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
Not recommended.
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.
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.
Contains: meat and pork
Tip
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.
