Foods You Should Not Give Babies, Young Children

While we are often desirous to give our babies the best, parents should be mindful of the fact that there are some foods that should not be given to them as they could impair them in one way or the other.

The call for caution is especially hinged on the fact that babies cannot orally express themselves when they take in dangerous foods.

Among the foods and ingredients that should be far from children are:

Salt

Babies should not eat much salt, as it’s not good for their kidneys. 

Do not add salt to your baby’s food or cooking water, and do not use stock cubes or gravy, as they’re often high in salt.

Remember this when you’re cooking for the family if you plan to give the same food to your baby.

Avoid salty foods like:

· bacon

· sausages

· chips with added salt

· crackers

· crisps

Sugar

Your baby does not need sugar. 

By avoiding sugary snacks and drinks (including fruit juice and other fruit drinks), you’ll help prevent tooth decay.

Saturated fat

Do not give your child too many foods that are high in saturated fat, such as crisps, biscuits and cakes.

Checking the nutrition labels can help you choose foods that are lower in saturated fat.

Honey

Occasionally, honey contains bacteria that can produce toxins in a baby’s intestines, leading to infant botulism, which is a very serious illness.

Do not give your child honey until they’re over 1 year old. Honey is a sugar, so avoiding it will also help prevent tooth decay.

Whole Nuts and peanuts

Whole nuts and peanuts should not be given to children under 5 years old, as they can choke on them.

You can give your baby nuts and peanuts from around 6 months old, as long as they’re crushed, ground or a smooth nut or peanut butter.

If there’s a history of food allergies or other allergies in your family, talk to your GP or health visitor before introducing nuts and peanuts.

Some Cheeses

Cheese can form part of a healthy, balanced diet for babies and young children, and provides calcium, protein and vitamins.

Babies can eat pasteurized full-fat cheese from 6 months old. This includes hard cheeses, such as mild cheddar cheese, cottage cheese, and cream cheese.

Babies and young children should not eat mould-ripened soft cheeses, such as brie or camembert, or ripened goats’ milk cheese and soft blue-veined cheese, such as Roquefort. There’s a higher risk that these cheeses might carry a bacteria called listeria.

Many kinds of cheese are made from unpasteurized milk. It’s better to avoid these because of the risk of listeria.

You can check labels on cheeses to make sure they’re made from pasteurized milk.

But these cheeses can be used as part of a cooked recipe as listeria is killed by cooking. Baked brie, for example, is a safer option.

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