When To Give My Baby Puffs: Early Allergen Introduction

Puffs are a common and delicious snack to introduce to your little one when they are transitioning to solid foods. The fun, vibrant shapes are easy to pick up and dissolve quickly in saliva. A perfect on-the-go snack, puffs come in a variety of flavors and contain a varying amount of ingredients. 

But with aisles full of different options, it can be tough to choose the one with the best nutritional value for your little one. According to the newest USDA Guidelines, diet diversity is essential for babies and is a key early habit in lifelong, healthy eating. Every day, new complementary foods and common food allergens should be introduced to help reduce the risk of your baby developing a food allergy later in life.

When Can My Baby Start Puffs?

Developmental signs of readiness are different for each child, so make sure they have shown some of these signs when deciding to feed your baby puffs. In general, if your baby is 6+ months and shows signs that he's ready for finger foods, such as interest in feeding themselves, munching up and down while watching you eat, or sipping from a cup with help, they will be ready to try Puffs.

Even if your baby still relies heavily on formula or breastmilk, once they reach 6+ months, it is a great age to start introducing puffs and other soft foods.

Puffs are formatted to dissolve quickly in the mouth, making them the perfect baby snack for new eaters. Plus, the new shapes, textures and experience of self-feeding will help them develop new skills, like the pincer grasp, while they have a tasty snack.

Best Tips for Serving Puffs

When introducing Puffs, here are some things to keep in mind!

• Try pairing Puffs with other nutritionally dense meals.
• Experiment with different Puff flavors to see what your child likes as well as exposing them to a range of nutrients and flavors
• Offer your baby only a few pieces of the Puff at a time and supervise their reaction and ability to grind up and process the puffs with tongue, teeth, and gums. 
• Let your baby feed himself and offer help along the way. Resist the urge to feed it to them if they’re having a tough time.
• Puffs dissolve fast in saliva. So if your baby gets a piece into their mouth and doesn’t know what to do, it will melt with saliva and can easily be swallowed.