Table of Contents
- When can a baby have pizza crust?
- What is pizza crust?
- Factors that determine whether a baby can have pizza crust early or not
- 6 Reasons why pizza crust can be bad for your baby’s health
- 5 ingredients in a pizza crust that are healthy for a baby
- A step-by-step guide to making pizza crust
- Related Questions
- What is the age range of babies?
- Can I give pepperoni to my baby?
- What are some good toppings for baby pizza?
- How can I make sure my baby’s pizza crust is healthy?
- Can babaies eat condiments?
- Can babies get food poisoning from pizza crust?
- How can I make sure my baby won’t choke on the pizza crust?
- Can I give my baby spicy pizza?
- Final Thoughts
When can a baby have pizza crust?
It’s a question that has plagued parents for generations: when can a baby have pizza crust? The answer, it turns out, is surprisingly complicated.
There are a number of factors to consider, from the baby’s age to their dietary restrictions. But with a little bit of research and some careful planning, you can give your little one their first taste of pizza crust safely when he/she reaches 12 months of age.
What is pizza crust?
But what do we mean by pizza crust? Are our pizza crust and pizza the same things? Sometimes, yes. If you’re making a pizza at home, the crust is the crispy outside part of the dough that makes up most of what we would consider being pizza.
But when we talk about giving babies their first taste of pizza, we mean only the crust and not the insides (sauce and gooey cheese) or the toppings.
The pizza crust is a great way to introduce your baby to solid food because it’s soft, yet has a bit of texture to it. It’s also easy to chew and swallow.
Factors that determine whether a baby can have pizza crust early or not
Now that we know what pizza crust is, let’s take a look at some of the factors that will determine whether your baby can have it early or not.
Age
Most babies are ready to start eating solid food around 12 months old, but some may be ready as early as 6 months. If your baby is younger than 6 months old, they’re not ready for solid food yet.
Your baby’s weight
According to many pediatricians, the best way to determine whether your baby is ready for solid food or not is by gauging how much he/she weighs. If they are over 17 pounds (8 kilograms), you can try giving them their first taste of solid food.
Food allergies
If your baby has any food allergies, you will need to consult with your pediatrician before giving them pizza crust or any other type of solid food.
The ingredients in pizza crust
Most pizza crusts are made from wheat flour, yeast, water, and salt. If your baby has a wheat allergy, consult with your pediatrician before giving them pizza crust.
6 Reasons why pizza crust can be bad for your baby’s health
Tomato acidity
The tomato sauce in pizza is high in acidity, which can cause your baby’s stomach to produce too much acid and lead to gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).
Unhealthy toppings
The pizza crust is often loaded with unhealthy toppings like pepperoni, sausage, and bacon. These toppings are high in salt and grease.
Inappropriate thickness
According to many pediatricians, your baby should only be eating the thin crusts and not the thick ones because they can be difficult for them to chew and swallow.
“Pizza flavored” foods
Just like adults, babies won’t know what real pizza tastes like until you give it to them. Some baby food manufacturers make “pizza flavored” foods, which can be a disservice to your child because they will never know what the real thing tastes like.
Unhealthy oils
The pizza crust is often made with unhealthy oils, like vegetable oil and soybean oil. These oils are high in Omega-6 fatty acids, which means you’ll need to make sure your baby doesn’t eat too much of them (which can lead to long-term health problems like obesity and other metabolic diseases).
Crust made with yeast
Some pediatricians claim that yeast should not be given to babies under 1 year old because it can cause botulism spores to grow in their intestines.
If you decide that your baby is ready for their first taste of pizza crust, then the abovem-mentioned are a few things you can do to make sure it’s safe and healthy.
5 ingredients in a pizza crust that are healthy for a baby
The ingredients in a pizza crust that are healthy for babies are:
Wheat flour
This is a good source of dietary fiber, vitamins, and minerals. Babies are able to eat wheat flour starting at 6 months old.
Yeast
This is a good source of B-vitamins, protein, and minerals. Yeast can be given to babies as early as 1 year old.
Chicken
This is a good source of protein, vitamins, and minerals. Chicken can be given to babies as early as 6 months old.
Extra-virgin olive oil
This is a good source of monounsaturated fatty acids, antioxidants, and vitamins. Extra-virgin olive oil can be given to babies as early as 6 months old.
Cheese
This is a good source of calcium, protein, vitamins K and B12. Cheese can be given to babies starting at 6 months old.
A step-by-step guide to making pizza crust
Get all the ingredients
The ingredients you’ll need are:
-1 cup of all-purpose flour
-1/2 teaspoon of baking powder
-1/4 teaspoon of salt
-3 tablespoons of olive oil or vegetable oil
-3/4 cup of water
-Cheese
-Yeast
-Tomato sauce
Mix the ingredients
Combine and mix all of the ingredients in a bowl until you get a dough. Be sure to leave out the salt if your baby is less than 17 months old. Also, consider adding in extra water since children under 17 years old don’t have fully developed chewing skills so they need more water to moisten the dough.
If you’re worried about adding too much water, go ahead and add some flour mixed with olive oil or vegetable oil.
Shape your pizza crust
Flatten the dough by hand (this can be a bit messy) and shape it like a disk. Cut the disk into 4 slices then flatten each slice a bit more.
Bake the pizza crust
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit then place the pizza slices on an oiled baking sheet. Bake for about 10 minutes or until the crust is golden brown.
Add the toppings
Now it’s time to add the sauce and cheese to your baby’s pizza slice. You can also add in all your favorite toppings. Just remember to cut them into very small pieces so that your baby won’t choke on them.
If you prefer having a more standard pizza with the whole crust, you can still use the recipe and simply bake it for about 15 minutes or until the crust is golden brown.
Related Questions
What is the age range of babies?
Babies usually come out of the womb around 38-40 weeks, but they cannot fully care for themselves until about 12 months old.
Can I give pepperoni to my baby?
Pepperoni is a type of cured sausage that is high in sodium and fat. It’s not recommended to give pepperoni to babies because it can cause them to become very sick.
What are some good toppings for baby pizza?
Some good toppings for baby pizza include cheese, tomato sauce, chicken, ham, pineapple, and pepperoni (in very small pieces).
How can I make sure my baby’s pizza crust is healthy?
To ensure that your baby’s pizza crust is healthy, use ingredients like wheat flour, yeast, chicken, olive oil, and cheese. You can also flatten the dough by hand and shape it into a disk before cutting it into 4 slices.
Can babaies eat condiments?
Condiments are not recommended to give babies because they can cause them to become sick. Condiments include things like ketchup, mustard, and mayonnaise.
Can babies get food poisoning from pizza crust?
Babies cannot get food poisoning from pizza crust because the yeast, flour, and water work to kill any bacteria.
How can I make sure my baby won’t choke on the pizza crust?
If you worry about your baby choking on their pizza crust, cut it into very small pieces so that they won’t have a hard time swallowing it.
Can I give my baby spicy pizza?
Spicy food is not recommended for babies because it can cause them to become very sick. If you want to give your baby a more classic style of pizza, then bake the crust first before adding toppings.
Final Thoughts
In summary, babies can have pizza crust as soon as they are twelve months old. It’s also not recommended to give them spicy food because it can cause them to become very sick.
So stop worrying if your 12-month-old baby is ready for some pizza crust. The recipe is quite easy and straightforward, and all you need are basic kitchen supplies like a bowl and spoon, an oiled baking sheet, and all-purpose flour, baking powder, salt, olive oil or vegetable oil, water.
And if you have any questions or concerns don’t hesitate to ask your pediatrician!
