Weaning your baby can be a minefield, with lots of different information online about the dos and don'ts. While some things can be a matter of opinion, there are a list of foods that can be harmful to children's health. Lucy Upton, The Children’s Dietitian, and Baby and Child Nutritionist, Charlotte Stirling-Reed share their advice on foods to avoid giving your child at 6-12 months, 1-3 years and 3+ years…
About the experts…
Lucy Upton is The Children's Dietitian, a leading UK paediatric dietitian and author with over 15 years of experience and she's keen to blend real-life mum experience with evidence-based advice. While she's busy helping parents, she's also found time to write a book – The Ultimate Guide to Children's Nutrition.
Charlotte Stirling-Reed is an award-winning nutritionist, mum to little foodies Raffy and Adaline, and the owner of consultancy, SR Nutrition. Over the years, Charlotte has supported thousands of families with feeding their babies, toddlers and young children and she's also the author of The Sunday Times bestseller, How to Wean Your Baby.
Both Lucy and Charlotte will be speaking at The Baby Show NEC Birmingham 9-11 May.
Foods and drinks to avoid at 6-12 months
Honey
Charlotte advises: "Honey can (very rarely) contain bacteria that can lead to infant botulism – a very rare, but very serious condition. Once babies' immune systems are more developed (after 1 year of age), they are not theoretically at risk of this anymore. However, honey is still an added sugar and shouldn't really be offered to young children."
© Getty ImagesSalt
Lucy advises: "Avoid salt or any very high-salt foods. Your baby’s developing kidneys can’t handle too much salt, and it's recommended that babies consume 1g or less a day, which can add up quickly. Don’t add salt to your baby’s food, and keep high-salt foods like gravy granules, stock cubes, and crisps off the menu."
Rice drinks
Charlotte explains: "These can contain traces of arsenic and so shouldn’t be offered to babies and toddlers until they are around five years of age."
Whole grapes or cherry tomatoes
Lucy shares her advice: "Both are nutritious options to serve your baby during weaning, but they must be cut into quarters lengthways first. Served whole, they pose a huge choking risk to your baby, who is only starting to learn how to eat."
Baby 'snacks'
"Babies don't need snacks under 12 months of age, and many of the foods often marketed for babies can have added free sugars or low nutritional value," warns Lucy.
© Getty ImagesCow’s milk as a drink
"One of the most common weaning questions I get is, ‘Can my baby have cow’s milk? Whilst you can include cow’s milk in food from 6 months of age, it should not be given as a drink until over 12 months of age or over," says Lucy.
Foods and drinks to avoid at 1-3 years
Popcorn
Lucy warns: "While it might seem like a convenient and healthier snack option, popcorn poses a significant choking and aspiration risk due to its size and shape. It’s also lightweight, making it easily inhaled into the lungs. Popcorn should be avoided until children are four-five years of age."
Sugary and sweet drinks
Charlotte's advice is that "toddlers don’t need sweet drinks, in fact, the only liquids they need for hydration are milk and water. Offering sweet drinks too early may result in little ones refusing water and wanting to have sweet drinks regularly."
© Getty ImagesFish high in mercury
"Certain fish, like shark, swordfish and marlin, king mackerel, can contain high levels of mercury and so should be limited or avoided in young children’s diets. Opt for fish lower in mercury instead," Charlotte says.
Raisins on their own
Charlotte explains: "These can be very sticky and contribute to tooth decay if eaten on their own. Additionally, lots of the 'gummy fruit' bars and rolls developed for babies and toddlers also aren’t appropriate for young children’s developing teeth either and risk causing tooth decay."
Mini eggs
"Tempting as they may be for children, they are also the perfect size to block a young child’s airway. Stick to alternative options if giving your young child chocolate at Easter," says Lucy.
Foods and drinks to avoid at 3+ years
Energy Drinks
"Children should not be having energy drinks at any age. These can be really high in sugars, calories and also often contain caffeine which isn’t recommended for young children," warns Charlotte.
© Getty ImagesSlushy Ice Drinks
Charlotte says: "These may contain high amounts of glycerol, which is used in lots of foods in small amounts, but large amounts in slushie drinks. Avoid giving this to children under four and limit them in older children too."
Processed red meats, like bacon and deli meats
Lucy says: "Whilst these foods don’t have to be eliminated completely, it’s worth noting that we now have good evidence that they come with long-term health risks. Given the importance of the early years for laying the foundations for food preferences and health, I recommend that people moderate consumption of these foods."
Lollipops and sweets
"Not only do many of these pose a choking risk and are often consumed on the go during high-octane children’s parties, but the reality is that young children in the UK are consuming excessive sugar in concerning amounts. Minimising the consumption of sweets and lollies would be just one easy way to keep sugar consumption at bay," Lucy advises.
© Getty Images
