Even if you love its flavor or believe in its purported health benefits, honey isn’t a safe choice for your honey before she hits toddlerhood. And after that, it’s a sweet still best served in very small quantities.
When can babies have honey?
You should avoid giving your baby honey in any form until she turns 1. Don’t put it in food, water or formula, avoid processed foods containing honey (like honey graham crackers), and steer clear of products like honey cough syrups or honey pacifiers.
Why can't infants have honey?
Honey contains Clostridium botulinum spores, which can cause infant botulism — a rare but highly dangerous poisoning that can cause muscle weakness and trouble breathing. Even a tiny amount of the sweet stuff has the potential to make your baby sick, so it’s important to steer clear altogether.
It’s a different story after age 1. By her first birthday, your now-toddler’s digestive system is strong enough to fight off the harmful spores before they have a chance to cause any problems.
How should you serve honey to toddlers?
Honey is safe for your sweetie to consume after she turns 1. But while very small amounts might be fine on certain occasions, it’s still not a good idea to serve honey on a regular basis.
In general, added sugars — including honey — are best avoided altogether for babies and toddlers under 2. Though it’s sometimes billed as a more wholesome alternative to table sugar, honey is still a form of sugar. And all forms of sugar are essentially empty calories that can raise the risk for problems like tooth decay and obesity.
That means it’s not the best idea to use honey as a sweetener for everyday foods like yogurt, oatmeal, muffins, pancakes or smoothies. In those cases, you’re better off relying on sweetness from fresh fruit — think mashed banana, a swirl of unsweetened applesauce or crushed berries. Not only will these options help fill your tot up with nutrition, they'll also nurture her taste for foods that aren’t overly sweet.
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That said, there are exceptions to every rule. Honey is a proven throat soother, so offering a spoonful to your toddler when she has a cough might help make her more comfortable. And if you want to offer your toddler a taste of a treat containing honey during a holiday or special celebration, that’s okay, too.
What are the benefits of honey for toddlers?
Despite its reputation as a more wholesome sweetener, honey isn’t exactly a health food. While it contains trace amounts of antioxidants and some B vitamins, your child can get much more of those nutrients from whole foods.
On the other hand, honey has been shown to help with nighttime coughing and throat soreness, thanks to its ability to thin uncomfortable throat mucus. So if a cold is making it hard for your toddler to snooze soundly, offering a spoonful might help, especially since toddlers aren’t typically old enough to take cough medicine.
Can toddlers be allergic to honey?
Honey allergies are possible, but uncommon. (Often, the allergy stems from a reaction to bee pollen present in the honey.) But of course, it’s always smart to watch for signs of a possible reaction — especially when your toddler tries honey for the first time.
Your baby or toddler might have a food allergy if, soon after eating (within minutes to a few hours), she experiences:
- Hives
- Itching
- Skin, lip or tongue swelling
- Sneezing
- Wheezing
- Throat tightness or trouble swallowing
- Nausea, vomiting, stomach pain or diarrhea
- Trouble breathing
Call your doctor right away if your child experiences symptoms of an allergic reaction. An allergic reaction may be more severe or possibly life-threatening (called anaphylaxis) if multiple areas of the body are affected. In the rare event that your child shows signs of a life-threatening allergic reaction like trouble breathing or swallowing, call 911 right away.
Honey can be a throat soother and a very occasional sweet treat for toddlers. But keep it off the menu until your tot turns 1 — and after that, stick to serving the sticky stuff sparingly.
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