When can babies eat soy sauce?

From around 12 months, served in a safe shape and texture for their age.

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Soy sauce

Very salty, so it waits until 12 months, and even then a few drops go a long way.

Checked against official guidance on October 18, 2026 · How we review

Quick answer

Children can have soy sauce from around 12 months. Prepare it as shown below.

From 12 monthsLow choking risk as servedAllergens: Soy, Wheat

How to serve soy sauce by age

12 months+

A few drops of reduced-salt soy sauce in a family dish

Before 12 months, skip soy sauce: a single teaspoon has about 0.7 g of salt, and babies under 1 should have less than 1 g of salt a day from all their food. From 12 months, the CDC still says to avoid feeding young children foods high in salt, and the AAP says not to give toddlers heavily salted foods, so a few drops of reduced-salt soy sauce in a stir-fry or rice dish, now and then, is the most to aim for. Taking your child's portion out before adding it is even better.

Size: Bite-sized pieces about 1 cm (just under ½ inch) of a family dish with a few drops of reduced-salt soy sauce, or none.
Check before serving: Check the label: reduced-salt or low-sodium soy sauce, and soy and wheat each already eaten on their own without a reaction.

Always have your child sit upright in a high chair or at the table, and stay with them the whole time they eat. Keep to the size and texture for their stage. Every baby develops on their own timeline.

How to prepare soy sauce

1
Before soy sauce, make sure your child has already eaten soy (such as tofu) and wheat (such as pasta or toast), each on its own, with no reaction.
2
Choose reduced-salt or low-sodium soy sauce, and read the label for wheat if your child must avoid it.
3
Cook the family dish without soy sauce, take your child's portion out, then add soy sauce to the rest. If you do add it to your child's food, use a few drops, not a splash.
4
Don't add salt to a dish that already has soy sauce, and keep the bottle off the table at meals.

How much to offer

None before 12 months. After that, a few drops of reduced-salt soy sauce in a family dish, now and then. A teaspoon of regular soy sauce (5.3 g) has about 291 mg of sodium (about 0.7 g of salt), more than a third of the 2 g a day the NHS gives as the most for children aged 1 to 3. Your child decides how much to eat: stop when they turn away or close their mouth.

Common mistakes

Seasoning baby food with soy sauce

Babies under 1 should have less than 1 g of salt a day, and the NHS says not to add salt to their food. A teaspoon of soy sauce has about 0.7 g. Flavor food with garlic or ginger instead.

Thinking low-sodium means low-salt

Low-sodium soy sauce still has about 162 mg of sodium per teaspoon (about 0.4 g of salt). It's less salty than regular, but it's still a salty sauce, so use only a few drops.

Forgetting the wheat

Most soy sauce is brewed from soy and wheat. Introduce both on their own first. FoodData Central lists tamari as made from soy alone, so it may be wheat-free: read the label.

Dipping bowls for toddlers

Dipping each bite soaks up much more sauce than a few drops in a dish. Keep soy sauce on the adults' side of the table.

Questions parents ask

Can soy sauce be a choking hazard for babies?

Soy sauce is a low choking risk. The foods it comes with matter more: cut noodles, dumplings and stir-fried vegetables to a safe size, and serve sushi only in the forms on our sushi page. Stay with your child during meals.

Can babies be allergic to soy sauce?

Soy sauce contains soy and, in most cases, wheat. Both are common food allergens and both are on the US list of major food allergens, so labels must name them (FDA). Soy allergy usually shows up in babies and children under 3, and the ACAAI names soy sauce among the foods that can trigger it. Introduce soy and wheat from around 6 months, each on its own and in a small amount, through foods like tofu and toast, so you can spot any reaction (NHS). Once both have gone down well, soy sauce isn't a new allergen. Tamari may be made without wheat: check the label if your child must avoid wheat or gluten.

Is soy sauce healthy for babies?

Very salty: per 100 g, regular soy sauce (soy and wheat) has about 5,490 mg of sodium (about 13.7 g of salt), low-sodium soy sauce about 3,600 mg (about 9 g of salt) and tamari about 5,590 mg (about 14 g of salt). A teaspoon of regular soy sauce has about 291 mg of sodium (about 0.7 g of salt) and a tablespoon about 878 mg (about 2.2 g of salt). A teaspoon of low-sodium soy sauce has about 162 mg (about 0.4 g of salt), and of tamari about 335 mg (about 0.8 g of salt).

When can babies have soy sauce?

Not in the first year. It's very salty, and babies under 1 should have less than 1 g of salt a day. From 12 months, a few drops of a reduced-salt version in a family dish is fine now and then.

Is low-sodium soy sauce OK for toddlers?

It's the better choice, and the NHS suggests trying low-salt soy sauce to cut down on salt. It still has about 0.4 g of salt per teaspoon, so keep it to a few drops.

Does soy sauce contain wheat?

Most does: it's brewed from soy and wheat. FoodData Central lists tamari as made from soy alone, so it may be wheat-free, but recipes vary. In the US, wheat must be named on the label if it's in the sauce (FDA), so always check.

If your baby refuses soy sauce

Your child doesn't need soy sauce, so there's no need to keep offering it.
If they want the 'grown-up' flavor, try a little garlic, ginger or a squeeze of lime in their portion instead.
Eat the same dish yourself, with your own soy sauce added at the table. Babies copy what they see.
Save repeated tries for everyday foods: many children need 10 or more tries before they accept a new food.

Never force or pressure your baby to eat. Some days they'll eat more, some days less, and that's normal.

Buying and storing soy sauce

Store soy sauce up high and out of your child's reach, and follow the label for storage after opening.
Cooked dishes made with soy sauce keep for 3 to 4 days in a covered container in the fridge. For freezer times, follow the food page or recipe for the dish. Reheat only once, to 165°F (74°C), until steaming hot, then let them cool before serving.
Rice dishes are the exception: cool them within 1 hour, keep them in the fridge for no more than 1 day, and reheat them only once.
Throw away any food left out at room temperature for more than 2 hours (1 hour if it's hotter than 90°F / 32°C).

When to talk to your doctor

Contact your pediatrician, GP or health visitor if:

Your child has a soy or wheat allergy, or celiac disease. Ask whether soy sauce or tamari is safe for them.
Your child has had any reaction to soy or wheat, even a mild one. Stop offering it until you've talked to your pediatrician.
You notice mild signs of an allergic reaction after eating, such as a few hives or a little vomiting. See signs of a reaction.
You're worried about how much your baby eats, their growth, or they refuse most solid food for weeks.

Call 911999your local emergency number (such as 112 in Europe or 000 in Australia) now if your baby has trouble breathing, wheezing, can't cough or cry, has lips, mouth, tongue or throat that suddenly swell, or becomes pale, bluish, floppy or unresponsive. Also call if hives come with repeated vomiting.

Offered soy sauce?

Add it to your first 100 foods.

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