Can Babies Eat Quorn Sausages?
Best left until around 2 years, and always cut lengthways. Three things stack up here. The mycoprotein issue that applies to all Quorn products, the salt that comes with practically any sausage, and the shape, which is one of the classic choking hazards for young children. None is dramatic, but together they make this an easy skip.
Sausages of any kind, meat or meat free, are a convenient thing to put in front of a small child and a slightly awkward one nutritionally. The shape alone puts them on choking hazard lists worldwide, and the salt is there in almost every brand, cured ham included. Quorn sausages add the mycoprotein question on top, which makes the answer straightforward.
The shape is the biggest issue
A sausage sliced into rounds produces a disc almost exactly the width of a young child's airway, firm enough to hold that shape and smooth enough to slide. Paediatric guidance consistently lists hot dogs and sausages among the highest risk foods for choking in under fours. Cutting lengthways into quarters removes the problem entirely.
Our Quorn page covers the mycoprotein and energy density question, and popcorn covers the wider choking hazard list.
What is in a Quorn sausage
The salt row is the one to weigh against a toddler's 2 g daily allowance:
| Per sausage (about 42 g) | Typical value |
|---|---|
| Energy | 75 kcal |
| Protein | 5 g |
| Fat | 4 g |
| Fibre | 2.5 g |
| Salt | 0.5 g |
| Contains | Egg in most varieties |
Approximate values, which vary considerably across the range. Check the packet. Source: USDA FoodData Central.
When and how to serve
Later than most foods, and cut carefully whenever they do appear:
Salt alone rules them out against a limit of under 1 g a day, before the mycoprotein and fibre questions. Homemade bean patties do the same job.
If they do appear at a family meal, cut lengthways into quarters and count the salt against the rest of the day.
Reasonable as an occasional convenience. Keep cutting lengthways rather than into coins until around four, when chewing is reliable. Veggie burgers avoid the shape problem altogether.
Never cut a sausage into coins for a young child: this applies to every kind of sausage, meat or vegetarian, and to hot dogs. Quarter them lengthways instead, so no piece can form a round plug. It takes an extra two seconds and removes one of the most common serious choking risks in early childhood.
Homemade bean and vegetable patties
Flat patties instead of sausage shapes, no added salt, and they freeze well:
Homemade bean and vegetable patties
Makes 8 small patties, from 9 monthsIngredients
- 400 g tin cannellini beans, no added salt, drained
- 1 small carrot, grated
- 3 tablespoons oats
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
Method
- Heat the oven to 200 C and line a baking tray.
- Mash the beans thoroughly, then mix in the grated carrot, oats and cumin.
- Shape into small flat patties rather than sausage shapes, and brush with the olive oil.
- Bake for 20 minutes, turning halfway, then cool and cut into strips before serving.
Risks and safety
Choking is the risk that matters most and it is entirely about how you cut them, as above. The American Academy of Pediatrics lists sausage shaped foods among the highest risk items for young children.
Beyond that, salt counts against the daily total in our salt guide, most varieties contain egg white so check the label, and mycoprotein itself can cause reactions in a small number of people. The energy density point from the main Quorn page applies here too: a filling, high fibre, relatively low calorie food is not what a baby's small stomach needs to be filled with.
Quorn sausages FAQ
Can babies eat Quorn sausages?
Best left until around 2 years. They carry the same concerns as other Quorn products, being high in fibre and low in energy density, plus the salt that comes with almost any sausage. If you do serve them to a toddler, cut them lengthways rather than into coins, since sausage shaped pieces are a choking hazard.
How much salt is in Quorn sausages?
Typically around 1 to 1.5 g of salt per 100 g, which is comparable to meat sausages. A single sausage can therefore carry a large share of a toddler's 2 g daily allowance, and more than a baby under one is meant to have in a whole day. Check the packet, since it varies across the range.
How should sausages be cut for a young child?
Lengthways, into quarters, never into round coins. A sausage coin is almost exactly the size and shape of a young child's airway, which is why hot dogs and sausages appear near the top of every choking hazard list. Cutting lengthways changes the shape so it cannot form a plug.
Are meat sausages any better for babies?
Not really. Meat sausages are also high in salt and usually contain rusk or breadcrumb filler, and they carry the same choking risk from the shape. Homemade patties made from minced meat or mashed beans, with no added salt, are a much better option for a baby.
Sources
- Choking, Wikipedia.
- Choking Prevention, American Academy of Pediatrics.
- FoodData Central, U.S. Department of Agriculture.
This article is general information, not medical advice. Every baby is different. Talk to your doctor, health visitor or paediatrician about your own baby, and about starting solids or any allergy concerns.
