The 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend eggs as an important food for infants and toddlers. Eggs are a complete protein with varying amounts of all key nutrients cited for brain development by the American Academy of Pediatrics, including choline. In fact, eggs are one of the most concentrated sources of choline, and just one large egg (with the yolk!) provides the daily choline needs for babies and 75 percent of the recommended intake for toddlers. Plus, the early introduction of eggs may also help reduce the risk of developing an egg allergy.
Eggs are an easy and fast-cooking food to feed little ones. Whether hard-boiling, scrambling, or making an omelet, ensure that the yolk is fully cooked before serving. For babies younger than 9 months, mash hard-boiled eggs to make an egg salad (try mixing it with creamy avocado and thin as needed with water, formula, or human milk). You can also offer scrambled eggs or cut an omelet into easy-to-grab strips. For children older than 9 months, you can offer quartered or sliced hard-boiled eggs. Peel the hard-boiled egg completely, cut it lengthwise to create two halves, and then cut each half in half again.
