Weaning your little one onto solid foods can be exciting, but also pretty daunting too. You’ll obviously want to start feeding baby a range of delicious new foods, including the things on your own plate. However, before you introduce anything new, it’s important to ensure it’s safe.
There’s surprisingly a lot of foods you need to be careful of and it gets even more confusing when you add the monthly age restriction recommendations. Some foods are perfectly fine for older babies, yet not suitable for younger babies. So, it’s important to do your research to see which foods should be avoided.
Here, we’ll look at the main foods you’ll want to avoid feeding your baby during their first year.
1. Honey
While some of the foods on this list are simply advised against for potential allergic reactions or choking hazards, honey is the one food which can have severe consequences for baby. It’s advised babies under the age of 12 months old shouldn’t be given honey in any form. This is because, although it is rare, honey can lead to a condition known as Infant Botulism – a potentially fatal condition.
Of course, honey is also considered a type of sugar, which means it can also be really bad for baby’s teeth too. So, it’s best to completely avoid honey until your baby is at least one-year old. You can find out more about the dangers of honey and Infant Botulism here.
2. Raw Vegetables
As adults, we’re well aware of the benefits of raw vegetables. However, you’ll want to avoid feeding them to baby. The main reason for this is because they’re far too hard for your little one to eat until they’re a little older.
Feeding baby raw vegetables poses a choking hazard and could be bad for their teeth too. As they won’t be able to properly chew the vegetables, it could put too much pressure onto the teeth.
Now, this isn’t to say you can’t feed your baby vegetables at all. You’ll just need to make sure you puree or steam them first. It’s also important to cut the veggies up into smaller pieces to avoid the risk of choking.
3. Cow’s Milk
Experts typically advise waiting until baby turns one before introducing cow’s milk. This is because babies aren’t able to properly digest cow’s milk until they’re a little older. There are instances where moms need to feed their babies cow’s milk rather than breast or formula milk, but this should only be seen as an option if it’s been recommended by a doctor.
So, why should it be avoided? Well, besides the fact it’s hard for baby to digest, it also contains a lot of added minerals and protein which could actually be harmful to baby’s kidneys.
4. Grapes
Now, grapes can be a healthy, nutritious addition to baby’s diet, but only if it’s cut properly. Whole grapes are one of the biggest choking hazards for babies, but did you know they can also be a potential hazard if they’re cut the wrong way?
Ideally, you’ll want to wait until baby is at least six months before feeding grapes and you’ll want to make sure they’re cut up into really tiny pieces too.
5. Seeds and Nuts
Seeds and nuts pose another potentially serious choking hazard. However, unlike most foods on the list, these shouldn’t be fed whole to children until they are at least four years old.
As well as being a potential choking hazard, nuts can also bring on allergies. So, if you have a family history of nut allergies, you should definitely avoid feeding them to baby. This extends to peanut butter too. Although babies love peanut butter, its stickiness can also be a choking hazard and it’s also pretty bad for the teeth.
Once baby reaches six month old, you can introduce nuts as long as you grind them up really well beforehand.
6. Fish
It’s important to start off by saying not all fish is bad for baby. In fact, it can be a healthy food to introduce once baby turns six months of age. However, there are certain types of fish which should be avoided.
The fish you’ll want to avoid are those high in mercury. Salmon, swordfish and turbot are all examples of fish which have high levels of mercury. The reason why mercury is bad for baby is because it can interfere with the development of the nervous system and the brain.
You’ll also want to avoid canned and raw fish.
7. Citrus Fruits
Citrus fruits may seem like a great choice to give baby as a snack, but the acid they contain can be bad for your little one’s sensitive digestive system. They can cause stomach upset, as well as a rash. So, avoid fruits such as oranges, pineapple and tangerines.
8. Fruit Juice
Fruit juice is a very popular drink parents often give to their babies. However, it’s not as healthy as you might think. Many fruit juices, especially store-bought varieties, contain high levels of sugar. This includes both natural sugars and added sugar. This is obviously really bad for baby’s teeth.
If you feed citrus based juices you also get the same negative effects as citrus fruits. They’re too harsh for your baby’s sensitive digestive system. When you do start to introduce fruit juice into your little one’s diet, it’s recommended you dilute it slightly with water.
9. Chocolate
Who doesn’t love chocolate? It can seem like a great treat idea to let your baby taste a little delicious, mouth-watering chocolate but the truth is it’s actually really bad for babies. Not only does it contain sugar which we’ve already established is bad for baby’s teeth, but it also contains caffeine. This isn’t something you want your baby to eat at any time!
10. Egg Whites
There’s been a lot of debate over when eggs should be introduced into a baby’s diet. The restrictions have slightly changed, with experts now claiming babies as young as six months old can safely eat a little egg. However, you might want to avoid feeding them the egg whites.
As adults, we’re often told the whites of the egg are better than the yolk. However, this isn’t the same for babies. They can develop allergies to the whites of the egg which could result in vomiting and diarrhea. So, if you want to feed them egg, stick to the yolk to begin with and avoid egg whites until baby is one year of age.
Conclusion
These are the top 10 foods you should avoid feeding babies until they’re at least one year of age – however, you should note that this list is not complete. However, it is advised you talk to your pediatrician or doctor before introducing any solid foods into your little one’s diet.
Disclaimer:
This article is for informational purposes only and should not be considered medical advice. Always consult with a doctor or licensed medical professional before making any medical decisions.
