When can babies have bread and toast?

Toast fingers are a classic early food: easy to hold, easy to gum, and a simple way to introduce wheat. Two things to get right, the texture and the salt, and it is a great addition from around 6 months.

Toast it (the texture trick)

Fresh, soft bread can compress into a sticky, gummy ball that is hard to chew and swallow. Lightly toast it so it holds its shape, or offer it a touch stale, then cut into finger-length strips. Skip thick doughy chunks for young babies, and pick a plain loaf: the CDC lists breads with seeds, nut pieces, or whole grain kernels among choking hazards for young children. See how to cut food safely.

Mind the salt

Bread is a sneakier source of salt than most parents expect, and babies under 1 need very little. Choose lower-salt loaves, read the label, and keep bread as one part of a meal rather than the whole thing. See salt for babies.

It introduces wheat

Standard bread contains wheat, one of the common allergens, so a little toast is a good way to introduce wheat and gluten from around 6 months. Offer it and watch over the next few days, as with any allergen (see introducing allergens).

Good toppings

A thin smear of a soft topping works well: mashed avocado, a thin layer of nut butter (never a thick glob), or hummus. Keep it thin and skip anything high in salt or sugar.

Frequently asked questions

When can babies have bread?

From around 6 months, usually as lightly toasted fingers. Toasting matters: lightly toasted strips hold their shape, which makes them easier to grip and gum than fresh, doughy bread that squashes into a sticky ball. Most bread also contains wheat, so it doubles as a wheat (gluten) introduction.

Is bread a choking hazard?

It can be. The CDC lists breads with seeds, nut pieces, or whole grain kernels among choking hazards for young children, so skip seeded and grainy loaves. Soft fresh bread can also squash into a sticky ball, and the CDC advises avoiding sticky foods that are difficult to chew and swallow. Lightly toast plain bread and cut it into strips, or offer it a touch stale, so it stays firm enough to manage. Skip thick doughy chunks and large torn pieces for young babies.

Is bread too salty for babies?

It can be, more than parents expect. Babies under 1 need very little salt, and bread is one of the sneakier sources. Choose lower-salt loaves, check the label, and do not make bread the bulk of a meal. Wholegrain bread made from flour adds fiber. Skip seeded or grainy loaves with whole seeds, nut pieces, or whole grain kernels, which the CDC lists among choking hazards for young children.

Does bread introduce gluten?

Yes. Wheat is one of the common allergens, and standard bread contains it, so a little toast is a fine way to introduce wheat and gluten from around 6 months. Offer it and watch over the next few days as you would any allergen.

Sources

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Last updated September 2026. Next review December 2026. 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.

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