This ladder is to provide guidance for the reintroduction of egg in your child’s diet. This ladder is designed for those children with Non–IgE mediated egg allergy.
This guideline is not to be used by children experiencing anaphylaxis, facial swelling or respiratory symptoms upon consumption of egg.
If your child has multiple food allergies it is important to make sure that the foods you are introducing are free from these other food allergens so only one allergen is introduced at a time.
The following guidance should help you to understand how to use this ladder:
Before starting the reintroduction ladder, make sure your child is well and that any bowel/tummy symptoms or eczema are settled. If your child usually has antihistamine to treat a reaction make sure you have some available in case they have a reaction.
Most children start at Step 1. Some children already eat one or more of the foods on this ladder. If this is the case, you will be advised which step to start from.
For each new egg containing food, start with 1 teaspoon/1 bite initially then gradually build up the portion size until a quarter of a portion is eaten, then build up to half a portion, three-quarters of a portion and finally the full portion appropriate for the child’s age.
If the food is tolerated, your child should continue to eat this food on a regular basis, along with foods from previous steps and continue to progress through the ladder. It is advised to wait 48 hours before increasing portion sizes of each new food or introducing a new food. Once your child is regularly consuming a variety of foods in each step of the ladder, you can move on to the next step.
If your child does not tolerate a particular food, go back to the previous step and wait 3 months before continuing the ladder. You may find that your child tolerates a small portion but has symptoms with increased portion sizes.
It is important to only introduce 1 new food at a time so that if a reaction occurs it is clear what triggered this.
Step 1
Cakes, biscuits, muffins and other
baked goods.
Dried egg pasta, Quorn products.
Step 2
Yorkshire puddings, pancakes.
Egg fried rice, breaded fish, fresh pasta.
Battered products e.g. fish, chicken etc.
Step 3
French toast, quiche, omelette.
Well cooked scrambled egg, hard boiled egg.
Egg custard.
Ready made mousse, custard, ice cream.
Step 4
Soft poached and soft boiled eggs.
Fried eggs.
Step 5
Home made custard, ice cream or mousse.
Raw cake mix, raw egg.
Sauces containing egg, e.g. mayonnaise,
horse radish, tartare, salad cream
Egg Ladder Recipes
Please click on the arrows below to see our recipes
Egg Ladder Recipes - Step 1 - Sausage rolls
Sausage Rolls
(Makes 12. Can be made a day ahead or frozen for up to one month; to bake from frozen, add an extra 10 mins to the cooking time)
Ingredients
1 tbsp olive oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 pack of either chicken, lamb beef or pork sausages - skins removed
1 x 375g sheet ready rolled puff pastry
1 egg, beaten
Method
Preheat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6.
Roll out the pastry to a 35 x 30cm rectangle on a surface lightly dusted with flour. Trim the edges neatly, then cut in half length ways to form two long strips.
Tip the sausage meat into a large bowl, add 3 tbsp cold water and squash together.
Divide the mixture in two and mould each half into a cylindrical shape. Put each portion of meat into the middle of a pastry strip, leaving a border at either side.
Brush the pastry border and the top of the sausage mix with the beaten egg. Fold one edge of the pastry over the meat and roll to encase, then use a fork to press the pastry edges together.
Cut the sausage rolls into 5cm lengths and arrange on a lined baking tray. Chill for 20 mins.
Brush the sausage rolls with the rest of the beaten egg. Bake for 30-35 mins until the pastry is deep golden. Transfer the sausage rolls to a wire rack and leave to cool for 10 mins.
Egg Ladder Recipes - Step 2 - Egg meatballs
Egg Meatballs
Makes 20 meatballs
Ingredients
500g mince (for example beef, chicken, or turkey).
60g breadcrumbs (wheat free if required).
2 medium egg.
1 shallot, finely chopped.
Mixed herbs, salt, pepper.
Method
Preheat the oven to 180°C/Gas Mark 4.
Mix all of the ingredients together.
