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Leer másHam
Meat
Sugerencia de edades
6 meses
Alto contenido de hierro
Sí
Alérgeno común
No
When can babies have ham?
Ham, and most cuts of pork, as long as they are free of honey, may be introduced as soon as baby is ready to start solids, which is generally around 6 months of age. Wait until after the first birthday to offer ham that contains honey, due to the risk of infant botulism. For more information on deli ham, see Deli Meat.
Ham comes from the upper part of a pig’s hind leg. It can be purchased raw (also called fresh ham) or cured with brine, salt, or smoke preservation methods that have been used for thousands of years in Asia and Europe. There are countless regional specialties, like jīnhuáhuǒtuǐ of China, Spanish jamón serrano, Italian prosciutto, and American country ham.
For more information on deli ham, see deli meat. Check out bacon, pork chop, pork shoulder, ribs, and sausage for how to introduce these variations of pork.
How do you serve ham to babies?
Cada bebé se desarrolla a su propio ritmo, y las sugerencias que ofrecemos sobre cómo cortar o preparar determinados alimentos son generalizaciones para una amplia audiencia.
6 meses +:
As long as the ham does not contain honey, you can offer a flat strip of meat about the size of two adult fingers pressed together for baby to munch on. Just remove the rind or skin and any loose gristle or fat to minimize the risk of choking. If the meat is soft and tender, you can also share family meals with shredded or finely chopped meat mixed into a scoopable food. Make sure to finely chop ham that is thick and rubbery in texture (as some ham steaks are) or paper-thin and too floppy for baby to manage, then mix the finely chopped meat into soft, scoopable food. Consider waiting to serve deli ham due to increased risk of foodborne illness.
Ham is one of many styles of pork that you can introduce to baby. Learn how to introduce pork chop, pork shoulder, ribs, bacon, and sausage. For more information on deli ham, see deli meat.
9 months old +:
As long as the ham does not contain honey, you can offer flat shreds for baby to practice picking up, or a strip of meat about the size of two adult fingers pressed together. Offer the pieces on their own or mixed into a shared dish like mashed potatoes, macaroni and cheese, or stews. Continue to remove the rind or skin and any loose gristle or fat to minimize the risk of choking. If the ham is thick and rubbery in texture (as some ham steaks are), or if the ham is paper-thin and too floppy for baby to manage, finely chop the meat and mix it into a scoopable food like mashed potatoes or porridge. Avoid offering cubes of ham due to increased choking risk and consider waiting to serve deli ham due to increased risk of foodborne illness. For more information on deli ham, see deli meat.
12 months old +:
Offer ham cut into bite-sized pieces or shreds, but continue to avoid serving meat cut into cubes. At this stage, cured and glazed hams that contain honey are fine to serve in age-appropriate sizes, like long, flat strips or flat shreds.
18 months old +:
Offer ham cut into bite-sized pieces or shreds, but continue to avoid serving meat cut into cubes. Feel free to offer sandwiches made with thin slices of ham at this age, and model how to hold it all together while taking bites. Some children will be interested in holding a sandwich together at this age, but it’s very normal for toddlers to take apart a sandwich and eat the different components separately.
How to prepare ham for babies 6 months +
How to prepare ham for babies 9 months +
Videos
Is ham a choking hazard for babies?
Yes. Chunks and cubes of ham are firm and difficult to chew, which are qualities that increase the risk of choking. To reduce the risk, prepare and serve ham in an age-appropriate way as described in How to Serve. As always, create a safe eating environment and stay within reach of baby during meals.
Learn the signs of choking and more about choking first aid in our free guides, Infant Rescue and Toddler Rescue.
Is ham a common allergen?
No. Ham is not a common food allergen, although reactions to pork have been reported. Certain tick bites (mainly the Lone Star tick in the continental United States, but other ticks in different parts of the world) are associated with the development of an allergy to galactose-alpha-1, 3-galactose (“alpha gal”), a sugar which is present in many red meats. This results in a delayed allergic reaction 3-8 hours after the consumption of red meat, such as ham. However, some individuals with alpha gal allergy also react to small amounts of the sugar present in dairy products, gelatin, or organ tissues from mammals. Alpha gal allergy is more prevalent in the southeastern United States but is starting to become more common in other areas as the geographic distribution of the Lone Star tick expands. Although rare, some individuals with cat allergies may also develop a cross-reactive allergy to pork products, a condition known as pork-cat syndrome.
Is it safe to share ham with babies?
It depends on the type. Many cured and glazed hams contain honey, which should not be offered to babies under 12 months of age due to the risk of infant botulism, a very rare but serious illness. Read the ingredients when buying prepared hams and avoid those that contain honey if sharing with babies under 12 months. While ham tends to be high in sodium, the amount of sodium consumed from solid food tends to be low as babies learn to feed themselves. For more information on deli ham, see deli meat.
When can babies have deli meat?
Whether or when to offer deli meat is a personal decision for which you must calculate the risk in the context of the individual child, due to the risk of foodborne illness. Learn all the details about deli meat.
When can kids have ham sandwiches?
At around 18 months of age, you can offer a whole sandwich or a sandwich cut in half and model how to hold it all together while taking bites. Some children will be interested in holding a sandwich together at this age, but that said, it’s very normal for toddlers to take apart a sandwich to explore what’s inside and eat the different components separately. For children who are not used to eating food with mixed textures, supervise closely as they figure out how to manage the different textures in one bite.
Nuestro equipo
Escrito por
Dr. Rachel Ruiz
MD, FAAP, CLC
Dr. Sakina Bajowala
MD, FAAAAI
Kim Grenawitzke
OTD, OTR/L, SCFES, IBCLC, CNT
Venus Kalami
MNSP, RD, CSP
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