Bagel

You can offer bagel once your baby is ready for solids, usually around 6 months. Serve it with care, though. Bagels and similar breads are a common choking hazard. They also contain wheat and may contain other common allergens. Do not give kinds made with honey before 12 months, because of the risk of infant botulism.

The bagel comes from Eastern Europe. A traditional bagel is made from yeasted dough. The dough is shaped into a ring, boiled first, then baked. Today you can find sweet and savory kinds in many regions.

A bagel made with enriched flour supplies iron, folate, selenium and B vitamins. These matter for energy, growth, digestion, red blood cells and nervous system development.

Preparation basics

Always toast a bagel well. An untoasted one turns into a sticky, gummy glob with saliva and causes gagging. In the early months its toughness means baby gnaws at it more than tears and swallows it. Think of it as a chewing exercise. A soft spread (labneh, ricotta, yogurt, avocado) helps baby eat more of it.

If a piece breaks off and worries you, take it out. If a big piece is stuck in the mouth, lean baby forward and encourage baby to push it out.

Bagel chips

Save hard, brittle and sharp bagel chips for children with more advanced eating skills, usually around 24 months. The child should take bites of a fitting size, chew well and swallow safely. Serve them while your child sits in a chair. Distraction, talking, running or playing while eating makes choking much more likely.

Gluten

Babies can eat gluten. This holds unless a child has celiac disease, wheat allergy, or gluten sensitivity without celiac disease. Gluten is a protein in wheat, barley, rye and some oats. In celiac disease, gluten damages the small intestine. If you have gluten concerns, talk to a health professional.

Yes, bagels carry a choking risk. They resist chewing and tend to bunch into a sticky ball in the mouth.

Toast them well. Avoid kinds with dried fruit or large seeds. Stay close and within arm's reach while your baby eats.

Yes, bagels contain common allergens. They contain wheat. Some kinds add sesame, egg or dairy, so read the label. Introduce each allergen on the ingredient list safely on its own first, then offer the bagel.

The World Health Organization lists wheat as a global priority allergen. It is among the most common food allergies in children. Luckily, two out of three children outgrow it by age 12.

Wheat allergy and celiac disease are different conditions. Wheat allergy may pass. Celiac disease needs a strict gluten-free diet for life. What people call gluten allergy is often celiac disease.

A rare condition is wheat-dependent, exercise-induced anaphylaxis. Working out in the hours right after eating wheat can bring on a severe allergic reaction. These people should avoid wheat in the 4 hours before hard exercise.

People with pollen food allergy syndrome, especially those allergic to grass pollen, may be sensitive to wheat. A mild, passing tingle, itch or sting around the lips and tongue is the usual sign. Sometimes belly pain, cramps, bloating or diarrhea join in. It is uncomfortable, but a dangerous reaction is unlikely.

If you suspect a wheat allergy, ask a child health professional before offering bagels at home. As with any new food, start with a small amount and watch closely. If nothing unusual happens, raise it gradually.