Last Updated on December 17, 2023
Since health professionals widely recommend that babies altogether avoid honey until they are 12 months old, it makes sense that you are wondering about honey in food products, such as honey nut Grahams. So let’s talk about it!
If your baby is under one year of age, they should avoid honey graham crackers due to the risk of botulism. Make sure you check the ingredients for honey in any product you feed your baby under 12 months old.
Let’s dive into more of the recommendations regarding honey graham crackers and your baby, including what to do if your baby accidentally ate a honey graham cracker.
Are Honey Graham Crackers Safe for Babies?
Commercially-produced honey graham cracker varieties contain real honey and, therefore, should not be fed to your baby under 12 months of age.
The primary reason to avoid feeding your baby honey is because of the increased risk of infant botulism. Botulism is an illness that is caused by the bacteria called Clostridium botulinum. This harmful bacteria can contaminate honey.
Older children and adults can eat honey without concern because their digestive systems are mature enough to move the toxins out of the body, while the digestive system of a young baby cannot (source: Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital).
While the honey in this product is processed through commercial manufacturing, there are differences in the manufacturing process that can impact whether viable botulism spores can remain in these products (source: California Department of Public Health).
The American Academy of Pediatrics also recommends avoiding giving your baby processed foods containing honey.
Therefore, avoid feeding your infant any products that contain or may contain honey, even if they are store-bought and heavily processed until they are at least one year old. This is especially true because there is no established safe amount of honey for a child under one.
Let’s break this down a bit further in the table below.
| Age in Months | Can My Baby Have Honey? |
| 6-11 | No, honey is unsafe in all forms. |
| 12 | Yes, your baby can have honey. |
It is important to note that even other varieties of graham crackers, such as Cinnamon Sugar or Original flavor, can contain honey. Therefore, it is essential to always check the ingredient list on the packaging and avoid variations with any presence of honey.
For homemade graham crackers, make sure the recipe does not include honey.
My Baby Accidentally Ate a Honey Graham Cracker – What Should I Do?
If your baby accidentally ate a honey graham cracker, there is no need to panic. However, it is essential to be alert for certain symptoms.
For any product containing honey, such as honey graham crackers, there is a risk of your baby getting infant botulism, though the risk is likely relatively low. Moreover, none of the commercially available brands of these crackers disclose precisely how much honey is in their products.
Therefore, if they eat any amount of honey graham crackers, monitor for the following symptoms for a few weeks (source: California Department of Public Health). However, consult your pediatrician if you believe your baby has consumed very large amounts of honey graham crackers.
Signs and symptoms of botulism include poor feeding, flattened expression of the face, weak or altered cry, constipation, respiratory difficulty, and more (source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention).
If you notice any of these symptoms, reach out to your baby’s pediatrician immediately. Likewise, if your baby is having difficulty breathing, seek medical attention immediately.
In conclusion, I hope this article served as a helpful guide for feeding your baby commercial products that contain honey, such as honey graham crackers.
| This article has been reviewed and approved for publication in line with our editorial policy. |