App First Foods® Database Gift Toddlers Book

Ham

Meat

Age Suggestion

6 months

Iron-Rich

Yes

Common Allergen

a photograph of a whole cooked spiral cut ham with a few slices cut from it

When can babies have ham?

Ham, as long as it is 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.

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 myriad regional specialties, of which many are cured with salt and air, like Jīn huá huǒ tuǐ of China—the forerunner to Spanish jamón serrano, Italian prosciutto, and American country ham.

How do you serve ham to babies?

Every baby develops on their own timeline, and the suggestions on how to cut or prepare particular foods are generalizations for a broad audience.

a Solid Starts infographic with the header How to Serve Ham to Babies: long flat slice for 6 mos+, flat shreds for 9 mos+, and in a sandwich for 18 mos+

6 months old +:

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 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. Consider waiting to serve deli ham due to increased risk of foodborne illness.

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. Consider waiting to serve deli ham due to increased risk of foodborne illness.

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 +:

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.

a hand holding a strip of freshly cooked ham for babies 6 months+ — A large, flat slice of ham for babies 6 months+

a hand holding bite-sized shreds of ham — Flat shreds of ham for babies 9 months +

How to prepare ham for babies 6 months +

How to prepare ham for babies 9 months +

Videos

Cooper, 26 months, eats ham.

Amelia, 2.5 years, tries ham.

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 the How to Serve section. 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.

As you would do when introducing any new food, start by serving a small amount at first. If there is no adverse reaction, gradually increase the amount served over future meals.

What kind of ham can babies have?

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.

When can babies have deli meat?

Ultimately, there is no “best” age to introduce these products; rather, it is a personal decision for which you must calculate risk. It is generally recommended to wait until the child is older or holding off on regularly serving deli meats, cured hams (such as prosciutto and jamon iberico), and glazed hams due to the risk of foodborne illness. Deli meats, such as ham, have also been implicated in a number of outbreaks of foodborne illness, namely Listeria. To reduce the risk of foodborne illness, especially for babies, young children, and any other immunocompromised individuals, heat deli meats until steaming and let cool before offering. Avoid offering glazed ham or other deli meats made with honey before the first birthday due to the risk of infant botulism.

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.