Cloves

Herb/Spice

Last updated July 5, 2026. Can I Feed This safety guide guidance is checked against public pediatric and health sources, with source links included where available.

Written By

Tummi Food Team

Food prep and safety guidance

Medically Reviewed By

Andria ProcopioandArefa Mohamed

Pediatric feeding and development specialists

Direct answer

Can babies eat Cloves?

Yes. Around 6 months, once your baby is developmentally ready for complementary foods, you can mix a small amount of ground clove into food. Do not serve whole cloves, and do not give clove oil.

6+months Serve Age: Most babies start solids around 6 months once they show readiness signs. Match the texture and serving size to your baby's skills.
How to serve
No Allergens: Cloves is not flagged as one of the major allergens tracked in this database. Still watch your baby closely when serving any new food.
Details
12345 1 Choking Risk: Lower choking risk when served in the right texture. Always supervise meals and adjust the shape for your baby.
Risk notes

This guide is for everyday food prep questions. Ask your pediatrician about medical concerns, feeding delays, allergy plans, or serious reactions.

How Do You Serve Cloves?

1
Use a very small pinch (about 1/16 teaspoon) of finely ground clove and mix it into soft foods like congee, mashed vegetables, tofu strips, or batter so the flavor is evenly distributed.
2
Start with the tiniest amount and wait 3–5 days after each introduction to watch for any allergic reaction or digestive upset.
3
Never serve whole cloves — remove them after cooking to eliminate choking risk, and do not use clove oil or concentrated extracts for babies and young children.
4
If you’re unsure about amounts or your child has eczema, a family history of food allergy, or shows any reaction signs, consult your pediatrician before offering clove.

Is Cloves a Common Allergen?

Dairy

Egg

Fish

Gluten

Tree Nut

Peanut

Sesame

Shellfish

Soy

Cloves are not one of the common top allergens (milk, egg, peanut, tree nuts, soy, wheat/gluten, fish, shellfish, sesame) and are generally safe for most children when used in small amounts as a spice. However, cloves and other spices can cause contact dermatitis, oral allergy syndrome, or respiratory irritation in sensitive individuals. Concentrated clove oil may be irritating and should be avoided on infants or on broken skin. If a child has a history of spice sensitivity or unexplained reactions to seasonings, introduce cloves cautiously and consult an allergist if symptoms occur.

Is Cloves a Choking Hazard?

Very Low Choking Risk

Whole cloves are small, round, and very firm, which makes them a significant choking hazard for babies. When foods are flavored with cloves, stay within arm’s reach and keep baby seated upright while they eat so you can intervene quickly if needed. Caregivers should learn the signs of choking and know infant rescue maneuvers or have quick access to emergency help.

Have More Questions?

Ground clove can be mixed into food in small culinary amounts from around 6 months, once your baby is developmentally ready for complementary foods. Do not serve whole cloves, which are not an age-appropriate texture, and do not give clove oil.

Yes. From around 6 months, once your baby is developmentally ready for complementary foods, you can cook with a small amount of ground clove or use whole cloves for flavor and remove every whole clove before serving. Do not use clove oil in your baby's food.

No. Do not give a baby clove supplements or clove oil; concentrated clove oil can cause serious poisoning if swallowed. This is different from using a small amount of ground clove to flavor food.

Yes. Dried whole or ground cloves can be stored for later use; follow the package directions or USDA FoodKeeper guidance to maintain quality. Keep whole cloves and clove oil out of your baby's reach, and remove whole cloves from food before serving.

Yes. Ground cloves can be stored for later use; follow the package directions or USDA FoodKeeper guidance, including any instructions about freezing, to maintain quality. Keep the container out of your baby's reach.

Save Cloves to your food log

Track foods, reactions, and prep notes in Tummi when you want to keep your baby's feeding history in one place.

Try For Free

Sources

Clove oil ingestion in an infant (Lane et al., 1991) doi.org
Near fatal ingestion of oil of cloves (Hartnoll et al., 1993) doi.org
LiverTox: Eugenol (Clove Oil) ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
U.S. Food & Drug Administration — Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS) fda.gov
Teething: Facts and Fiction (Markman, 2009) doi.org
Clove (Syzygium aromaticum): a precious spice (Cortés-Rojas et al., 2014) doi.org
Molecular Basis of the Therapeutical Potential of Clove (Vicidomini et al., 2021) doi.org
Contact allergy to spices (van den Akker et al., 1990) doi.org
Can Spices Cause an Allergic Reaction? (American Academy of Allergy Asthma & Immunology) aaaai.org