Parents looking to try baby led weaning are often looking for new foods to offer their baby that are tasty, but also contain low salt and sugar levels. As such, one of the questions that I am often asked is “can babies eat crumpets?” This query usually comes up due to the variation in ingredients between the brands of crumpets that are available in UK supermarkets.
Crumpets are indeed a great first food choice for babies, however, there are some brands that contain higher salt levels than others. Typically, supermarkets’ own brands contain less salt per crumpet than leading brands, therefore it’s well worth looking at the list of ingredients before making a purchase for your baby’s weaning journey. Once you’ve found a good brand of crumpet that contains a low level of salt, you’ll be able to enjoy some delicious meals with your baby.
How to serve crumpets to your baby
Crumpets can be eaten at any time of the day, but they work particularly well when you’re looking for baby led weaning breakfast ideas.
There are so many fun ways to offer crumpets to your child and they can be served as a savoury meal or a sweet treat.
After establishing the answer to “can babies eat crumpets?” you’ll probably be looking for the best ways to serve your baby some tasty crumpets, so here are some of our favourite ways to prepare them.
- Dippy eggs with crumpet fingers
- Smashed avocado on crumpets
- Crumpets with nut butter and banana
- Mini crumpet pizzas
- Baby soups with crumpets
Dippy eggs with crumpet fingers
When finding out the answer to whether babies can have crumpets, many parents want to then know the best toppings are and how to best serve them.
One of my favourite ways to serve crumpets to babies is to toast the crumpet and then cut it into 3 slices to create ‘fingers’.
For a fantastic breakfast that’s packed with protein, vitamins, and minerals, serve these crumpet fingers with a soft boiled egg. For younger babies, it’s advised that you remove the shell to avoid any accidental ingestion.
Older children may like having their dippy eggs with crumpets served to them with an egg cup.
Smashed avocado on crumpets
When asking yourself, can babies eat crumpets?, you will probably find yourself also asking which crumpet toppings are both nutritional and tasty?
To answer this, I’m going to share my favourite crumpet topping of all time – avocado. Avocado for babies is one of the most popular foods when it comes to weaning thanks to its mild flavour and smooth texture.
Additionally, avocado is packed full of vital nutrients that help with your baby’s development, making it a fantastic topping for crumpets and toast when it comes to weaning babies.
Crumpets with nut butter and banana
Crumpets on their own are a low calorie food substance, therefore parents may want to choose their baby’s crumpet toppings carefully to ensure they’re providing a well balanced meal.
Consider serving crumpets to your baby with toppings that are packed full of nutrients and vitamins, such as nut butter and fruit.
Mini crumpet pizzas
Pizzas, or foods that resemble pizzas, not only present parents with the opportunity to make food fun, but also offer them a chance to encourage children to try ingredients that they otherwise may not want to.
Mini crumpet pizzas can be made with a variety of ingredients, including veggies such as tomatoes and mushrooms; they can also be made with meats such as ham or chicken.
For some extra fun at meal times, try and arrange the food on your mini crumpet pizzas into something funny, such as a funny face or a cartoon character.
Baby friendly soups served with crumpets
Soup may not be the first food you think of when it comes to weaning, however, you will be amazed by the variety of nutrient-rich soups suitable for babies that you can make with only a few ingredients.
Soup is one of my favourite foods to offer babies as it can be packed full of veggies, but it also helps babies to develop their fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination by encouraging them to use spoons.
I like to serve soup with an accompaniment of toasted crumpets for a delicious, healthy lunch or dinner.
Can you make your own crumpets for baby led weaning?
If you’re worried about the sodium levels present in store-bought crumpets, you may find peace of mind by choosing to cook your own crumpets.
If the initial salt levels in crumpets led you to ask “can babies eat crumpets?” then this option may be for you. It’s perfectly possible to cook your own crumpets, plus they are relatively easy to make once you’ve got the hang of them.
By deciding to make your own crumpets at home, you are not only able to control levels of salt, but you are also able to make other adjustments, for example using free-from alternatives if necessary.
Should I give my baby crumpets as a snack or as a meal?
Young babies learning to wean shouldn’t be offered crumpets as a snack between meals. Although crumpets have a low GI level and are easy to digest, it is better to offer babies lighter foods such as fruits and veggies when snacking between meals.
For healthy snack inspiration, take a look at our list of baby led weaning snacks.
Can babies eat crumpets?
In summary, the answer is a definite yes, provided you choose a crumpet brand with low salt levels, or make your own! Crumpets make a great baby led weaning breakfast, lunch, and dinner for babies and can be topped with a variety of healthy foods to help babies explore flavours and textures.
If you’re worried about the sodium level present in store-bought crumpets, you can learn to make your own crumpets at home.