Honey

Sweetener

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 Honey?

Honey should not be offered before 12 months because of the risk of infant botulism. Any preparation guidance for ages 6 to 11 months is avoidance guidance, not an introduction stage, and applies to raw, pasteurized, cooked, baked, and processed honey.

12+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: Honey 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 Honey?

1
Do not give honey in any form — raw, cooked, or in processed foods — because it can contain spores that cause infant botulism.
2
Avoid foods and baked goods that list honey, honey crystals, or bee pollen as ingredients.
3
If the baby accidentally eats honey, stop offering that food and save any packaging or a sample if possible for the clinician.
4
Monitor for symptoms for up to 30 days: watch for weakness, constipation, poor feeding, decreased movement, or limpness; seek medical care immediately if any appear.
5
When unsure, call your pediatrician or local poison control for guidance.

Is Honey a Common Allergen?

Dairy

Egg

Fish

Gluten

Tree Nut

Peanut

Sesame

Shellfish

Soy

Honey is not a common food allergen for older children or adults, though people with pollen-related allergies may rarely have oral allergy–type reactions. Critically, do not give honey to infants under 12 months because it can contain Clostridium botulinum spores that may cause infant botulism. If an older child or adult develops hives, throat swelling, breathing difficulty, or other allergic symptoms after eating honey, seek medical care.

Is Honey a Choking Hazard?

Very Low Choking Risk

Honey as a liquid or ingredient is not typically a choking hazard for older infants and toddlers. However, honeycomb’s waxy, chewy texture can become gummy in the mouth and may pose a choking risk, particularly if offered in large pieces. Keep in mind this texture-related risk and supervise closely when kids try honeycomb or similar chewy foods.

Have More Questions?

Yes, honey can cause an allergic reaction because it may contain bee-derived allergenic proteins. Do not offer honey before 12 months because of the separate risk of infant botulism.

No. Honey should be avoided in babies under 12 months due to the risk of infant botulism, a serious condition caused by spores that can grow in a baby's intestines.

No. Cooking honey does not eliminate the spores that cause infant botulism, so it remains unsafe for babies under 12 months even when baked or processed.

Honey's choking risk depends on how it is served and on the texture of the food containing it. After 12 months, avoid hard or sticky honey-containing sweets such as hard candy or caramels, prepare food for the child's developmental abilities, and supervise eating.

If a baby under 12 months eats honey, do not panic, but stop offering it and watch for symptoms over the next 3 to 30 days. Contact a doctor promptly if the baby develops constipation, poor feeding or sucking, a weak cry, drooping eyelids, unusual tiredness, weakness, floppiness, or breathing difficulty.

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Sources

Spädbarnsbotulism – skäl att inte ge honung till barn under ett år (Wikström & Holst, 2017) pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
Botulism Prevention (Centers for Disease Control & Prevention, 2019) cdc.gov