15 baby led weaning egg recipes and tips for introducing your baby to egg

Eggs are one of my favourite first foods because they are a staple that can be whipped up into a super tasty meal really quickly. 

And they are also packed full of nutrients such as protein, zinc and iron, which are needed for the growth and development of your baby. 

When can I give my baby egg?

The best time to introduce eggs to your baby is between 6 and 12 months (1). 

Are there any instances when younger babies should eat eggs before 6 months?

Recent research into food allergy suggests that babies who have severe eczema requiring daily steroid treatment, that started when they were very young, may benefit from earlier exposure to egg (2). 

Eating around 1 small boiled egg a week between the ages of 4 and 6 months may be effective in food allergy prevention but the key is ensuring sufficient amounts are eaten.

If this resonates with you, please speak to your GP about early weaning.

What about delaying until after their 1st birthday?

It is best not to, as research has shown that introducing egg (and other food allergens) before your baby is 12 months old, actually protects them from developing a food allergy.

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Does the egg have to be fully cooked?

Not any more. Babies can have eggs with runny yolks and even raw eggs are safe providing the eggs have the British Red Lion stamp (1). The advice on this changed in 2017 but not everyone has caught up with it yet which is why there is still conflicting advice online.

What does the Red Lion stamp mean?

The Red Lion stamp on eggs is a British quality standard. This means that the eggs are from hens that have been vaccinated against salmonella and are produced to a strict code of practice about food safety (3). 

If you are giving your baby farm eggs or those without the Red Lion stamp, you must ensure they are fully cooked due to the possible food poisoning bacteria they could carry.

How do I store eggs?

Eggs need to be kept in an environment where the temperature is stable, kitchen cupboards aren’t ideal as they are frequently opened and closed so the temperature fluctuates. This is why the recommendation is to keep eggs in the fridge.

However, as an ex-baker, I know that cold eggs don’t always make recipes turn out well. Therefore, if you have a cool larder or outside store this would work just as well too.

Are there any safety concerns?

Aside from the potential allergy risk and food safety we have already discussed, you need to be aware that egg (in fact all food) can be a choking risk if it’s not given to your baby in a developmentally appropriate form.

How to minimise the choking risk?

Young babies may prefer mashed egg. You can mash it down to a lovely creamy consistency with some of your baby’s usual milk. Egg in this form can be given from a spoon like any other purée. 

Most babies from 6 months onwards can manage finger foods and so omelettes cut into strips or scrambled eggs make easy finger foods. 

Older babies can move on to boiled eggs sliced into quarters lengthwise and dippy eggs with soldiers make a fantastic fun meal from 10-12 months (1).

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Are eggs an allergen?

Yes, eggs are one of the most common food allergens. The others are milk, soya, wheat, peanuts, tree nuts, sesame, fish and shellfish. 

When you introduce all of these allergens to your baby, it’s best to do them one at a time, starting with a small amount such as a quarter of a teaspoon and increasing gradually over the next few days. 

You want to aim for your baby to be having a normal portion size of the food before you can say that the food has been successfully introduced. 

If you are worried about allergies, I have an Introducing Allergens mini course for £20 which will guide you through how to introduce each of the common food allergens, how to prepare and cook them and how to spot a food allergy.

What does an allergic reaction look like?

Reactions can be immediate (sometimes called IgE) and occur straight after your baby eats the food or delayed (sometimes called non-IgE) that develop over time, sometimes a few days later.

Immediate onset reactions might be:

• Vomiting

• Rash

• Hives

• Shortness of breath

• Swelling around the mouth or throat

• Wheeze

In very rare cases anaphylaxis can occur, and this is a medical emergency. Symptoms are difficulty in breathing, suddenly becoming pale, drowsy and floppy after eating, swelling around the face or in some cases babies might collapse. If this happens, ring 999 immediately.

Delayed onset reactions may be:

• Diarrhoea

• Constipation

• Reflux

• Colic

• Eczema

• Stuffy itchy nose

• Poor weight gain

Extra considerations for baby led weaning

I don’t recommend baby led weaning before your baby’s 6 month birthday (26 weeks to be exact) because solid food can be too much of a choking hazard. If you want to start solids before this start with purees. You can read my blog about early weaning here.

At the start of weaning, babies need large ball-shaped or strips of egg that they can grab with a whole fist and bring up to their mouths. Smaller pieces that require the pincer grip will just end up with frustration in the early days.

Ideas for how to offer egg baby led weaning style

Omelette, scrambled eggs and egg muffins work really well and can have lots of other foods added to them to introduce flavour. 

I’m a huge fan of encouraging a love of food right from the start of weaning and so do consider adding herbs and spices like parsley, chives, garlic or cumin or paprika. And don’t forget leftover veggies and a sprinkling of cheese can really help make an omelette exciting!

Mashed hard boiled eggs on toast can make a lovely lunch and easy finger food.

Don’t forget that you can incorporate egg into all sorts of other dishes you might be making such as pancakes, egg lasagne, egg fried rice, frittata or quiche.

Is egg good for my baby?

From a nutritional standpoint, eggs are probably the original superfood.

Here’s what 1 egg contains:

Is there a maximum number of eggs my baby should have?

There are no guidelines to how many eggs your baby should be limited to if they are an egg lover there’s no harm in having eggs every day. 

15 of my favourite quick and easy baby led weaning egg recipes for your baby

Here are some of my favourite baby led weaning egg recipes for your little one. These include omelettes, frittatas, scrambled, boiled and egg muffins which are all simple and easy for you to make. You can spice things up by adding veggies and cheese to your baby’s eggs. 

1. Broccoli Egg Cups

2. Easy Peasy Baby Frittatas

3. Baked Frittata Squares

4. Superfood Scrambled Egg

5. Baby Egg, Apple & Rice Cereal

6. Baby-Friendly Egg Veggie Pancakes

7. French Toast Fingers

8. Red Egg

9. Egg Rolls

10. Baby’s first Dippy Egg & Soldiers

11. Fruity Egg Muffins

12. Breakfast Egg Bars

13. Veggie Chickpea Meatballs

14. Egg in the basket

15. Boiled Egg & Avocado Toast