Pistachio for Babies - First Foods for Baby

When can babies have pistachios?

Pistachios, if they are finely ground or served as pistachio butter mixed into other foods, may be introduced as soon as baby is ready to start solids, which is generally around 6 months of age. Whole pistachios, chopped pistachios, and pistachio butter are choking hazards for babies and children, so read our preparation by age section closely before serving.

Pistachio trees originated in Central and Southwest Asia thousands of years ago, where the nut was a prized royal delicacy in the Persian empire and grew in the orchards of the hanging gardens of Babylon. Today, pistachio trees thrive in sunny, dry conditions, from California to China to Iran and Turkey, where many of the world’s supply of pistachio nuts are produced. Walk through a pistachio orchard, and you may hear the tiny popping sounds of shells opening—a sign that the nuts are fully ripe.

Are pistachios healthy for babies?

Yes. Pistachios are an excellent source of healthy fats, fiber, and zinc—all important nutrients in supporting baby’s brain development, digestion, and immunity. Like all nuts, pistachios are also a great source of iron, making them a particularly healthful food for babies on plant-based diets. Lastly, pistachios contain vitamin K, a nutrient that is essential for blood clotting.

★Tip: Like most tree nuts, pistachios can go rancid. Shelled or unshelled pistachios can keep fresh in the refrigerator for up to 1 year, and in the freezer for up to 2 years.

Are pistachios a common allergen?

Yes, pistachios are classified as a Global Priority Allergen by the World Health Organization. Pistachios are considered tree nuts (although they are technically a seed). Due to similarities in the protein structure of pistachios and cashews, children are often allergic to both of these specific tree nuts (more than 95% of children with pistachio allergy will also be allergic to cashew). While only 0.5 to 1.2% of the population is allergic to tree nuts, tree nut allergy is usually life-long: only 9% of children with a tree nut allergy will outgrow it.

Sumac and pink peppercorn belong to the same botanical family as pistachio (Anacardiaceae), and individuals with pistachio allergy may be sensitive to these spices. While mango is also a member of this family, most individuals with pistachio allergy are able to enjoy mango pulp without any reaction.

Although an allergy to one tree nut increases risk of allergy to another, keep in mind that being allergic to one nut does not necessarily mean that all nuts need to be removed from the diet. Having as diverse of a diet as possible, even within the confines of food allergies, is important for a child’s nutrition and quality of life. If your child has a pistachio allergy, work with an allergist to determine if other tree nuts can be safely incorporated into the diet.

For most babies, there is no need to pursue allergy testing before introducing tree nuts into the diet, even if there is a family history of food allergy. However, if baby has severe eczema or has already experienced an allergic reaction, or you suspect your baby may be allergic to nuts, make an appointment with your primary care clinician or a pediatric allergist before introducing pistachio at home. Your doctor can help you determine if pistachios can be safely introduced in the home setting, or if supervised introduction in the clinic would be preferable. Keep in mind that a growing body of evidence supports the preventive benefits of early food allergen introduction (especially for babies with eczema), so it’s important to not delay introduction any longer than necessary.

When it’s time to introduce the nut at home, offer a small quantity (such as a pinch of finely ground nut or 1/8 teaspoon of smooth pistachio butter thinned with water, breast milk, or formula) at first. If there is no adverse reaction, you can increase the quantity over future meals. Rather than filling the belly with the nut, it is okay if baby does not consume each serving entirely. It is important to maintain exposure to common food allergens (such as tree nuts) in the diet regularly (twice weekly, if possible) once introduced. Don’t stop offering the nut unless your baby shows signs of a reaction.

Are pistachios a choking hazard for babies?

Yes. Whole nuts, nut pieces, and globs of nut butter are choking hazards for babies and young children. Pistachios are often sold in their inedible shells, so take care to remove them before preparing the nuts for babies. To reduce choking risk, prepare and serve pistachios and pistachio butter in an age-appropriate way. As always, make sure you create a safe eating environment, stay within an arm’s reach of baby during meals, and check out our age-appropriate serving suggestions. For more information on choking, visit our section on gagging and choking and familiarize yourself with the list of common choking hazards.

Videos

Amelia, 10 months, eats finely ground pistachio with yogurt. If you are introducing pistachio or tree nuts for the first time, take care to start with a small quantity as they are common allergens.

