Spelt
- First taste
- 6 months
- Choking risk
- low
- Common allergen
- yes
- Iron
- high
A wheat type, contains gluten, iron-rich grain
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 spelt?
Spelt can be offered once baby is ready for solids, around 6 months. Spelt is a type of wheat and contains gluten.
Where it comes from
Spelt is a type of wheat native to the lands around the Mediterranean. It is eaten less than bread wheat but is loved in many cuisines for a mildly tangy taste. It is also called dinkel wheat.
Nutrition
It gives carbohydrate for quick energy and fiber that feeds the gut flora. It holds zinc, folate, vitamin B6, iron, magnesium, selenium, and niacin. These matter for taste perception, thinking skills, metabolism, digestion, and healthy red blood cells. It comes as flour, pasta, bread, flakes, and infant cereal.
How do you prepare spelt for babies?
Serve spelt as porridge or as soft grains. Pressing the grains with the back of a fork helps baby grab them. Pancakes, pasta, and bread made with spelt flour work too.
On digestion: spelt supplies fiber and resistant starch that, within a varied diet, can support bowel regularity. Stool patterns differ widely between babies. Ask your pediatrician if you are worried.
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 porridgemash
Cook spelt grains until soft and make a porridge. Try nourishing cooking liquids such as buttermilk or vegetable stock. You may add baby-suitable spices or finely ground nuts, only if the nuts were introduced before. Baby can eat the porridge by hand or from a pre-loaded spoon.
6 months · How to prepare as balls and fritterscube
Combine cooked spelt with mashed vegetables or ground meat, then form balls or fritters. These shapes are easy for baby to grip. You can also give strips of spelt-flour pancake or waffle, or age-appropriate baked goods and pasta made with spelt flour.
9 months
9 months · How to prepare as a grain saladcube
Once the pincer grasp appears you can share grain salads. Pressing the grains with the back of a fork makes them stick together, which helps baby self-feed. You can also mix the salad with a soft food such as a mash or yogurt.
12 months
12 months · How to prepare as grains and productscube
Serve cooked spelt as finger food, in a salad, or mixed into soft foods. If your child struggles to pick up the grains, press them with a fork. You can also offer bread, pancakes, and pasta made with spelt flour.
Is spelt a choking hazard for babies?
Choking risk: low
Single grains can slip into the airway. Make porridge, mash the cooked grains with a fork, or mix them into a soft food.
Spelt is not a common choking hazard. Single grains do carry an aspiration risk, meaning food can be breathed into the airway without blocking it.
To lower the risk, make porridge, press the cooked grains with a fork, or mix them into a sauce or soft food. Set up a safe eating space and stay close while baby eats.
Is spelt a common allergen?
Spelt is a type of wheat, and wheat is one of the most common food allergens in children. Happily, two-thirds of children outgrow it by their 12th birthday.
Difference from celiac
Wheat allergy is not celiac disease. A wheat allergy can be outgrown, while celiac needs a strict gluten-free diet for life. A so-called gluten allergy is often a wrong label for celiac. If a child has no wheat allergy, celiac disease, or non-celiac gluten sensitivity, gluten is safe.
Other conditions
People with oral allergy syndrome, especially those allergic to grass pollen, may react to wheat with short-lived itching, tingling, or burning in the mouth. Rarely, people develop wheat-dependent, exercise-induced anaphylaxis. They should not eat wheat in the four hours before strenuous exercise.
Wheat and other gluten grains have also been reported in cases of FPIES. FPIES is a rare, delayed allergy with sudden repeated vomiting and diarrhea a few hours after eating. Untreated, it can cause serious dehydration. Most cases clear completely in early childhood.
Talk to your doctor
If you suspect a wheat allergy, ask a pediatric provider before serving spelt at home.
When introducing
As with any new food, give a small amount for the first few meals and watch closely. If there is no reaction, raise it slowly.
Key nutrients
Frequently asked questions about spelt
Is spelt wheat?
Yes. Spelt is a type of wheat and contains gluten. It is not for children with wheat allergy or celiac disease.
Is spelt gluten free?
No. Spelt contains gluten. Gluten is safe for babies without wheat allergy, celiac disease, or non-celiac gluten sensitivity.
Can spelt help babies poop?
It gives fiber and resistant starch, so within a balanced diet it can support bowel regularity. Ask your pediatrician if you are worried.
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.). Preparing food safely for babies.
- CDC, Infant and Toddler Nutrition. (n.d.). Choking Hazards.
- Halken S, Muraro A, de Silva D, Khaleva E, Angier E, Arasi S, et al. (2021). EAACI guideline: Preventing the development of food allergy in infants and young children (2020 update). European Academy of Allergy and Clinical Immunology. doi:10.1111/pai.13496
- Kashyap RR, Kashyap RS. (2015). Kashyap R.R., Kashyap R.S., Journal of Allergy 2015:543928 (başlık kaynakta silinmiş). Journal of Allergy. doi:10.1155/2015/543928
- Feldweg AM. (2017). Food-Dependent, Exercise-Induced Anaphylaxis: Diagnosis and Management in the Outpatient Setting. Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology: In Practice. doi:10.1016/j.jaip.2016.11.022
- Kim KH, Kim JY. (2021). Understanding Wheat Starch Metabolism in Properties, Environmental Stress Condition, and Molecular Approaches for Value-Added Utilization. Plants. doi:10.3390/plants10112282
- Elli L, Branchi F, Tomba C, Villalta D, Norsa L, Ferretti F, et al. (2015). Diagnosis of gluten related disorders: Celiac disease, wheat allergy and non-celiac gluten sensitivity. World Journal of Gastroenterology. doi:10.3748/wjg.v21.i23.7110
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