When Can Babies Have Vegemite? Australian Feeding Advice
Vegemite is high in salt, so it is better to choose lower-salt foods when your baby starts solids. The Australian guidance below focuses on limiting salt rather than giving Vegemite its own exact starting age. A first birthday also does not turn a salty spread into an everyday baby food. Focus on a varied diet, suitable textures and keeping added salt low.
Updated October 2026
For an Aussie household, that familiar jar can prompt a surprisingly tricky question. Can your baby share your toast, or should you offer something else? Here is how Australian infant-feeding advice applies to Vegemite, without treating a tiny taste and a thick daily spread as the same thing.
The quick answer
| Your question | Practical answer |
|---|---|
| Before starting solids | Do not offer Vegemite or toast. Follow advice about breastmilk or infant formula and readiness for solids. |
| A baby learning to eat solids | Choose foods without added salt and lower-salt toast toppings. Vegemite need not be part of their first-food menu. |
| A one-year-old or toddler | Keep salty spreads limited. If offered, use only a thin scrape alongside a varied diet. |
| Vegemite for teething | Do not rub it on gums or use it as a remedy. |
When can babies have Vegemite?
The starting point is readiness for solids, rather than the spread itself. Raising Children Network recommends starting solids around six months, when babies show readiness signs, and not before four months. Signs include good head and neck control, sitting upright with support and showing interest in food.
That advice is about starting nutritious food. It is not a recommendation to introduce salty spreads at six months. The NSW Health Good for Kids food-swaps guide suggests swapping out salty yeast-extract spreads such as Vegemite and Marmite, noting that they are particularly salty for infants under 12 months. Its suggested swaps include avocado and mashed banana.
For a baby under one, a practical choice is to leave Vegemite off the toast and offer another topping. For a toddler, an occasional thin scrape is different from a thick layer at every breakfast. Consider the rest of the meal too: bread, cheese and packaged foods can already contribute sodium.
If your baby has feeding difficulties, a medical condition or a prescribed diet, talk to your GP or maternal and child health nurse (MCHN) about suitable foods. They can help you work out portions and textures for your child.
Why salt matters more than the birthday
Healthdirect lists Vegemite among foods high in salt. Sodium is the nutrient shown on Australian nutrition labels; it is not the same measurement as grams of salt. Compare the sodium per 100 g when checking different spreads, then look at how much actually goes on the bread.
The current Original Vegemite nutrition panel lists 165 mg sodium per 5 g serving, or 3,300 mg per 100 g. The daily-intake percentages beside those figures are based on an adult diet. They are not a guide to a suitable baby serving.
This is why “less than a teaspoon” is not a useful blanket rule for babies. A teaspoon can still be a generous amount of a concentrated spread. There is no need to measure out a daily Vegemite allowance or persuade your baby to enjoy it. Plenty of other foods can fill breakfast and snack time.
Is Vegemite good for babies?
Original Vegemite contains B vitamins, including thiamine, riboflavin, niacin and folate, according to its nutrition panel. That does not make it an essential baby food or a treatment for tiredness, anxiety or feeding problems. The salt content still matters.
Babies need meals that do more than add flavour. Australian advice puts iron-rich foods among the first foods, including suitably prepared meat, iron-fortified infant cereal, legumes, tofu and well-cooked egg. A salty toast topping should not crowd those foods out.
If toast is the only food your baby seems interested in, mention that at your next health visit. Keep offering a range of foods calmly. Our guide to introducing your child to a new food has ideas for making the experience less pressured.
What can you put on baby toast instead?
Plain toast is an option, but a soft topping adds variety. Raising Children Network’s finger-food ideas include toast with mashed banana, mashed pumpkin, guacamole and nut butter. For a baby, keep the topping simple and avoid adding salt.
- Mashed avocado, without added salt.
- Mashed banana or cooked, mashed pumpkin.
- Smooth nut butter spread thinly, when introducing that allergen appropriately. Do not serve whole nuts or a thick spoonful of nut butter.
Choose the bread texture and piece size to suit your baby’s eating skills. Avoid very hard, dry toast. Sit your child upright and supervise closely throughout the meal. A soft topping does not make unsuitable bread safe.
Raising Children Network’s practical solids tips suggest offering soft foods for babies to practise feeding themselves and following their appetite cues. Let your baby explore without making them finish the toast. For help with reluctance at mealtimes, see our tips for fussy eaters with solids.
Check the label if allergies are involved
Do not assume every yeast spread has the same ingredients. The Vegemite manufacturer’s FAQs explain that Original Vegemite is not gluten free. Check the current jar’s ingredient and allergen declaration, including the bread underneath it, if your child has an allergy or requires a gluten-free diet.
Milk feeds still have a place while solids develop. Our baby formula guide is a related read if you use formula; ask your health professional about changes to your baby’s feeding plan. Our training cups guide explains cup options and cleaning when you are ready to add cup practice.
Frequently asked questions
Can babies have Vegemite on toast at six months?
Starting solids around six months does not mean Vegemite is a suitable first topping. For a baby under 12 months, follow the lower-salt food approach above and choose something like mashed avocado instead. The toast itself must also suit their eating skills.
Can a one-year-old have Vegemite?
A small amount can be included in a varied toddler diet, but keep it limited and spread it very thinly. Turning one is not a reason to use a thick layer or offer it every day. Ask your MCHN if you need individual dietary advice.
Can babies have Marmite instead?
Marmite is also a yeast-extract spread. The NSW Health food-swaps guide groups it with Vegemite as particularly salty for babies under one. Swapping brands does not solve the salt issue; compare the actual label rather than assuming they are identical.
Is Vegemite a good source of vitamins for my baby?
It contains B vitamins, but babies do not need Vegemite to have a nutritious diet. Offer a variety of suitable foods, including iron-rich options. If you are worried about nutrient intake, speak to your GP or MCHN rather than relying on a spread.
Can I use Vegemite on sore teething gums?
No. Treat it as food, not a teething remedy. Queensland Health’s teething advice suggests gently rubbing gums with a clean finger and seeking professional advice if pain persists. Do not apply Vegemite to a dummy or your baby’s gums.