Zuri, 13 months, eats finely ground pistachios on a wheat farina cereal.

Adie, 16 months, tastes ground pistachios for the first time.

Can babies drink pistachio milk?

No. Prior to 12 months, the only liquids an infant should consume are breast milk, formula, and if the baby is older than 6 months of age, water in small amounts (less than 2-4 ounces a day) in an open cup. If pistachio milk is used as an ingredient in solid food (such as oatmeal), then it is acceptable to serve before 12 months of age.

If, after the first birthday, you’d like to introduce pistachio milk as a beverage, it’s fine to do so, but know that nut milks often lack adequate calories, fat, and protein for a plant-based milk for toddlers (typically fortified soy or pea milk are more nutritious). See our Milk FAQs to learn more.

How do you serve pistachios 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 +:

Grind pistachios in a food processor until completely fine and no large pieces remain. If you do not have a food processor, you can pound the nuts in a cloth with a hammer, with a mortar and pestle, or with the end of a wine bottle. To serve the ground nut, sprinkle a small amount on yogurt, rice, quinoa, squash, or warm cereal. You can also roll slippery foods like sliced fruit in ground nuts, which adds texture that makes it easier for baby to pick up. If you’d like to make a baby-friendly nut butter, keep the food processor going until the nuts form a paste, then add water, yogurt, or a baby-friendly liquid to thin it into a non-sticky, smooth spread with no clumps. This can be spread very thinly on other age-appropriate foods.

12 months old +:

Continue to finely grind shelled pistachios and sprinkle on fruits and vegetables or to incorporate pistachio butter into other foods such as yogurt and warm cereals. When serving nut butter on toast, make sure the butter is thinly spread and offer milk or water in an open cup to help wash down any sticky pieces of food. At this age, you may also introduce pistachio milk as an occasional drink.

36 months old +:

Continue to serve finely grind shelled pistachios and use pistachio butter as you wish. If a child has developed mature eating skills (taking small bites with their teeth, moving food to the side of the mouth when chewing, chewing thoroughly before swallowing, not stuffing food in their mouths, and finally, the ability to identify and spit out foods when it is not well chewed, AND is able to eat softer nuts like walnuts and pecans with ease, they may be ready to learn how to eat whole pistachios. Just remember that nuts and nut pieces are considered choking hazards until age 4 and even beyond by all governing medical bodies.

Pistachios are particularly risky and challenging to eat as they are firm, difficult to take a bite out of, have a hard outer shell, and are small and round. From a fine motor perspective, shelling a pistachio is a relatively advanced skill. This can be a good litmus test to determine if a toddler is ready to try chewing these resistive nuts. If the toddler can't independently shell a partially opened pistachio after demonstration, you may want to hold off on serving them. The shells are a definite choking hazard, so never let a baby or toddler suck or chew on pistachio shells. It is important to help a child stay engaged with the task, and part of that is modeling that safe chewing takes place when we are not talking, singing, etc. A highly animated child who is talking, yelling or singing while practicing eating nuts increases choking risk.

To model how to eat pistachios safely, start by telling the child: "This is a hard one. Watch me." Then, show the toddler how to place the pistachio in-between your front teeth. Hold the nut between your teeth and exaggerate moving the nut to your molars with your tongue. Chew with your mouth open (you can even demonstrate by opening and closing your hands at the same time). Once you have chewed the nut well, open your mouth to show the toddler how it has been broken down. Say, "I moved it to my big strong teeth to chew it. It needs a lot of chewing." Demonstrate a couple of times before offering the child a pistachio to do the same.

To coach a child through eating a whole pistachio safely, say, "Your turn to try." DO NOT PUT THE NUT IN THEIR MOUTH. If the child takes a bite and chews thoroughly (they may spit the nut out for many months as they get used to the texture), offer one or two more nuts at a time (but never more) to keep the pace slow. If the child does not use their teeth to bite or attempt to move the nut to the molars to break it down, we recommend coaching the child to spit the nut out and waiting a few weeks more to practice chewing other nuts that are less challenging.

After practicing nuts with a toddler, make sure their mouth is clear before taking them out of the high chair. Never allow a toddler to walk around with nuts or nut pieces in their mouth.

Our Introducing Allergens page offers all the guidance you need for dealing with common allergens.

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