Ketchup

Ketchup can be offered in small amounts once your baby is ready for solids, around 6 months. The only condition is that it contains no honey, because honey can give a baby botulism. Sodium can run high in ketchup, but an occasional taste next to other foods is fine.

Today ketchup is mostly a sweet and tangy sauce made from tomatoes.

After 6 months

You can cook with ketchup in family meals as you like. A small taste of the dish is enough for your baby. Avoid serving it often or in large amounts, since the salt level can be high.

After 12 months

Spread it thinly on food or serve a small cup as a dip. A toddler may eat the ketchup straight from the cup, so put out very little.

After 24 months

Serve ketchup in a small cup on the side. Letting your child squeeze or spread it onto their own food makes them part of the meal.

Ketchup is not a common cause of choking. In theory, any food can still cause it. Serve a small amount in a way that suits your child's age. Stay close at meals, within arm's reach.

Ketchup does not usually contain a common food allergen. Some varieties, however, may include fish, soy or wheat. Read the label closely. It helps to introduce those allergens to your child separately before ketchup. Then, if a reaction happens, you can tell which food caused it.

Ketchup may contain sulfites. Sulfites seldom act as allergens, though they can trigger allergy-like reactions in people with asthma. Acid from tomato and vinegar may leave a harmless rash on the skin and make diaper rash worse. A thin layer of barrier cream on the face and diaper area before the meal can help.