When can my child start eating cereal products containing gluten (pasta, bread)?
Some cereals contain gluten. These cereals are
- Wheat
- Rye
- Barley
- Oats
- Spelt
- Green spelt
- Khorasan wheat (Kamut®)
Gluten can trigger a disease called ‘coeliac disease’ in some people. To avoid this disease, babies should only eat small amounts of cereal products from the age of 5 months. Examples of such products are pasta or bread. From the 5th month onwards, gluten should be introduced slowly. In the beginning, they should not have more than 7 g per day.
To introduce gluten into your diet, you can, for example, choose one of the following options per day:
- Half a slice of sugar-free rusk
- A piece of bread (10 g)
- 1 tablespoon of flakes
- 1 heaped teaspoon of semolina
- 1 tablespoon of cooked pasta.
If the child can tolerate cereals with gluten, the amount can be gradually increased. There is no quantity limit for gluten-free cereals such as millet, buckwheat, rice and maize. These varieties are suitable as an alternative for preparing porridge during the period of gluten introduction and beyond.
If your child has diarrhoea, abdominal pain, growth disturbances, pale skin or foul-smelling stools after eating cereals containing gluten, you should speak to a specialist doctor. Your child may have an intolerance.
Is it okay for my child to eat finger foods from the start?
Some children don't like fine porridge, preferring to eat steamed broccoli or a raw apple. Other children find it difficult to eat porridge with small pieces. It is important to cater to the child's individual preferences. Offer the child both porridge and finger food. Then they can decide for themselves which they prefer. Observe how the child reacts to the different consistencies and take the child's development into account.
