Lamb

Lamb can start when your baby is ready for solids, usually around 6 months, as long as it is well cooked. A lamb is a young domestic sheep. People have kept sheep for a long time, for their wool and for red meat. In the past, adult mutton was eaten more because it was available all year. Today lamb is a top choice in many cuisines. Its rich taste is balanced by wine, vinegar, mint and rosemary.

Along with protein and fat, it provides iron, choline, selenium, zinc, and vitamins B6 and B12. These support growth, brain development, healthy red blood cells, immunity and hormone function. A baby's iron stores run low after month 6, and lamb is a good source at that stage.

Mince and meatballs

Stir well-cooked mince into mashed vegetables, porridge or yogurt. Do not serve dry mince crumbles on their own. Meatballs and burgers should be at least 5 cm across and cooked until the center reaches 71 °C. Test softness with a gentle squeeze between thumb and finger. Sauces like applesauce, yogurt or guacamole help swallowing.

Softening meatballs

Cook meatballs in sauce or stew. Add breadcrumbs, cooked grains, or nut and seed flours to the mixture. Frozen store-bought meatballs are small and firm, so crumble them into a soft food. Ready-made meatballs may include dairy, egg, sesame, or wheat, so check the label.

Pieces and cubes

Shred cubed meat from stews and kebabs before serving. Even after 18 months, avoid kebab meat and large chunks. You can give larger strips to build biting skills.

Cooking

Mince carries a high risk of E. coli and Salmonella if undercooked. Heat it until the center reaches 71 °C. Do not overcook, because meat that dries out is tougher to chew and swallow.

Lamb can be firm and hard to chew. These traits raise the choking risk. Do not cut the meat into chunks or cubes. Prepare it in a way that suits your child's age. Do not overcook it, because dry meat is harder to swallow. Soft meatballs can fall apart in the mouth. If that happens, stay calm and let your baby work the food forward with the tongue. Stay close at meals, within arm's reach.

Lamb rarely causes allergy. Reports of lamb and mutton allergy do exist, though. Cooking the meat lowers this risk. Alpha-gal allergy has been tied to certain tick bites, including the Lone Star tick found in the United States, and other tick species elsewhere. Alpha-gal is a sugar found in the meat of all non-primate mammals. The reaction comes late, 3 to 8 hours following a meal with red meat. Some people with alpha-gal allergy also react to the small amount of this sugar in dairy, gelatin, or organ meats like liver.

A few people with lamb allergy are also sensitive to wool or lanolin (wool grease) on contact. Most people with wool or lanolin sensitivity eat lamb without trouble.