Boiling an egg for a baby

Boiling an egg for a baby takes the same pan and water as any boiled egg. The difference is in the yolk, and in which eggs can be served runny.

When eggs can start

In the NHS's advice, a baby can start on eggs at around 6 months. It puts eggs in the protein group, along with meat, fish, beans and pulses. The NHS adds that these foods also give babies iron and zinc.

Runny or hard

The NHS says a runny yolk is fine for a baby if the egg is a hen's egg with the red lion stamp. The same goes when the box shows a red lion with the words British Lion Quality.

The NHS says hens' eggs without the red lion mark need cooking until the white and the yolk are both solid. So do duck, goose and quail eggs.

For anyone with a severely weakened immune system, or on a diet their doctors supervise, the NHS says to cook all eggs thoroughly.

Serving it

Egg Info, the British Egg Industry Council's site, suggests a runny boiled egg with bread or toast soldiers. Its advice is to check the egg has the British Lion mark before serving it runny. It says a boiled egg with soldiers suits spoon-feeding and baby-led weaning alike.

Baby-led weaning, as the NHS describes it, means offering only finger foods and letting the baby feed themselves from the start. For a baby feeding themselves, Egg Info chops and mashes a lightly boiled egg in a bowl with some bread and butter.

Egg Info says the whole egg, white and yolk together, gives a baby the full range of protein, vitamins and minerals in it.

Egg and allergies

Egg is one of the foods that can cause an allergic reaction. The NHS asks parents to introduce these foods one at a time, in very small amounts, so that any reaction is easy to spot.

The NHS also says that putting off hens' eggs beyond 6 to 12 months may increase the risk of an allergy to them.

Some babies already have a diagnosed food allergy or eczema, or a family history of food allergies, eczema, asthma or hay fever. For them, the NHS advises talking to a GP or health visitor first.

In a few cases, a severe reaction called anaphylaxis can be life-threatening. The NHS says to call 999 and get medical help straight away.

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