Introducing Nuts to Kids? Mission MightyMe’s Co-Founder Believes in Starting Early 

This article was sponsored and co-authored by Mission MightyMe. 

Mission MightyMe co-founder Catherine Jaxon calls nuts “the original functional food”—even for small children. 

“Nuts have been delivering incredible nutritional benefits long before ‘functional foods’ became a trend,” she says. Jaxon mentions that many nuts offer plant-based protein, healthy unsaturated fats, fiber, and important vitamins and minerals, like vitamin E and magnesium. “For growing children, nutrient-dense foods are especially valuable because little bodies have big nutritional needs.” 

Despite these health benefits, many parents are afraid of introducing nuts to young children.

With these two opposing viewpoints in mind, we asked Jaxon these tough questions: What’s the best way to introduce nuts to children safely? How early should parents give nuts to babies and toddlers? Can you prevent your child from developing a nut allergy by introducing nuts earlier? 

“Nuts can play two important roles in a child’s diet,” Jaxon says. “They’re a source of valuable nutrition, and [I believe that] introducing peanut-containing foods early and regularly can also help reduce the risk of developing a peanut allergy.” While she doesn’t think any single food is a “magic bullet”, Jaxon explains that she believes there’s a lot more to gain from nuts than there is to fear. “That’s really at the heart of Mission MightyMe,” she says. “To make it easier for families to incorporate these nutritious foods into their children’s diets from the very beginning.” 

The Mission Behind Mission MightyMe 

Mission MightyMe is a “science-backed, pediatrician-founded kids’ snack brand with the goal to help parents introduce peanuts early and often”, which it claims may help prevent future food allergies. 

“From the beginning, we wanted our products to be grounded in science, made with thoughtfully selected ingredients, and designed specifically for little ones,” Jaxon says. “Our Nutty Puffs were developed to offer real nut protein in quantities that matched the research, in an age-appropriate, quick-dissolving (and tasty!) format.” 

Here are some more unique traits that set Mission MightyMe snacks apart: 

• They’re made with simple ingredients, like peanuts, coconut, and sorghum 
• All of their products have been awarded the Clean Label Project Purity Award, which tests for more than 200 different contaminants, including heavy metals, chemicals, pesticides, and plasticizers 
• All of their Peanut Butter Nutty Puffs flavors contain 7 grams of peanut protein per pouch
• Their fun-to-eat puff format is designed for developing self-feeding skills 

“For us, it has always been about combining science, nutrition, and convenience to help families build healthy habits from the start,” Jaxon says. 

Q&A With Mission MightyMe Co-Founder Catherine Jaxon 

1. Many parents are anxious about nuts and toddlers. What do you think every parent should know about early allergen introduction? 

“As a mom of three, I understand why introducing nuts can feel intimidating! But [I believe that] the most important things parents can do is educate themselves on the latest research and recommendations, talk with their pediatrician about when and how to get started, and include nuts in the rotation regularly. 

As parents we’re all trying to do the best we can. It reminds me of a great quote by Maya Angelou, ‘Do the best you can until you know better. Then when you know better, do better.’ We can’t change the past, but knowledge is power, and we can use that knowledge to change the future of children’s health.”

2. How has the guidance on introducing nuts changed?

“For a long time, the conventional wisdom was to delay introducing highly allergenic foods, especially peanuts and tree nuts. That changed dramatically in 2015 with the publication of the landmark LEAP (Learning Early About Peanut Allergy) Study, led by our brilliant co-founder, world-renowned pediatric allergist Dr. Gideon Lack. 

The study was groundbreaking: It found that introducing peanut-containing foods as early as 4-6 months and keeping them in the diet regularly for the first five years of life reduced [a child’s] likelihood of developing a peanut allergy by up to 86%. It was a major turning point in our understanding of food allergy prevention and forever changed the trajectory of the food allergy epidemic. 

What’s so exciting to me is that this is an area where science has given parents something proactive they can do. We can’t prevent every food allergy, but we now have evidence that early introduction can greatly help reduce the risk. That’s the reason we started Mission MightyMe.”

3. In your opinion, what does “safe” nut introduction look like in practice? 

“Parents should start by talking with their pediatrician and have those conversations as early as the 3-month check-up. Your pediatrician can help assess your child’s individual risk factors and develop a plan for starting solids, which is around 4-6 months for most babies. 

For most babies, current guidelines say to introduce peanut-containing foods around 6 months of age, once they’re developmentally ready for solids. However, high-risk babies (with severe eczema or an existing egg allergy) should start as early as 4-6 months, but only after evaluation by a doctor and possibly allergy testing. That’s why it’s so critical to start those conversations with your pediatrician early. 

Importantly, early introduction does not mean handing your baby a handful of nuts or a spoonful of nut butter—both are choking hazards for a baby! It means offering nuts (and other allergens) in safe, age-appropriate forms. That’s the exact reason we developed our quick-dissolving Nutty Puffs, to make it easy to keep nuts in the diet regularly for babies starting solids.”

4. What are the biggest myths or mistakes you see parents make around nut introduction? 

“[In my opinion] the biggest misconception by far is that avoiding nuts will protect a child from developing an allergy. That’s understandable, because it’s what many of us grew up hearing—but science is constantly changing. 

[Studies show] that early peanut introduction actually helps reduce allergy risk in a meaningful way. Continued awareness is crucial, as we’ve found that many parents and even some pediatricians aren’t aware of the latest guidelines around peanut allergy prevention. 

Another misconception is that introducing an allergen once means you’ve checked the box. “Early and often” is the key message we really want parents to remember. The research on peanut allergy prevention involved continued, regular consumption (think of it like training the immune system, which requires repeated exposure). 

This doesn’t require intensive food tracking or measuring specific portions, but amount does matter. Babies in the LEAP Study consumed an average of six grams of peanut protein weekly, which is the equivalent of about 24 peanuts (or one pouch of our pediatrician-developed peanut butter Nutty Puffs). Incorporating nuts into meals and snacks two to three times a week is a great general guide!” 

---

The information in this post is for general informational and educational purposes only and is not medical advice. It is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease or health condition, and it is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult your physician or other qualified healthcare provider with any questions about a medical condition, or before making changes to your diet, supplements, or lifestyle, especially if you are pregnant, nursing, taking medication, or have a food allergy or health condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay seeking it because of something you read here.

Views and statements from interviewees are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of Thrive Market. Interviewees may have a financial interest in the products discussed. Thrive Market has not independently verified all claims made by third parties.