Matzah
- First taste
- 6 months
- Choking risk
- high
- Common allergen
- yes
- Iron
- low
Wheat allergen · serve softened
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 matzah?
Once matzah is prepared to lower choking risk, you can offer it when baby is ready for solids, usually around 6 months. Matzah is usually wheat-based, and other common allergens may be in it.
Matzah is an old food with roots around the Mediterranean. It is an unleavened bread with a key place at Passover (Pesach) in Jewish tradition. It stands for hope, humility and freedom. It is also eaten at tables through the year. Homemade matzah can be soft. Commercial matzah is mostly crisp like a thin cracker. Wheat, rye or other grains can go into it. It is sold as whole crackers or as meal. The meal is used for matzah balls (knaidel).
It supplies carbohydrate and a little protein. It can hold some fiber, folate, iron and zinc, in amounts that vary.
How do you prepare matzah for babies?
General tips
Always soften matzah. Soak it in water or applesauce. Soft dishes such as matzah balls and matzah brei also suit. Matzah meal can be used in cooking.
Do not give unmodified, dry matzah until 24 months.
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 prepare as softened stripsstrip
Cut: Finger strip
Soak matzah in water or applesauce until soft. Serve strips about as thick as two adult fingers. Thick strips of matzah brei (soaked matzah cooked with egg) also work. Do not give dry matzah.
6 months · How to prepare as a matzah ballslice
Cut: Ground
Offer a large, soft matzah ball. Finely ground matzah or matzah meal helps slippery foods such as avocado and mango stay in little hands. Try allergens such as egg and wheat on their own beforehand.
9 months
9 months · How to prepare as small piecescube
Cut: Bite sized piece
Break fully softened matzah crackers, matzah brei or matzah balls into bite-sized pieces. Soak them in water or applesauce. Do not give dry matzah.
12 months
12 months · How to prepare softened or as mealcube
Serve softened matzah brei, or recipes using matzah meal. Try a piece of unmodified matzah after 24 months, if the child steadily shows mature eating skills. The child should not overstuff, should chew well and spit out hard bites. The child must be seated with you close by.
Is matzah a choking hazard for babies?
Choking risk: high
It is crisp like a cracker with sharp edges that may injure the mouth and throat. Do not give unmodified matzah to a baby. Soak it soft.
Babies and toddlers find matzah and similar crisp crackers hard to manage. Sharp edges may injure the mouth and throat. They count as choking hazards.
Soak matzah soft and serve it to fit the age. Stay beside baby, within arm's reach, for the whole meal.
Is matzah a common allergen?
Matzah is usually made of wheat, or of gluten-containing grains like rye and barley. Some kinds contain egg.
Before serving matzah, introduce common allergens one by one and rule them out. Then, if a reaction happens, you can tell which allergen caused it. When you are ready to serve matzah, you will know baby has already eaten its allergens safely.
Start with a small amount for the first servings. If there is no reaction, raise the amount slowly.
Key nutrients
Frequently asked questions about matzah
Is matzah gluten-free?
No. Matzah is usually made from wheat, rye or barley and contains gluten. If celiac disease is a concern, ask your doctor.
Can babies have matzah balls?
Yes, large and soft ones from 6 months. At 9 months, break them into bite-sized pieces.
Sources for this page
- Dünya Sağlık Örgütü. (2023). Guideline for complementary feeding of infants and young children 6-23 months of age.
- CDC, Infant and Toddler Nutrition. (n.d.). Choking Hazards.
- NHS. (n.d.). Preparing food safely for babies.
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.
The Lokmini app
Log matzah, reactions and your allergen journey in the app.
Open in LokminiLokmini is coming soon to the App Store.
Astro Tasarım Simay Yenice · Türkiye · merhaba@lokmini.com