As exciting as it is to introduce new foods when you start solids with your baby, there are a few things that should stay off the menu for the first year. Some foods pose a choking hazard to young eaters, while others are not well suited for babies.
Here's your guide to foods to avoid during your baby's first year, along with recommendations for when it's safe to introduce them.
Honey
Honey (or foods made with honey) is off-limits for the first year because it may contain the spores of the bacteria Clostridium botulinum. Although harmless to adults, these spores can cause infant botulism in babies under 1. This serious but rarely fatal illness can cause constipation, weakened sucking, poor appetite, lethargy and even potentially pneumonia and dehydration. So, wait until baby’s first birthday to serve your sweetie honey.
Cow's milk
It may do a (bigger) body good, but babies under 1 year old should steer clear of cow's milk, since it can be hard for infants to digest. Cow's milk also doesn't have all the nutrients (such as iron and vitamin E) a baby needs to grow and develop during his or her first year, which is why breast or formula are the best milk sources.
Most doctors, however, will okay whole milk yogurt, cottage cheese and hard cheese by 8 months or so (and possibly even the occasional sip of whole milk). Once your baby is past the 1-year mark, whole cow's milk is fine in moderation. Be on the lookout for a milk intolerance or allergy (though milk allergies are rare).
Fruit juice
Fruit juice isn't much of a step up from sugar water, containing calories but none of the fat, protein, calcium, zinc, vitamin D or fiber that babies need. It can drown tender appetites for breast milk or formula that should be the mainstay of a baby's diet in the first year of life. Too much juice can also cause tooth decay, diarrhea and other chronic tummy troubles.
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The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) now recommends that fruit juice not be given at all to babies younger than a year old. But even after their first birthday, avoid giving any juice at bedtime, and give it only from a cup and only in small amounts during the day (no more than 4 ounces total daily for children up to the age of 3).
Sugary treats
Babies who haven’t sampled a cupcake don’t care a lick about frosting yet — and how sweet that is. Baby taste buds do have a natural affinity for sweet, but they’re also more open at this age to other flavors (sharp, tangy, tart, even bitter) if you introduce them.
No need to ban naturally sweet baby favorites like bananas, since they serve up nutrients. Just avoid sweetening everything baby eats with fruit as you’re building baby’s flavor foundations. And keep sugary treats off the menu until at least baby’s first birthday, especially chocolate (which also contains caffeine) and hard candies (M&Ms, Skittles and jelly beans, which pose a choking hazard).
Unpasteurized foods
Just as these foods were off the menu when you were expecting, you should never serve your baby unpasteurized (raw) dairy products, juice or cider. They can contain dangerous bacteria that can cause life-threatening illness in babies and young kids.
Smoked and cured meats
Most smoked or cured meats (like bologna and bacon) contain nitrates and other chemicals and are high in sodium and animal fat, which means they should be served to babies rarely, if at all. Ditto for most smoked fish.
High-mercury fish
Research shows that regularly feeding baby and toddler fish may boost IQ. Just avoid those with high levels of mercury (shark, swordfish, king mackerel, tilefish and fresh tuna, among others). Also steer clear of fish from contaminated waters (especially important if you go fishing; check with the local health department).
Instead, stick to the many other varieties that are safe, including haddock, hake, pollack, ocean perch, whitefish, wild salmon, tilapia, flounder, trout, sole, shrimp and scallops, to name some. Canned tuna also gets the thumbs up; just opt for canned chunk light tuna, which contains less mercury than albacore tuna, and limit to no more than 1 ounce per 12 pounds of baby’s weight.
Refined grains
Not all carbs are created equal, nutritionally speaking. Complex carbs provide naturally-occurring nutrients that are stripped during the refining process (which turns whole grains white). Whole grains are also rich in fiber, which helps keep blood sugar steady. So keep refined grains like white bread off the menu and opt for 100 percent whole grain pasta, bread, cereal, rice and crackers at the supermarket.
Even when you're mixing up muffins or whisking up waffles at home, reach for the whole grain flour instead of the white. Starting the habit early will help your little one make smarter food choices later in life. (And always cut breads, pastas, muffins and waffles into tiny pieces for your new little eater.)
Top choking hazards for babies and toddlers
Because of the danger of choking, avoid giving your baby foods that won’t dissolve in the mouth, can’t be mashed with the gums or can be easily sucked into the windpipe.
These include:
- Uncooked raisins
- Whole peas (unless they’re smashed)
- Whole grapes
- Raw firm-fleshed veggies (carrots, bell peppers)
- Raw firm-fleshed fruit (apples, unripe pears)
- Chunks of meat or poultry
- Popcorn
- Nuts
- Chunks of peanut butter
- Hot dogs
- Chewing gum
Once your baby's molars come in around 12 months, you can add foods that require chewing, like firm-flesh veggies or fruits (raw apples grated or cut into very small pieces, for example), small slices of meat and poultry (cut across the grain) and seedless grapes (skinned and halved).
Hold off on common choking hazards like raw carrots, popcorn, nuts and whole hot dogs until your child is chewing well, usually around age 4 (though it may be a little earlier for some children and later for others). Even then, make sure they're diced, cubed or very thinly sliced if possible.
When can I feed my baby allergenic foods?
You may have heard that you should avoid feeding babies allergenic foods — including peanuts, eggs, wheat, dairy and shellfish — during the first year. But the AAP now recommends introducing allergenic foods early, between 4 and 11 months, to prevent food allergies.
And that’s a good thing, since many of these foods, nuts especially, are packed with healthy protein, folate and other essential nutrients. Just talk to your doctor first before serving them (especially if allergies run in your immediate family), and introduce them one at a time at home where you can watch closely for a reaction.
Also avoid whole nuts, since they can be a choking hazard before the age of 4. Instead, start off with smooth nut spreads and butters, spread very thin.
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