Ham

Meat

Age Suggestion

6 months

Iron-Rich

Common Allergen

slices of ham ready to be prepared for children to eat

When can babies have ham?

When safely prepared, ham (honey-free) may be introduced as soon as baby is ready to start solids, which is generally around 6 months of age. Consider waiting to serve deli meat, glazed ham, and cured ham like prosciutto until the child is older due to an increased risk of foodborne illness. Heating deli meat, prosciutto, and other cured meat until steaming can reduce the risk of illness; just let it cool before serving to baby. Wait until after the first birthday to offer ham that contains honey, due to the risk of infant botulism.

Ham refers to the upper portion of a pig’s hind leg. The cut can be purchased raw (also called fresh ham) or preserved with brine, salt, or smoke—preservation methods that have been used for thousands of years. While ham has its origins 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.

6 months old +:

Avoid ham that contains honey due to the risk of infant botulism and consider waiting to serve types of ham that are high in risk for foodborne illness, such as deli ham, prosciutto, and other cured hams. If you do decide to share a taste of these with baby, heating the ham until steaming can reduce the risk of foodborne illness; just let it cool before offering to baby. If the ham isn’t too floppy, serve as a strip about the size of two adult fingers placed next to one another. Thin slices of deli meat can cling to the tongue or roof of the mouth and cause some gagging, so these should be finely chopped and mixed into a soft, scoopable food. If you have fresh ham (a cut of pork), you can offer strips of the well-cooked meat that are approximately the size of two adult fingers placed next to one another. Baby can suck and munch on the strip, and if a big piece breaks off in baby’s mouth, stay calm and give baby a chance to work the food forward in the mouth before intervening.

9 months old +:

Continue to avoid ham that contains honey due to the risk of infant botulism and consider waiting to serve types of ham that are higher in risk for foodborne illness, such as deli ham, prosciutto, and other cured hams. If you do decide to share a taste of these with baby, heating the ham until steaming can reduce the risk of foodborne illness; just make sure to let it cool before serving. Deli ham can be served in bite-sized pieces cut or torn from a flat slice. If you have fresh ham (a cut of pork), you can offer bite-sized pieces of the well-cooked meat, or continue to serve in long strips about the size of two adult fingers pressed together for biting and tearing practice. Baby can suck and munch on the strip, and if a piece breaks off in baby’s mouth, stay calm and give baby a chance to work the food forward in the mouth before intervening.

24 months old +:

Offer your family’s favorite hams cut into bite-sized pieces or shreds and avoid serving meat cut into cubes. If sharing deli ham or thinly-sliced cured hams like prosciutto, jamon serrano, and speck, consider the risk of foodborne illness in the context of the individual child. Heating the ham until steaming can reduce the risk of foodborne illness; just make sure to let it cool before offering to a toddler. These thin meats can easily roll up in the mouth, stick in a ball, and become challenging to chew, so try offering bite-sized pieces, one at a time.

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

a hand holding bite-sized shreds of ham — Bite-sized shreds of cured ham for children 24 months+

Videos

Cooper, 26 months, eats ham.

Amelia, 2.5 years, tries ham for the first time.

Is ham a choking hazard for babies?

Yes. Chunks and cubes of meat are firm and difficult to chew, qualities that increase the risk of choking. To reduce the risk, prepare and serve ham in an age-appropriate way. As always, make sure to create a safe eating environment and stay within arm’s reach of baby at mealtime. For more information on choking, visit our sections on gagging and choking and familiarize yourself with the list of common choking hazards.

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?

Babies can have ham (honey-free) as soon as they’re ready to start solids as long as it’s safely prepared. Like other cuts of pork, ham offers plenty of the nutrients babies need, including protein, zinc, choline, and vitamins B6 and B12. While ham can be high in sodium, it is not a cause for concern as part of a balanced diet.

Consider waiting to serve deli meats, cured hams (such as jamon iberico, mortadella, pancetta, prosciutto, and other charcuterie), and glazed hams until the child is older, due to an increased risk of foodborne illness. Deli meats, such as ham, have been implicated in a number of outbreaks of foodborne illness, namely Listeria. If you decide to share a taste, you can reduce the risk of foodborne illness by heating the meat until steaming; just let it cool before offering to baby. Lastly, make sure to avoid offering glazed ham or other deli meats made with honey before the first birthday due to the risk of infant botulism.

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.