| Age | Can they have it? | How to serve it |
|---|---|---|
| 4 months | Not recommended | — |
| 6 months | Not recommended | — |
| 9 months | Not recommended | — |
| 12 months | Not recommended | — |
| 18 months | Not recommended | — |
| 2 years | Not recommended | — |
Yes — Deli meat / lunch meat is one of the foods the AAP and CDC name on their choking-hazard lists. The danger is almost always the shape rather than the food itself, which is why the serving form above is the whole answer. Cut everything to no larger than half an inch, cut cylindrical foods into short thin strips rather than rounds, and quarter anything round.
Deli meat / lunch meat is not one of the common allergens. Introduce it on its own anyway and wait 3 to 5 days before the next new food, so if your baby does react to something you know what it was.
Watch for diarrhea, rash, vomiting or hives after a new food. Call 911 for trouble breathing or swelling of the face, lips or tongue.
Plain, freshly cooked, unseasoned meat is the alternative the CDC recommends from around 6 months.
No — deli meat / lunch meat isn't recommended for babies or young children at all. Limit. The CDC names processed meats — lunch meats, sausages, hot dogs and ham — among the foods high in salt to avoid feeding young children. Plain, freshly cooked, unseasoned meat is the alternative the CDC recommends from around 6 months.
There is no infant serving form for this one — see the answer above. Cut food for infants and young children into pieces no larger than one-half inch. Cut cylindrical foods (hot dogs, sausage, string cheese) into short thin strips — round pieces can get stuck in the airway. Cut small spherical foods (grapes, cherries, berries, tomatoes) into small pieces. Cook hard vegetables and fruit until they mash easily. Remove seeds, hard pits, skin and bones.
Deli meat / lunch meat is on the AAP and CDC choking-hazard lists. Cut food into pieces no larger than half an inch, cut cylindrical foods into short thin strips rather than rounds, and cut small round foods into small pieces. Keep the highest-risk foods away until at least 4 years, judged on your own child.
Watch for diarrhea, rash, vomiting or hives after a new food. Call 911 for trouble breathing or swelling of the face, lips or tongue. Offer one single-ingredient new food at a time and wait 3 to 5 days before the next one, so a reaction is easy to trace. Call 911 for trouble breathing or swelling of the face, lips or tongue.