Can babies eat lentils?
Becca Inglis
WriterFind out when it’s safe for your baby to eat lentils, how to cook lentils for your baby, and what makes lentils such a great and nutrient-rich food for infants
This page contains affiliate links, which means we may earn a small amount of money if a reader clicks through and makes a purchase. All our articles and reviews are written independently by the Netmums editorial team.
The official advice on when babies can eat lentils
According to the NHS, it’s safe to give your baby lentils from around six months, when you start to wean them onto solid foods.
It's safest to wait until around six months before giving your baby any solid food, because younger babies may not be able to sit up and swallow well.
Lentils are a great option for introducing to your baby early on in the weaning stage, since they are soft, easily pureed and taste relatively bland.
FREE NEWBORN NAPPIES
Once your baby is seven months old, and is starting to drink less breast milk or formula, the NHS recommends feeding them food that contains iron for every meal.
Lentils are incredibly rich in iron, so will help your baby get some of the nutrients they were previously getting from breastfeeding or formula.
How to introduce lentils to your baby
Lentils are suitable both for spoon feeding and for baby-led weaning.
If you're spoon feeding, you will puree or mash food and feed it to your baby. Baby-led weaning is where you give your baby finger foods to feed themself.
Neither method is superior to the other, according to the NHS, although giving your baby finger foods will help them to develop their hand-eye coordination.
A good rule of thumb is to introduce new foods to your baby one at a time so they can get used to new flavours and textures gradually.
Lentils have a mild taste, so once your baby has got used to eating them you can use them as a base to introduce other stronger flavours, like turmeric or tomato puree.
How to cook lentils for baby-led weaning
Soaking lentils before cooking them can help increase their nutritional value by activating their vitamins’ bioavailability, according to The Nutrition Source.
If you have time, soak your lentils for at least 15 minutes and up to two hours. This will also reduce your lentils’ cooking time.
Cook your soaked lentils for around 20 minutes, then drain them and allow to cool so your baby doesn’t burn their fingers.
You can serve the lentils as they are to your baby in a bowl and allow them to feed themselves with their hands – make sure to arm yourself with a bib and a food mat, as this can get quite messy!
How to make a lentil puree for your baby
If you’re spoon-feeding your baby, repeat the cooking process above but without draining the water.
Blend the cooked lentils in a liquidiser. For a more runny puree, you can add water, breast milk or formula as needed.
Wait until your lentil puree has cooled down before serving, so you don’t burn your baby’s mouth.
Health benefits of lentils for babies
Lentils can be a good source of:
- iron (for combatting anaemia and low energy)
- fibre (for healthy digestion)
- protein (to help the body grow and repair)
- manganese (for a healthy metabolism)
- potassium (for lowering blood pressure)
- vitamin B6 (pyridoxine - for using and storing energy from foods and forming haemoglobin)
- manganese (for a healthy metabolism)
- zinc (for strengthening the immune system)
- phosphorus (for bones and teeth)
- selenium (for a healthy immune system)
Could my baby have a lentil allergy?
It's possible, though it's not likely, especially in the UK. Allergies to lentils may be more common in communities that use them heavily as a weaning food, particularly Spain, according to The University of Manchester.
If your baby is allergic to other legumes, then they may react to lentils – over 50% of people who are allergic to lentils also have chickpea and pea allergies.
One of the allergens identified in lentils is a lipid transfer protein (LPT). If your baby is allergic to lots of foods that contain LPTs – like kiwi, broccoli or asparagus – then they may have LPT Syndrome, according to Allergy Resources.
If allergies, asthma or eczema run in your family, your child may be more likely to develop an allergy, too. You might want to talk to your GP or health visitor for advice before weaning your baby.
When you first start adding solid foods to your baby’s diet, the NHS recommends you introduce new foods that trigger allergic reactions one at a time in small amounts. That way if your child has an adverse reaction to something they’ve eaten, you can more easily tell which allergen caused it.
According to the NHS, the main foods and drinks that can cause an allergy are:
- cow's milk
- eggs
- foods that contain gluten, including wheat, barley and rye
- nuts and peanuts (serve them crushed or ground)
- seeds (serve them crushed or ground)
- soya
- shellfish (don't serve raw or lightly cooked)
- fish
So try to avoid giving any of these other foods at the same time as you give your baby lentils for the first time.
Signs of allergies in babies
If your baby does have an allergy, you'll probably notice one or more of the following symptoms:
- diarrhoea or vomiting
- a cough
- wheezing and shortness of breath
- itchy throat and tongue
- itchy skin or rash
- swollen lips and throat
- runny or blocked nose
- sore, red and itchy eyes
What should I do if I think my baby has an allergy?
If you think your baby may have an allergy, speak to your health visitor or GP. If the reaction is mild, don't cut important foods out of your baby's diet until you've received medical advice, as your baby could miss out on important nutrients.
In some very rare cases, lentils can cause a severe allergic reaction known as anaphylaxis, which can be life-threatening. If your baby has trouble breathing, or loses consciousness, call 999 for an ambulance straight away and tell them that you think it could be anaphylaxis.
Lentil recipes for babies
Need advice?
Our health visitors and nursery nurses are on line Monday to Friday evenings to answer your queries on feeding, sleep and child health.
Looking for more tips on feeding your baby? Check out our articles below, or swap tips and meal ideas with other parents in our forum.
Related articles
7 things a nutritionist wishes parents knew about weaning
Weaning: vegetarian babies and toddlers
