Safety hints and tips for hungry toddlers

Now that your toddler is becoming more capable of chewing, you still need to stay aware about the foods they eat. Many foods are not advised for toddlers as they increase the risk of choking.  

Foods that should never be given to children under five due to the risk of choking include: whole grapes, large pieces of raw vegetables, popcorn, raw jelly cubes, whole cherry tomatoes, hard sweets, and whole nuts.  

As a rule of thumb, any round, or rounded, foods should be cut up or squished before being given to a young child. 

If you would like to offer your toddler grapes, tomatoes, sausages, or other foods with a skin, the Food Standards Agency recommends that they are cut lengthways in half, and then again into quarters. Alternatively, the skins can be removed completely making the food easier to chew and swallow.  

Larger fruits such as apples, pears, and melons are safer when prepared in thin slices, while raw veggies are best when cut into narrow sticks or batons. 

Be sure to check that your toddler has chewed and swallowed all the food in their mouth before going to play or to sleep. The NHS advises that food should only be eaten while sitting down and supervised by an adult.  

Where possible, try to offer food when your toddler can be directly supervised. Snacks might be offered during car journeys, however, if your toddler is alone in the back of the car, research suggests they run a higher risk of choking.