French toast
- First taste
- 6 months
- Choking risk
- medium
- Common allergen
- yes
- Iron
- low
Milk, egg, wheat allergens · no honey
Contains allergens
Each new allergen is offered on its own and watched for two hours. Our allergen introduction guide is available in Turkish for now.
When can babies eat French toast?
French toast can be offered once your baby is about 6 months old and ready for solids. The recipe must not contain honey.
Frying stale bread after dipping it in egg and milk is a European tradition. Spaniards call it torrijas and dress it with cinnamon and honey. The Greek name is avgofetes. In France it is pain perdu, or lost bread, because it rescues bread that has gone stale.
Depending on the recipe it gives carbohydrates plus some protein and fat. It may also carry calcium, iron, folate and B vitamins. These nutrients provide energy for growth and support bone and blood health.
No honey
Keep honey out of and off the toast. Honey is never given in any form before 12 months because of infant botulism.
How do you prepare French toast for babies?
Making it at home lets you control the ingredients. If you buy a ready-made or frozen product, read the label every time. Recipes differ between products.
Frozen toasts can be high in salt and sugar. Babies eat small amounts, so this is often not a problem. Pick the texture and the cut to suit your baby's age.
Preparation by age
The same food is served differently at each age. What matters is how your baby sits, grasps and chews, more than the calendar.
6 months
6 months · How to cut and serve for baby-led weaningstrip
Cut: Finger strip
Cut the toast into strips about as wide as two adult fingers. Hold a strip in front of your baby and let them reach for it. Strips with a slightly crisp outside stick less in the mouth. Thick, soggy slices can trigger gagging. On a very dry slice, a little butter or a thin coat of applesauce or yogurt helps. The end of a baguette or sourdough loaf is chewier and less clingy, which makes it a better choice. Keep honey out of and off the toast.
9 months
9 months · How to cut and servecube
Cut the toast into small bites, or continue giving strips so your child can practice biting and tearing. If your baby crams the mouth, hand over a single piece at a time. Still no honey.
12 months
12 months · How to cut and serveslice
Keep serving strips or small pieces. From about 18 months you can also offer a whole slice, and your child bites off pieces. Let them try cutlery, but expect neat use only after age 2. Honey is never given before 12 months.
Is French toast a choking hazard for babies?
Choking risk: medium
Soft bread turns into a sticky clump with saliva. Offer strips or small pieces, one piece at a time.
Soft bread turns sticky when it meets saliva. The clump sticks to the tongue and the palate. The clump is hard to manage, which raises the choking risk.
Serve the toast in strips or small pieces suited to your baby's age. If your baby packs too much in, hand over a single piece each time. Stay beside your baby, within arm's reach.
Is French toast a common allergen?
French toast is usually made with milk, egg and wheat. Depending on the recipe, other allergens such as soy, sesame or tree nuts may be included.
Try these allergens one by one before serving the toast. That way, if there is a reaction, you know which one caused it. When you move to the mixed dish, you already know your baby tolerates each one.
Give a small amount for the first few meals. If nothing happens, raise the amount slowly.
Key nutrients
Frequently asked questions about French toast
Can French toast be made with honey?
No. Honey is never given before 12 months because of infant botulism risk. Leave the honey out of recipes that call for cinnamon and honey.
Can I serve frozen French toast?
Yes. It can be high in salt and sugar, but babies eat little. It is a handy choice within a varied diet. Read the allergen label.
Why does my baby gag on the toast?
Thick, moist slices stick in the mouth. Crisper strips, the end piece of a loaf and a thin layer of yogurt can reduce gagging.
Sources for this page
- Dünya Sağlık Örgütü. (2023). Guideline for complementary feeding of infants and young children 6-23 months of age.
- NHS. (n.d.). Foods to avoid giving babies and young children.
- CDC, Infant and Toddler Nutrition. (n.d.). Choking Hazards.
Guides on iron, allergen introduction, gagging and drinks. Read the starting solids guides
Medical note
This page is for information only and is not a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Talk to your pediatrician before any feeding decision, especially about allergen introduction and reactions.
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Astro Tasarım Simay Yenice · Türkiye · merhaba@lokmini.com