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As a first-time mom to ten-month-old twins, I often joke that I'm always one Google search away from spiraling, especially when it comes to allergens. While I knew early introduction of allergens was necessary (and my pediatrician recommended doing so once the girls turned four to six months old, as soon as they could eat), the idea of managing it on my own felt daunting. I grew up with a sesame allergy myself, and while I've since outgrown it, the thought of giving these foods to my babies — and keeping them in their diets consistently — came with a side of anxiety. However, it was something I really wanted to do right for my kids to give them the best start in life!
Once we got past that initial introduction of the common allergens, I started worrying whether I was doing enough to keep those foods in their regular meal rotation. The science says you can’t just introduce these a few times, you need to keep these foods in your kid’s diet weekly for the first few years of life to really train the immune system. I kept worrying: Was I feeding the right doses and getting them in the diet weekly like I’m supposed to? Am I focusing on the right allergens?
Keeping track felt exhausting amid everything else — cooking, cleaning, caring for the babies, working, and simply trying to stay afloat as a first-time mom. So when the opportunity to try GrowHappy's Allergen ImmunoButters™ arose, I was intrigued by these pediatric allergist-designed spreads, made to keep allergens in children's diets easy and worry-free.
Expert-Backed & Baby Approved
I felt an extra sense of security knowing that GrowHappy was dreamed up by some of the world's top allergy experts, including the author of the renowned LEAP study (which showed how early allergen introduction helps train the immune system and changed the guidance for parents to introduce allergens Early and Often instead of waiting). These buttery spreads remove the guesswork by providing LEAP-aligned doses of allergen protein (2g each) for the allergens that these top allergists suggest we focus on the most.
Additionally, a big part of what makes GrowHappy so special is founder Stephanie Wibom’s story. After her daughter had an allergic reaction, the mom of three sought answers—and learned that the very allergens she feared were actually a key part of the solution. With guidance from top allergists, she began adding allergens into her daughter's diet, and over time, they taught her daughter’s immune system to accept the allergens and discovered a sense of food freedom and confidence around mealtimes. Her family was one of the first in the world to follow the LEAP study learnings and their freedom represents the end goal our family wants to achieve. She’s been in the trenches and is trying to make this as easy and effective as possible for me now.
Instead of relying on overly-processed, defatted nut and seed powders, GrowHappy's spreads use real, whole nuts and seeds that have been ground into butters. Each ImmunoButter combines organic fruits and vegetables with one of 5 common allergens (sesame, peanut, egg, cashew, and walnut) to support gut health and dietary diversity. As a mom who wants to know exactly what's going into each meal (and maybe has a tiny bit of control-freak energy), I also appreciated that each allergen is separated into its own spread.
I love the variety box because it helps our family stay on track to maximize this critical window of time to teach the immune system before it’s too late. My girls especially love the peanut, blueberry, and goji berry spread, though most of the fruit-forward ones tend to be a hit with them.
Beyond the science, these spreads actually taste good — my twins happily eat them mixed into yogurt or oatmeal (their two favorites!) or smeared thinly on a tiny piece of toast. They're also incredibly easy to use and serve: Each spread comes ready to go straight from the packet, with no mixing or water required. If you have a tiny baby though, you may wish to mix with a bit of breastmilk or water to get it to the right consistency. Because they’re so simple (and tasty!), it feels like I'm teaching them to truly enjoy these flavors from the start, rather than simply tolerating them. In my mind, I'm also helping expand their palates early and set the stage for a lifelong love of diverse foods — hopefully sidestepping the picky-eating phase altogether.
Early & Often: A Science-Backed, Stress-Free Way to Keep Allergens on the Menu
GrowHappy's science-backed "Early & Often™" approach empowers parents to keep allergens in rotation during the critical developmental window for the immune system, while also fostering a healthy gut microbiome. It's designed to help train the immune system to recognize that these foods are friends, not foes. And it's not just about allergens: the 5 spreads include 16 plant-based ingredients to help support a healthy gut microbiome: an added bonus in my book.
Over the last few months, I've learned that starting solids can be overwhelming, messy (literally and figuratively!), and anxiety-inducing. So, to finally feel confident in at least one part of the feeding journey feels like a huge win.
Want to try GrowHappy's Allergen ImmunoButters™ for yourself? Start here.
FAQs:
What allergens should you introduce to a baby first?
While there is no one right way to introduce these foods, we have some suggestions to help you out. You could start with feeding egg because that is often the first food allergy that babies acquire in infancy. Then you might add peanut because it is a top three allergen that often comes with a life-long diagnosis. You could then do milk to introduce that top third allergen. The EAT study suggests milk protein as yogurt is one of the easiest first foods. But don't stop
there! Follow on with cashew, walnut and sesame. The GrowHappy Allergen ImmunoButter
Variety Box has 5 of these allergens in there in the amounts that research suggests your child
should eat every week, and they go beautifully with yogurt. For more info, see the GrowHappy Feeding Allergen Guide, which includes a suggested calendar and more info.
At what age should you start introducing allergens?
Research shows that introducing allergens early — ideally between 4 and 6 months of age as soon as the baby can eat — and keeping them in the diet can help train the immune system while it’s still developing. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) recommends introducing potentially allergenic foods when other complementary foods are introduced to an infant’s diet. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) also advises against delaying allergen introduction once a baby starts solids.
How long do you have to use GrowHappy?
This is not a one-and-done and like many things, practice makes perfect. Your child's immune system needs regular training throughout the early years (especially 0-3 years old). The LEAP study was for 5 years. It may seem overwhelming to keep it up for 5 years and that's ok. Focus on getting these foods in regularly the first year of life when it is most important. Then aim for 6 months at a time and you may be surprised how far you get. Even if you don't quite make it to 5 years, know that every bit counts and will make a difference for your child. Most of the common allergens are nourishing, plant-based, high-fiber, rich in protein, and climate-friendly food options for your child anyway.
Do pediatricians recommend GrowHappy?
Yes! In fact, the brand was founded by a team of leading pediatric allergists and a dietician who are top researchers, along with a devoted mother who turned her own family’s allergy journey into a mission to help others find food freedom. Also, as noted earlier, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) recommends introducing potentially allergenic foods when other complementary foods are introduced to an infant’s diet. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) also advises against delaying allergen introduction once a baby starts solids.
