For years, many parents have heard the same warning about peanuts and babies: avoid them until toddlerhood, sometimes even until age three. That advice was meant to protect children from allergic reactions, especially as peanut allergy has become one of the most feared food allergies in early childhood. But newer evidence is pushing families and pediatricians to rethink the old timeline.
Recent findings suggest that introducing peanut in infancy, rather than delaying it, can lower the chances of a child developing a peanut allergy. A large analysis published in Pediatrics in 2024 looked at data from more than 120,000 infants and young children in the United States and found that peanut allergy rates have been falling alongside updated feeding guidance. A follow-up study published in 2025 added even stronger real-world support, reinforcing the idea that early exposure can help prevent allergies before they take hold.
The 2025 research focused on what happens when common allergens are introduced before a child turns three. The most noticeable results showed up when peanut and other major allergens were offered around the time babies typically begin solids, roughly between four and six months for many infants. In children born between 2015 and 2017, peanut allergy dropped by 27 percent, and in those born from 2017 to 2019, the decline reached 43 percent compared with children born in 2015. The takeaway is simple: timing matters, and the earlier window appears to make a measurable difference.
Catherine Jaxxon, a mother of three and co-founder of MissionMightyMe, said the latest results are encouraging because they show prevention strategies working outside of tightly controlled trials. She also noted how long parents were told to avoid peanuts, and how that well-intended caution may have contributed to rising nut allergies in the first place. Dr. Alice Hoyt, an allergist at the Hoyt Institute for Food Allergies, agrees, describing the new data as a meaningful real-world test of earlier research, including the landmark LEAP study that changed how many experts think about peanut exposure.
So how do you do it safely? Dr. Christopher Parrish, who is triple board-certified in allergy, pediatrics, and internal medicine, emphasizes waiting until your baby is developmentally ready for solids, which is often around six months, though some infants may be ready a bit earlier. He recommends introducing the most common allergens, especially peanut, during that early solids period, and then keeping them in the routine. Consistency matters because maintaining exposure a few times a week may help support ongoing tolerance.
The form of peanut matters too. Thick spoonfuls of peanut butter and whole peanuts are choking hazards, so safer options include thinning peanut butter into breast milk, formula, or puree, or using peanut powder mixed into soft foods. Parrish also suggests offering allergenic foods at home, where parents can watch for reactions, and notes that mild redness around the mouth can sometimes be simple irritation rather than a true allergy. If your baby has sensitive skin, a protective ointment around the mouth before feeding can help reduce contact irritation.
Have you tried early allergen introduction with your baby, or are you still unsure about timing? Share your experience and questions in the comments.