Roll into 20 meatballs that are similar in size and place on an oiled baking sheet.
Bake for around 20 minutes until cooked through.
Serve with a sauce; or, crumbled and mixed with mashed potatoes, rice, or vegetables.
Dice the potatoes then boil until tender (for around 10 minutes). Drain and then mash.
Finely slice the leeks and dice the mushrooms. Roughly chop the chives (if using). Grate the cheese. Beat the egg.
Heat the oil in a pan, add the leeks and mushrooms. Cook until softened (4 to 5 minutes)
Add the cheese, leeks, mushrooms and chives to the mash potato. Mix well. Pre-heat oven to 180C, 350F, gas mark 4.
Shape into 8 to 10 small patties that fit in palm of your hand.
Put the flour, beaten eggs and breadcrumbs into 3 separate bowls. Coat each cake in turn (flour first, then egg and lastly breadcrumbs).
Place the potato cakes on a baking tray in the oven for 15 to 20 minutes, or until they are golden brown.
(the vegetables in this recipe can be altered to your child’s taste e.g. peppers, peas, sweetcorn and carrots)
Egg Ladder Recipes - Step 3 - Egg Brunch Muffins
Egg Brunch Muffins
Ingredients
6 small new potatoes, diced
4 large eggs
3 tbsp milk
½ red pepper, deseeded and finely diced
50g frozen peas
2 tbsp fresh basil, chopped
50g Cheddar cheese, grated
8 cherry tomatoes, chopped in half
Method
Preheat the oven 180˚C Fan / 400˚ F / Gas 6.
Cook the potatoes in boiling water for 15 minutes. Drain, cool and dice.
Beat the eggs and milk together in a bowl. Add the diced potatoes, red pepper, peas, Cheddar cheese, tomatoes and basil. Mix together.
Divide the mixture equally between a 12 hole cup cake tin.
Bake for around 15-20 minutes until well risen, golden brown and set in the middle.
Leave to cool slightly before removing from the muffin trays.
(Use a silicone or well greased cup cake tin for best results)
Egg Ladder Recipes - Step 5 - Chocolate Mousse
Chocolate Mousse
Serves 4
Ingredients
200g chocolate, broken into pieces
120ml warm water
3 large eggs, separated
40g caster sugar
Method
Place the chocolate pieces and warm water in a heatproof bowl, melt the chocolate slowly by sitting the bowl on top of a small pan or simmering water.Do not allow the water in the pan to touch the bowl.
Remove from the heat and stir thoroughly until it is smooth and glossy.
Let this cool for 2-3 minutes then stir in the 3 egg yolks.Mix well with a wooden spoon.
Next in a clean bowl, whisk the egg whites to soft-peaks, then whisk in the sugar, about a third at a time. Keep whisking until the whites are all glossy.
Using a metal spoon, gently fold a tablespoon of egg whites into the chocolate mixture to loosen it, then carefully fold in the rest.
Try to be patient and gently fold to retain as much air as possible to keep the mousse light.
Pour into a dish or divide between 4-6 dishes/small ramekins, cover with Clingfilm and chill for 2 hours.
* Consuming raw or undercooked eggs may increase your risk of foodborne illness, especially in vulnerable groups.
Food for Life Bradford Dietitians
Bradford Nutrition & Dietetic Service is located within Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust Telephone: 01274 365108 (8.30am – 4.30pm) Answerphone available outside office hours. Website: Bradfordhospitals.nhs.uk/nutrition-and-dietetic
E-mail: Dietitians.Office@bthft.nhs.uk
Code: MF-3-2-24
Author: Bradford Dietitians
Accessible Information
If you need this information in another format or language and are in the hospital, please ask a member of staff. If you are accessing this leaflet online or on your phone you can see our Google Translate automated guidance on the Digital Patient Information Hub home screen.
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Smoking
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Published by Dietetics Department, Bradford Royal Infirmary, Duckworth Lane, Bradford BD9 6RJ.
