Ice Cream

Ice cream may be introduced as soon as baby is ready to start solids, but it can be beneficial to wait until the child is older to serve it regularly. While an occasional taste is fine, regularly consuming excessive amounts of food with added sugar, like ice cream, can increase the risk of cavities as baby’s teeth erupt and decrease the child’s motivation to try other food. If sharing a taste of ice cream, make sure it is pasteurized and free of honey, raw or undercooked egg, or choking hazards like candy or nut pieces. Ice cream may contain cow’s milk, egg, soy, and tree nuts, which are common allergens that should be safely introduced before sharing with baby.

Ice cream has roots in Asia, where fruits and spices flavored snow, ice, and milk in ancient times. Colonization, migration, and trade brought these culinary techniques along with today’s common ice cream seasonings like cacao (chocolate), cane sugar, and vanilla to Europe in the 16th century. It was not until the advent of refrigeration in the 20th century that commercial mass production of ice cream took off, leading to myriad flavors today.

It can be, as long as it is pasteurized and free of honey, raw or undercooked egg, and common choking hazards like candy and pieces of nuts. 

While most ice cream has added sugar, a bite here and there is fine, and there is no need to track sugar at mealtime. When it comes to ice cream and food with added sugar, aim for a gentle balance: reduce when you can, enjoy when you can’t, and aim to share a variety of food over time. See our article Sugar in Food for Babies 6 to 12 Months of Age for more guidance. 

★ Tip: To avoid brain freeze (also known as ice cream headache), offer just a taste or two and make sure baby doesn’t eat too fast. Brain freeze is not harmful, but it is uncomfortable.

Yes. Ice cream is often made with cow’s milk, and may contain other common allergens such as egg, peanut, sesame, soy, tree nuts, and wheat, among others, so read the label carefully before serving. If you are purchasing ice cream from an ice cream parlor for a child who has known food allergies, request that a new container of ice cream be opened, and that a clean ice cream scooper be used; this can reduce the risk of food allergen cross-contamination.

Prior to sharing ice cream with a child, it is important to introduce common food allergens on their own and rule them out as allergens before serving them together in a prepared food. This way, you’ll be able to identify which allergen is responsible if the child has a reaction. Then, when you are ready to offer ice cream, you will be confident that they have already safely eaten any common allergens in the food.

As you would when introducing any new food, start by offering a small amount for the first few servings. If there is no adverse reaction, gradually increase the quantity over future meals.

No. Ice cream 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, and ice cream often contains add-ins that can pose a risk, including candy, chocolate chunks, chopped nuts, dried fruit, and large seeds. In addition, ice cream cones also pose a risk, especially when firm and crunchy. To reduce the risk, reserve ice cream cones and ice cream with add-ins for older children. 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.

Ice cream cones can be firm and some can become gummy on contact with saliva or with the ice cream, so wait to offer ice cream in a cone until the child can take accurate bites and has more mature chewing skills, which often happens around 12 months of age. Cake or wafer cones are a good place to start for young toddlers, as they are less firm and sharp-edged than other types. When it comes to sugar or waffle cones, consider waiting until a child has experience thoroughly chewing other challenging foods and managing mixed consistencies, often closer to 24 months of age.

It’s okay to offer a small taste of ice cream when baby is teething, if desired. Cold foods can help ease the pressure and discomfort in baby’s gums when new teeth are coming in. That said, ice cream likely offers less relief than other options, as it melts quickly in the mouth and doesn’t offer sustained pressure on the gums.