Food guide
Pate
Pâté is best avoided before 12 months. Refrigerated pâté and meat spreads are a known listeria risk, and liver-based pâté is also extremely high in vitamin A, which builds up in the body and is harmful in excess for a small child.
How to serve at this age
6-12 months: Not recommended. 12+ months: Only shelf-stable pâté from a sealed, unrefrigerated tin or jar, in a very small amount and rarely. Skip refrigerated pâté from the deli counter entirely.
Nutrition
Very rich in iron, B12 and vitamin A - so rich that the vitamin A is the problem rather than the benefit. Well-cooked meat or a small portion of plain liver gives you the iron without the listeria risk.
A note from the editors
Shelf-stable tinned or jarred pâté that does not need refrigerating before opening is the safer choice - the heat treatment that makes it shelf-stable kills listeria.
Good to know
Avoid refrigerated pâté and meat spreads for babies and young children. Liver pâté is also very high in vitamin A - too much is harmful, so keep it occasional and tiny. It is usually high in salt as well.