Written by Infant Feeding Specialist and Little Melly Founder, Jennifer Muller Mansour
We know eggs are an awesome source of protein and iron for baby. We also know that we can introduce eggs to our baby before 1 year of age, and that we can offer both the egg white and egg yolk simultaneously. Let’s address the quantity of egg that a baby should (or can) eat per week. Is there a limit? Is there a minimum?
How much egg should baby eat?
There are no official recommendations by the AAP or WHO about how much egg we can give our baby each day or week. The American Heart Association (AHA), however, states that individuals in general should limit their intake to one egg per day.
While older research recommended that we should limit all Cholesterol coming from our diet, new research now shows that only Cholesterol from dietary saturated fats impact our blood. Most of an egg’s fat is unsaturated!
Also, new research (2024, PubMed Central) suggests that, for children under age two, offering eggs several times a week even boosts height and weight!
Does this mean we could give our baby an egg every day? Theoretically, yes. Is it the best option though? Probably not. Serving your baby a variety of ingredients is crucial in raising a good eater. A baby’s solid food journey should be filled with plenty of ingredients, different flavors, various textures, and interesting shapes.
Here are some of the benefits of serving baby a diverse menu:
- It raises an adventurous eater who will be open to trying new foods and flavors
- It decreases the chances of baby going through a picky eating phase around the 1-year mark
- They consume a variety of nutritional components, especially when they “eat the rainbow”
- At Little Melly, we recommend serving eggs to your baby twice per week. You can offer it as a breakfast one day and as a supper on the next day.
How to Serve My Baby Eggs for Breakfast
As we serve our baby eggs, it’s a great idea to diversify the way we offer it too. Great options include poached egg, hard-boiled egg, and scrambled egg. Here are some of our favorite combinations which include egg:
- Avocado, Egg, and Potato
- Potato, Egg, Extra-Virgin Olive Oil, and a dash of Cumin
- Scrambled Egg served with a side of tomato and cucumber strips (finger food approach)
- Rice, Corn, Peas, Egg, and Turmeric (lunch or dinner mix)
Other Breakfast Ideas for Baby
There are so many other great breakfast options for your baby to enjoy which do not include egg:
- Fruity oatmeal with fresh almond milk or even your breastmilk/formula
- Chia pudding: mashed banana, chia seeds, and your choice of milk (not cow’s milk)
- Yoghurt and fruit with almond butter (or even peanut butter). Shop here for our baby-proof nut butters
- Oat bread with thyme, extra-virgin olive oil, and even greek yoghurt (labneh)
- A refreshing fruit salad: mango, banana, orange, pear, and other great fruits
References
(2024, Larson, Zhao, Bader-Larsen, Magkos). Egg consumption and growth in children: a meta-analysis of interventional trials. PubMed Central, National Library of Medicine. Retrieved on February 18, 2025 from: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10796599/
