If the thought of giving your baby peanuts brings up a little anxiety—you’re not alone. For many parents, it still feels like a big (and slightly nerve-wracking) milestone. But here’s the reassuring news: more than a decade ago, groundbreaking research changed the way experts think about food allergies. Instead of avoiding peanuts early on, studies showed that introducing them in infancy could actually help prevent peanut allergies later in life.

Since then, pediatricians have embraced this evidence-based approach—and the results have been remarkable. And now, a new study confirms just how impactful that shift has been, showing that early peanut introduction continues to dramatically reduce the number of children developing peanut allergies.

In this article, we’ll walk through what the latest research shows, what pediatricians recommend, and how to safely introduce peanuts (and other common allergens) so you can approach this milestone with knowledge and peace of mind.

Feed Peanuts Early and Often

Research over the past decade has completely changed how pediatricians approach food allergies. Multiple large-scale studies, including the landmark LEAP trial, found that introducing peanut-containing foods early in infancy can reduce the risk of peanut allergy by age 5 by up to 81%.

Follow-up data shows this benefit lasts well into adolescence. Babies who were exposed to peanut foods early had peanut allergy rates around 4%, compared to over 15% in children who avoided peanuts.

An important thing to note is to never feed your baby whole peanuts or thick globs of nut butter, as they are choking hazards. Instead, try thinning smooth peanut butter with breast milk, formula, or water, or offer peanut puffs or purees.

What the Guidelines Say

So, what does this all mean for your baby? The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) and the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommend introducing peanut-containing foods around 4–6 months, depending on your baby’s risk level. To determine their risk level, talk to your pediatrician, consider your family history of allergies and if your baby has:

  • Severe eczema or an egg allergy: Talk to your pediatrician before introducing peanuts; they may recommend allergy testing first.
     
  • Mild or moderate eczema: Introduce peanut-containing foods around 6 months.
     
  • No eczema or known allergies: You can introduce peanuts “in an age-appropriate way” once other solids are going smoothly. 

How to Introduce Allergens Safely

When it comes to introducing common allergens (the top 9 are eggs, cow’s milk, peanuts, tree nuts, wheat, soy, fish & sesame), the same principles apply:

  1. Start small. Offer a tiny amount of the new food (about the size of a pea) and wait about 10 minutes before giving more.
  2. Introduce one at a time. Avoid mixing multiple new foods on the same day so you can identify what caused a reaction, if one happens.
  3. Pick a calm time of day when you are at home. Choose a moment when your baby is alert and you can observe them for a couple of hours afterward.
  4. Watch for reactions. Most reactions occur quickly (within minutes to two hours). Look for hives, flushed skin or rash, facial swelling, vomiting, diarrhea,  or breathing changes—and contact your pediatrician right away if you see any. 

You Don’t Have to Be Perfect

If you’re nervous about doing it “wrong,” we get it. But please know, this isn’t about perfection, it’s about exposure. Once you start, offer small amounts of peanut-containing foods (and any other high-risk foods you’ve already introduced) a few times a week. Miss a day (or a week)? It’s okay. The research shows flexibility still leads to lasting protection. 

Parenting is full of big questions and small worries. But this one? You’ve got the data on your side. Feeding peanuts and other allergens early and often is one of the simplest, most evidence-backed ways to help protect your child from food allergies.

Learn More

Ready to feel confident about introducing new foods?

 👉 Explore Tinyhood’s expert-led feeding classes for safe, simple guidance on introducing allergens and supporting your baby’s development.

References

  1. Du Toit, G., et al. (2015). Randomized trial of peanut consumption in infants at risk for peanut allergy (LEAP Study). New England Journal of Medicine. DOI: 10.1056/NEJMoa1414850
  2. Togias, A., et al. (2022). Introducing peanut in infancy prevents peanut allergy into adolescence. National Institutes of Health. NIH News Release 
  3. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID). (2017). Addendum Guidelines for the Prevention of Peanut Allergy in the United States. Guideline PDF

American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP). (2024). When to introduce egg, peanut butter, and other common food allergens to your baby. HealthyChildren.org