Tamales

Soft tamales made with age-appropriate fillings may be introduced as soon as baby is ready to start solids, which is generally around 6 months of age. Wait until 24 months of age to share fried tamales, which present a higher risk of choking as they are more challenging to bite, chew, and manage in the mouth. When sharing tamales, take care to modify or remove any ingredients that pose a choking hazard, and choose tamales made with pasteurized cheese to reduce the risk of foodborne illness. Note that tamales often contain common allergens like dairy, egg, finned fish, peanut, sesame, shellfish, tree nuts, and wheat.

Many years ago, Aztecs, Mayans, and the first peoples of Central America developed various ways to make tamales—a source of daily nourishment as well as a celebratory food. Over generations, these cooking techniques traveled with colonization, migration, and trade, resulting in myriad variations that represent the culture of the people who make them around the world. Some contain masa, while others feature mashed fresh corn or rice flour. Some are wrapped in corn husks, while others, like nacatamales from Nicaragua, are wrapped in banana or plantain leaves. They also range in size, from the smaller Guatemalan chuchito to the hefty zacahuiles of the Mexican state of Veracruz.

Yes. While ingredients vary, tamales generally offer carbohydrates for energy, protein to fuel growth, fat for neurodevelopment, and fiber which supports the developing microbiome in baby’s gut. Opt for tamales made with pasteurized cheese, as eating raw/unpasteurized cheese carries a significantly increased risk of foodborne illness, to which babies are more susceptible.

Yes. Tamales often contain cheese and other ingredients made of cow’s milk, and they may also contain other common allergens like egg, finned fish, peanut, shellfish, sesame, soy, tree nuts, and wheat.

It is important to introduce each common food allergen and rule out a food allergy before sharing prepared foods that contain multiple potential food allergens. This way, when you are ready to share a tamal, you will be confident that baby has already eaten any common food allergens in it. This approach can also help you narrow the possibilities of which food is responsible should baby have an allergic reaction.

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

For more information, see our guide, Introducing Allergens to Babies. 

Yes, they can be. Tamales can contain firm or chewy fillings that increase the risk of choking, including chopped nuts, cubed meat, chunks of cheese, chunks of vegetables, dried fruit, large seeds, olives, and pieces of bone. Fried tamales and other firm styles are firm and sometimes hard or crunchy, textures that also increase the risk of choking. To reduce the risk, prepare and serve tamales 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 the child during meals. 

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

Yes. Babies need lots of fat for their growth and development, and tamales are a great source of this key nutrient. Although saturated fat has been scrutinized for its association with heart disease in adults, studies have shown that it has its place as a part of a balanced diet, and that it may have a more neutral impact on the heart than previously thought, although more research is needed.

Yes, as long as any possible choking hazards in the tamal have been removed or modified to reduce the risk of choking. Use our First Foods Database® to look up any food in a tamal and find information on how to safely share it according to a child’s age and eating ability.