Stock Cubes & Bouillon

Can babies have stock cubes or gravy?

Not the standard kind. Bouillon cubes and pastes are extremely salty: a cup of broth made from one has around 1,000 mg of sodium. That’s more than two and a half times a baby’s daily guide of 370 mg at 7 to 12 months, and more than the 800 mg guide for a whole day at 1 to 3 years.^[1][2] The CDC advises keeping salty foods away from young children, and babies shouldn’t have added salt in the first year.^[3]

From 6 months, use homemade stock made without salt, or a store-bought stock labeled “unsalted” or “very low sodium”. From 12 months, a little ordinary stock in a big family pot is OK now and then, since each portion gets only a small share. Keep gravy made from granules as an occasional extra, and use it sparingly.

Boxed stock in a carton varies a lot. Regular versions can have as much salt as a bouillon cube, so check the label and choose unsalted or low-sodium.

Choking risk

Stock and gravy are liquids, so they are a low choking risk - a dry cube or granules are the only form to keep out of reach, and nobody should be eating those.

The question with stock is salt, not texture. See how to serve for what to use at each age.

Allergens

Stock cubes are not a common food allergen in themselves, but they are a mix, and the label is worth a look.^[5]

Wheat flour and gluten thickeners are common in gravy granules; milk, soy and celery turn up in many bouillon products; and fish or shellfish stock is exactly that. Yeast extract and sometimes MSG supply the savory note - not allergens, but the reason stock tastes so strong for so little.^[6]

Food safety

Salt is the main concern. Babies shouldn’t have added salt in the first year, and toddlers need only a little, but a single stock cube can hold a whole day’s worth in one pot.^[3][2] “Reduced sodium” on a US label only means at least 25% less than the regular version, so it can still be very salty. Look for “unsalted” or “very low sodium” instead, or check the sodium figure.

Gravy granules and instant gravy have the same problem. Most are mainly salt, starch, flavoring and coloring. For a roast, spoon off some meat juices before the family gravy is seasoned, and thicken them with a little flour for your baby’s portion.

Keep opened bouillon paste in the fridge as the jar directs. Reheat stored homemade stock until it’s boiling before adding it to your baby’s food.