Farro (emmer)

Farro can be offered from about 6 months, once baby is ready for solids. Farro is a kind of wheat. So it counts as a wheat allergen and holds gluten.

Farro is a grain native to the Mediterranean region. Farro is really a group name. This page covers emmer. Farro is also the name sold for einkorn and spelt.

Nutrition

Farro gives quick-energy carbohydrate and fiber. Fiber supports the gut microbiome and blood sugar balance. It brings zinc, magnesium, niacin and other B vitamins, plus plenty of protein for a grain. It also carries a little iron. Its antioxidants help the body recover from stress.

At 6 months, make farro porridge. You can try buttermilk or vegetable stock as the cooking liquid. Use cooked farro as a binder in soft meatballs. You can also make strips of farro flour pancakes and waffles.

After 9 months, give farro fritters and meatballs. Once the pincer grasp appears, grain salads work too. Lightly mashing grains with a fork back makes them cling. This helps baby learn to self-feed. You can also stir grains into yogurt or vegetable purée.

From 12 months, serve cooked farro as finger food or in a salad. Once your child is past 18 months, try letting them scoop grains with a spoon or spear pieces with a fork. Bread, pancakes, and pasta made with farro flour all work.

Choking on farro is uncommon. Still, single grains carry an aspiration risk. Aspiration means food or liquid slips into the airway. It does not block it, but it is a risk. Make farro into porridge, flatten cooked grains with a fork, or stir them into a soft food like a sauce. Stay with your child during meals.

Farro is a kind of wheat. Among children, wheat ranks high on the list of food allergens. The good news: two thirds of children outgrow it by age 12.

A wheat allergy and celiac disease are different conditions. A wheat allergy may pass with time. Celiac disease needs a strict gluten-free diet for life. A so-called gluten allergy often really means celiac disease.

People with pollen food allergy syndrome, especially those allergic to grass pollen, may be sensitive to wheat. It usually brings a short itch, tingle, or burn in the mouth. It is not expected to be dangerous.

A rare condition is wheat-dependent exercise-induced anaphylaxis. A severe allergic reaction can follow when exercise comes soon after a wheat meal. These patients should skip wheat for four hours before strenuous exercise.

Some FPIES cases have involved wheat or other gluten grains. FPIES brings repeated vomiting and diarrhea a few hours after eating. Untreated, it can cause fluid loss. Most cases pass fully in early childhood.

If you suspect a wheat allergy, ask your pediatrician before serving it at home. Give a small amount in the first servings and watch closely. If there is no reaction, raise the amount slowly.