Wow, I cannot begin to express my appreciation and gratitude for this article because it taught a lot of things which I never about food’s one should avoid giving to their baby. I’m aware of seeds and nuts being inclined to cause chocking hazards for babies but I wasn’t aware of Fishes that contain mercury that can affect their nervous development as well as honey causing Infant Botulism.
These days, we really need to be meticulous about the foods we give kids because foods that used to be good sources of nutrients like fish could now become hazardous to one’s health. So sad. That is why we do our best to come up with updated tips because times have changed.
Thanks very much @Elsa for all the great work you and all the team in the platform Starlight Baby are doing by giving parents all the necessary information which are very helpful when it comes to baby/child care. I really appreciate you all. Keep up the good work and remain blessed.
You’re welcome and thank you very much as well, Martinsx. That’s a really heartwarming remark. We are deeply touched.
Knowing that our articles are helping people is one of the reasons why we keep providing needed information. We want to provide all the help we can get to ease some of the burden because we know that parenthood could be difficult at times.
It’s not difficult at times, it’s difficult until the child is above teenage years of his or her life and into adulthood. It’s then you as a parent would have some sort of peace knowing that the child is old enough to know what’s right and wrong for himself or herself.
That’s true, child-rearing is difficult until they become teens. But then again, parents encounter a different kind of problem when their kids become teens. I would say, parents could breath a little easier once their chldren become responsible adults 🙂
Yeah, teens are very impossible to control especially if the parents didn’t take control in enforcing morals in the child at early stage. Such kids becomes very stubborn and a serious headache for the parents. There was one incident that happened in my neighborhood few months back where a boy, who would be probably around 17 years of age fought his father when he was getting cautioned about playing online betting. It was such a horrible thing to happen to any parent.
I agree, Martinsx. Children who do not get disciplined by their parents will become stubborn teens in the future.
Sadly, a lot of stories like the one you mentioned happen every day. I would say most of these are due to lack of parental control and guidance because discipline starts at home.
That’s very correct @Elsa, even though the society has its influence on children but the root at which a child is groomed to be responsible is at home. Remember the saying, “Charity begins at home” and ” one cannot give what one doesn’t have”. So it’s only when a child is trained well that it’s expected that the child would grow up with good manners and be responsible.
I did not know honey as bad for the babies. Babies do not have well developed digestive system, therefore, they should not feed raw vegetables. However, it is good to feed them cooked vegetables. If you are feeding grapes, you should put grapes in boiled water for few minutes. If you soak in boiling water, the skin of grapes will easily peel and you can feed grapes.
I have been feeding my baby cow milk since he was one month and nothing has happened. After mother’s milk, cow milk is the best.
As an adult, I personally don’t fancy consuming honey or anything it’s used to prepare, it just doesn’t go well in my mouth. I think in all my life, I have used honey just once to treat cough. About using cow milk for your baby, I would advise that you reduce it as I have reasons to believe it makes a baby purge.
It’s my first time to hear of someone who doesn’t like honey, Martinsx. I suppose it’s not for everyone.
I was introduced to honey when I was a kid and thank God I don’t have allergic reactions to it. These days, I often use it to treat coughs and colds. I usually mix it with lemon juice in warm water. Works great for me as a home remedy.
It’s just the way with me when it comes to honey @Elsa, I don’t just like it for anything. It’s not that I’m allergic to it otherwise I wouldn’t use it to treat cough but should I say it’s possibly as a result of its sweet context that I don’t like it. It’s too sweet for my liking.
Honey does seem to be an innocent food safe for baby but it was found to be a source of allergy or could cause Infant Botulism.
As for cow’s milk, unfortunately, it is the main substitute for breastmilk for those who need to supplement breastmilk for feeding baby. For those who may have an allergic reaction to cow’s milk, a pediatrician can prescribe an alternative.
I didn’t even know most of these, to be honest! Not even chocolate? Crazy, I’ve learned so much now. Some of the most delicious things that a person can eat are straight up not recommended at all.
I’m actually curious now though, at what age would you recommend to be fine to be letting a baby eat some chocolate every once in a while? I have a niece who is 3 and a half years old, is she too still too young?
Hello, Kittypride! I’ve read some articles regarding your question and the answers vary as to the actual age for giving chocolate. Experts say chocolates should not be given to children below two years old – one, because it’s sweet and could be bad for their teeth, and they may have allergies to the ingredients in the chocolate. Chocolates may contain ingredients that may cause allergic reactions so every person caring for a child must be mindful of this.
An article entitled, “Giving (Chocolate) Candy to a Baby” (https://www.verywellfamily.com/when-can-i-give-my-baby-chocolate-290365) indicates the following as common allergens:
Milk
Peanuts and tree nuts
Wheat and gluten
Soy
Corn
Berries
Wow, I wasn’t expecting such a thorough answer. Thanks! So it is safe for my niece after all, I got scared for a second there. I’m pretty sure she doesn’t have any allergies that may be related with chocolate, but I’ll be sure to be careful about her teeth.
You’re very much welcome, Kittypride. Glad to be of help.
Good to know your niece is not allergic to chocolates and its ingredients. Just be mindful of how much chocolate you give her because too much is not good.
Take care 🙂
Restricting some type of foods from the baby at an early is one of the best ways to ensure that the baby grow in a better way. This article brings back some painful memories of how I lost one of my niece for reasons such as eating anything they brought her way while still under 12 months. She died after she fell sick and had stomach upset. May her gentle soul rest in peace.