.

1. Jammy bread fingers

Image: Shutterstock

Image: Shutterstock 

The easy-to-prepare finger food recipe can be a part of your baby’s breakfast meal.

You will need:

• 1 whole-wheat bread slice
• 1tsp blueberry jam (or any jam of choice)

How to:

1. Slice the whole-wheat bread into thin fingers.
2. Apply jam to these slices of bread and serve immediately.
3. You can slightly toast the bread before slicing.

The sweet and tangy flavor of the jam mixed with the nutritious bread is surely one quick and delicious homemade baby food that you can include in your baby’s diet as per their age and preferences.

2. Buttery banana bread slices

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A perfect finger food recipe made with nutritious ingredients, like fresh fruits and peanut butter. This is suitable for toddlers.

You will need:

• 1 banana bread slice
• 1tsp plain peanut butter (without peanut chunks)
• 1tbsp tiny mixed fruit pieces (mango and strawberry)

How to:

3. Spread the peanut butter on the banana bread slice and decorate with tiny mixed fruit pieces.
4. Serve immediately with a cup of warm milk or fresh homemade veggie juice.
5. You can add toasted sesame seeds and flaxseeds to this recipe.

3. Multi-grain French toast

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French toast is a delicious traditional treat for babies above 12 months of age.

You will need:

• Multi-grain bread slice
• ¼tsp cinnamon powder
• 1tsp brown sugar
• 2tbsp butter
• 1 egg
• ⅛ cup whole milk
• 1tsp maple syrup

How to:

4. Add cinnamon, sugar, egg, and milk in a small bowl, whisk well and set aside.
5. Keep a skillet over medium heat and put butter onto it to melt.
6. Dip the bread in the egg mixture and then place it on the skillet to fry.
7. Fry the slice until it turns golden brown from both the sides.
8. Drizzle some maple syrup and serve the French toast while still warm.

Quick tip

Top the french toast with your preferred homemade jam for a flavor boost. Jams like cherry and apricot go well with it.

4. Cheesy mini sandwiches

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Mini sandwiches are a healthy snack option for babies and toddlers.

You will need:

• 2  whole-wheat bread slices
• 1tsp mint sauce
• 1tsp tomato sauce
• ¼ cup cucumber (grated)
• 1tbsp cream cheese

How to:

5. Take a small mixing bowl and mix mint sauce, tomato sauce, and cream cheese in it.
6. Spread a thick layer of the mixture to one slice, top with grated cucumber, and cover with another slice.
7. Press the sandwich gently and cut it into four small squares.
8. Serve immediately with fresh vegetable juice or a cup of warm milk.
9. You can also add cooked cottage cheese to this recipe to intensify its nutritional value.

5. Bread upma

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A healthy and delicious recipe suitable for babies above ten months of age.

You will need:

• 1 cup crumbled whole-wheat bread
• 2tbsp peanuts
• 1tsp lemon juice
• 1 small onion (chopped)
• 1 small tomato (diced)
• 1tsp mustard seeds
• 1/4tsp turmeric powder
• 1/4tsp salt
• 1tbsp oil
• 4-5 curry leaves

How to:

1. Put oil in a thick bottom pan, add peanuts, and fry them for ten seconds.
2. Add mustard seeds, curry leaves, and onion and fry until onions turn golden brown.
3. Now, add tomato, turmeric, and salt, and cook for five minutes.
4. Add crumbled bread to the mix and give a nice toss. Cook for five minutes with the lid closed.
5. Transfer the cooked bread upma to a serving plate, add lemon juice, and serve.

After the introduction of solids, it may be necessary to wait a few more weeks before incorporating bread into your baby’s diet. It is advisable to consult with your pediatrician to determine the appropriate size and portion of bread suitable for your little one.

Alternatives Of Bread For Babies

Some food items that can be alternatives to bread for babies are:

• Whole-wheat pancakes
• Oats pancakes
• Millet pancakes
• Whole-wheat chapatis
• Corn tortillas

Infographic: Nutritious Bread Recipes For Baby-led Weaning

Baby-led weaning enables the baby to self-feed using their fingers. Since holding the food with fingers can be tricky for babies, we bring you delectable yet healthy baby-led weaning bread recipes that a baby can hold and eat comfortably. Go through these recipes and turn the plain bread into a nutritious delight that your baby will love to relish. Pin these recipes and share them with fellow parents.

Illustration: Momjunction Design Team

Image: Stable Diffusion/MomJunction Design Team

Learn how to feed your baby safely with this helpful video focusing on bread! Learn about the best bread varieties and methods for preparing it for your child’s needs.

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Deepa DeshmukhMPH, RDN, CDE

Deepa Deshmukh has been practicing integrative nutrition in the Greater Chicago Area for more than 15 years. She focuses on culinary nutrition and gut health to treat patients with chronic health conditions. Under the brand ‘Nutritionist Deepa,’ she promotes plant-based products to schools, workplaces, and other institutions.

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Swati PatwalM.Sc. (Food & Nutrition), MBA

Swati Patwal is a clinical nutritionist, a Certified Diabetes Educator (CDE) and a toddler mom with more than a decade of experience in diverse fields of nutrition. She started her career as a CSR project coordinator for a healthy eating and active lifestyle project catering to school children.

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Rohit GarooBSc, MBA

Rohit Garoo is a writer-turned-editor with over 9 years of experience in content writing, editing, and content marketing. He did his bachelors in Science at St. Xavier's College, Hyderabad, and masters in Business Administration at Osmania University.

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Ghazia ShahMSc, MA, BEd

Ghazia is a scientist-turned-writer with three years of research experience in Cancer Biology. She did her masters degree in Biotechnology at the University of Kashmir and bachelors in Education at the same university. Ghazia then delved deeper into the science of language with a masters in English.

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