Costillas

Yes. Pieces of meat, especially when cut from the bone in chunks, can be small and challenging to chew, which are qualities that increase the risk of choking. With all or most of the meat removed, the rib bone presents a low risk when safely prepared for a child’s age and developmental ability, though, in theory, an individual could choke on any food. To reduce the risk, prepare and serve ribs in an age-appropriate way as described in the How to Serve section. As always, make sure you create a safe eating environment and stay within an arm’s reach of baby during meals. 

Learn the signs of choking and gagging and more about choking first aid in our free guides, Infant Rescue and Toddler Rescue.

No. Beef, lamb, pork, and other meats are not common food allergens, although allergic reactions to these meats have been reported. Note that ribs are often prepared using common food allergens, such as soy, wheat, and others.

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 all non-primate mammalian meat. This results in a delayed allergic reaction 3-8 hours after red meat, such as beef, is consumed. However, some individuals with alpha gal allergy also react to small amounts of the sugar present in dairy products, gelatin, or organ tissues (such as liver) 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. While uncommon, individuals with a dairy allergy may also have a slightly increased risk of being sensitive to beef. Although rare, some individuals with cat allergies may also develop a cross-reactive allergy to pork, a condition known as pork-cat syndrome.

As you would when introducing any new food, start by offering a small quantity for the first few servings and watch closely as baby eats. If there is no adverse reaction, gradually increase the serving size over time.

Yes. Ribs are rich in protein and often fat, both of which are essential in fueling baby’s growth and development. They are also rich in other essential nutrients, such as iron, choline, selenium, zinc, and vitamins B6 and B12. Together, these nutrients support growth, brain development, energy to play and explore, healthy red blood cells, taste perception, immune health, hormone function, metabolic processes, and more. Babies need increasing amounts of iron starting at the 6-month mark, when their reserves become depleted, and ribs offer a great source of dietary iron at this stage of baby’s life.

Most rib seasonings and sauces are perfectly safe for babies, but avoid those that contain honey for babies under 12 months of age, due to the risk of infant botulism.

Hay muchos alimentos que pueden ser excelentes opciones. Busca alimentos que permitan que el/la bebé se alimente solo/a fácilmente, que tengan bajo riesgo de ahogamiento y que ofrezcan los nutrientes que los bebés necesitan, como el hierro. Algunos de nuestros primeros alimentos favoritos incluyen brócoli al vapor, avena, y semilla de mango.

Si bien una silla alta puede ayudar a crear un entorno seguro para comer, existen formas alternativas para que el/la bebé coma de forma segura, así como sostenerlo/a en tu regazo o sentarse juntos en el suelo. Para obtener más información, consulta nuestra Guía detallada de sillas altas para bebés.