From the YummyYucky team, founded by Nancy Nash

When can babies have tree nuts?

Tree nuts (almond, cashew, walnut, and others) can be introduced around 6 months, but only in smooth, spreadable forms. Whole nuts and chopped nuts are serious choking hazards for young children.

Safe ways to serve tree nuts

• Smooth almond or cashew butter thinned to a spreadable consistency
• A little nut butter stirred into oatmeal or yogurt

Want age-by-age prep, nutrition, and storage? See the full tree nuts food guide →

Ready to start? Nut butters for babies: how to serve them →

🛒 Our pick A jar of smooth, single-ingredient almond or cashew butter (no added salt or sugar) makes thinning and portioning easy.

Signs of an allergic reaction

Call 911 (or your local emergency number) right away if any of these show up soon after a food, on their own or together:

• Swelling of the lips, face, eyes, or tongue
• Swelling or tightness in the throat, or trouble swallowing
• Vomiting
• Hives that spread beyond the mouth and face
• Trouble breathing, noisy breathing, or wheezing
• A cough that keeps going
• A hoarse voice
• Skin or lips that turn pale or blue
• A baby who goes floppy or limp, or is suddenly sleepy or hard to wake

If the only sign is a new rash or a few hives around the mouth or face, stop the food, watch your baby closely, and call your pediatrician. If anything else about your baby worries you, call 911. Where allergy guidance differs, we follow NIAID’s guidance for babies, the most cautious.

General tips for introducing allergens

• Most babies are ready for solids around 6 months, once they can sit with support and show interest.
• Introduce one new allergen at a time and let its watch window pass, about 3 days, before the next, so any reaction can be traced to a single food.
• Once an allergen is tolerated, keeping it in the diet regularly is part of current guidance.
• Offer allergens earlier in the day (not right before bed) so you can watch for any reaction.
• If your baby has severe eczema or a known food allergy, talk to your pediatrician before introducing peanut or egg.

New to allergens? Read the complete introduction guide →

About tree nuts allergy

General, sourced background, not medical advice and not based on your baby's logs. Your allergist decides what is right for your child, especially on cross-reactivity.

Frequently asked questions

Sources

• American Academy of Pediatrics (HealthyChildren.org): Starting Solid Foods
• American Academy of Pediatrics (HealthyChildren.org): When to Introduce Egg, Peanut Butter and Other Common Food Allergens
• NIAID Addendum Guidelines for the Prevention of Peanut Allergy: Summary for Parents and Caregivers (the LEAP study)
• NIAID Addendum Guidelines, Appendix D: Instructions for Home Feeding of Peanut Protein
• NIAID: Guidelines for the Diagnosis and Management of Food Allergy, Summary for Patients, Families, and Caregivers
• ASCIA: How to Introduce Solid Foods to Babies for Allergy Prevention
• ASCIA: Anaphylaxis
• FDA: Food Allergies
• CDC: Choking Hazards (Infant and Toddler Nutrition)
• NHS: Anaphylaxis

Last updated November 2026. Next review February 2027. How we write these: built from current published guidance from the AAP, CDC, FDA/EPA, NIAID, WHO, and other pediatric and public-health authorities, with sources cited on the page. See our editorial and medical policy for how we research, source, and update these, and how we double-check the food advice.

This is general information, not medical advice, and is not individualized for your baby. Always talk to your pediatrician about your baby's diet, introducing allergens, and any reaction. In an emergency, contact emergency services.

Some links in our guides are affiliate links: if you buy through them we may earn a small commission, at no extra cost to you. We only suggest things we'd actually use, and it never changes our guidance.