Safety tips

These are a few precautions to ensure meals remain safe and enjoyable as your baby becomes more independent with their eating:

• stay with your baby when they are eating
• ensure they are sitting down when eating to reduce the danger of choking
• small hard foods such as whole nuts and large seeds should be avoided until children are at least 5 years old\

Foods that studies show pose the biggest choking risk: 

• sausages/hot dogs – quarter them lengthwise 
• whole nuts – crush or ground into a fine dust or offer as a nut butter
• raw carrots – steam, boil, grate, puree or roast
• lollies – avoid until molars are in
• meat – offer slow cooked meat, shredded, ground, puree or large pieces to take bites from like lamb cutlets or chicken drumsticks
• popcorn – avoid until age 5
• fish with bones – remove bones
• grapes – quarter
• cherry tomatoes – quarter
• raw apples – steam, boil, grate, puree or roast
• fruit pips and stones – remove from the fruit before offering