Foods to Avoid Giving Babies

Starting solid foods is exciting, but it can also make ordinary meals suddenly feel full of questions. Can your baby have honey? What about cheese, nuts, cows’ milk or food from your own plate?

Most everyday foods can gradually become part of a baby’s diet once they are ready for solids, but there are some important exceptions. NHS guidance recommends avoiding certain foods because they can pose a choking risk, contain harmful bacteria or substances, or are unsuitable for babies nutritionally.

The main foods and drinks to be careful with include honey before 12 months, whole nuts and peanuts, raw shellfish, certain soft or unpasteurised cheeses, unpasteurised milk, shark, swordfish and marlin, salty and sugary foods, and drinks that are unsuitable for babies.

Some foods only need to be prepared differently rather than avoided completely, so it helps to know the difference.

Honey before 12 months

Honey should not be given to babies before they are 12 months old.

This includes honey added to food or used as a sweetener. According to the NHS, honey can contain bacteria that can lead to infant botulism, a rare but serious illness.

Waiting until after your baby’s first birthday is therefore recommended.

There is also no nutritional need to sweeten a baby’s food with honey or added sugar. Babies are learning about flavours for the first time, so naturally sweet foods such as fruit can be offered without adding extra sweeteners.

Whole nuts and peanuts

Whole nuts and peanuts are a choking hazard and should not be given to young children. NHS guidance says nuts should be crushed or flaked for children under 5.

This does not mean babies need to avoid peanuts and nuts as allergens.

In fact, allergenic foods such as peanuts and nuts can be introduced from around 6 months in suitable forms. The NHS recommends serving nuts and peanuts crushed or ground.

Smooth nut butter can also be used in an appropriate texture, but thick spoonfuls of peanut butter should not be given on their own because they can be difficult for a baby to manage safely.

If your baby has eczema, an existing food allergy or a family history of allergies, speak to your GP or health visitor about introducing allergenic foods.

Hard, sticky and round foods that can cause choking

Food shape and texture matter just as much as the ingredient itself.

The NHS lists several foods that can be choking hazards for babies and young children, including:

popcorn
jelly cubes
marshmallows
boiled sweets and other hard, gooey or sticky sweets
chewing gum
ice cubes
peanut butter served by itself

Hard raw foods can also be difficult for babies to manage. The NHS recommends avoiding hard foods such as raw carrot and apple as first finger foods. Cooking harder fruit and vegetables until soft can make them more suitable.

Always prepare food for your baby’s developmental stage and supervise them while they eat.

Foods high in salt

Babies do not need salt added to their food or cooking water.

Their kidneys are still developing, and NHS guidance advises that babies should not eat salty foods.

Foods that can contain a lot of salt include:

bacon
sausages
chorizo
crisps
salty crackers
ready meals
takeaways
gravy
meals made with stock cubes

You do not need to cook completely separate meals forever. If your baby is sharing family food, one practical option is to remove their portion before adding salt, salty sauces, stock cubes or gravy for everyone else.

Checking food labels can also help because salt can appear in foods that do not necessarily taste very salty.

Foods and drinks high in added sugar

Babies do not need sugar added to their food.

Sugary foods and drinks can contribute to tooth decay, and the NHS recommends avoiding sugary drinks and foods high in sugar, fat or salt.

This includes obvious choices such as sweets and fizzy drinks, but sugar can also appear in flavoured yoghurts, desserts, biscuits, breakfast products and packaged baby snacks.

Plain, unsweetened foods are usually a simpler choice.

You do not need to make every meal perfectly sugar-free in the future, but there is no benefit to deliberately adding sugar while your baby is learning to eat.

Unpasteurised milk

Babies and young children should not have unpasteurised or raw milk.

Raw milk has not undergone the heat treatment used to reduce harmful bacteria and can cause food poisoning.

Choose pasteurised milk and dairy products that are suitable for your baby’s age.

Cows’ milk can be used in cooking or mixed into foods from around 6 months, but NHS guidance says it should not be given as a main drink before 12 months.

Breast milk or first infant formula should remain the main milk drink during the first year.

Certain soft cheeses

Cheese can absolutely be part of a baby’s diet from around 6 months, provided it is suitable.

Pasteurised full-fat cheese is one of the dairy foods the NHS suggests during weaning.

However, some soft cheeses should be avoided because of the risk of listeria. NHS guidance says babies and young children should not be given mould-ripened soft cheeses such as brie and camembert, ripened goats’ milk cheeses such as chèvre, soft blue-veined cheeses such as roquefort, or unpasteurised cheeses.

Checking the label is useful if you are unsure whether a cheese has been made from pasteurised milk.

Raw or lightly cooked shellfish

Babies and children should only eat shellfish that has been thoroughly cooked.

Raw or lightly cooked shellfish can increase the risk of food poisoning.

Shellfish itself does not need to be routinely avoided as an allergen. NHS guidance says shellfish can be introduced from around 6 months alongside other solid foods, provided it is properly cooked and served in a suitable form.

As with other common allergens, introduce it individually and in a small amount initially so you can identify a possible reaction.

Shark, swordfish and marlin

Babies should not be given shark, swordfish or marlin.

These fish can contain relatively high levels of mercury, which can affect a baby’s developing nervous system.

Other fish can form part of a varied diet. Make sure fish is properly prepared and carefully remove bones before serving it to your baby.

If you are unsure which types or quantities of fish are suitable, check current NHS guidance or ask your health visitor.

Fresh pâté

The NHS advises against giving fresh pâté to babies and young children.

This applies to pâté made from meat, fish or vegetables because it can carry a risk of food poisoning.

It is an easy item to overlook because pâté has a soft texture that might otherwise seem convenient during weaning.

Choose other soft protein foods appropriate for your baby’s stage instead.

Cows’ milk as a main drink before 12 months

Cows’ milk is not completely off limits during the first year.

Pasteurised whole cows’ milk can be used in cooking or mixed into food from around 6 months. What should wait is using cows’ milk as your baby’s main drink.

The NHS advises waiting until 12 months because cows’ milk does not provide the right balance of nutrients to replace breast milk or first infant formula during the first year.

Pasteurised full-fat yoghurt and suitable cheese can also be introduced from around 6 months.

Rice drinks

Rice drinks should not be given to children under 5 years old.

Rice naturally absorbs more arsenic from the environment than some other grains, and rice drinks may contain too much arsenic for young children.

This restriction applies specifically to rice drinks. It does not mean babies and young children need to avoid rice itself.

If your baby cannot have cows’ milk because of an allergy or intolerance, ask your GP, health visitor or dietitian which alternatives are appropriate rather than substituting rice drink.

Plant-based drinks before 12 months

Unsweetened, calcium-fortified plant-based drinks such as soya, oat and almond drinks should not replace breast milk or first infant formula before 12 months.

The NHS says suitable unsweetened, calcium-fortified alternatives can be given from the age of 1 as part of a balanced diet.

There may be different recommendations for babies with diagnosed allergies or other feeding needs. In those situations, follow the advice of your baby’s healthcare professional.

Rice drinks remain unsuitable until age 5.

Fruit juice and smoothies

The NHS recommends avoiding fruit juice and smoothies before 12 months.

Even though they contain fruit, these drinks are high in sugars.

Once your child is older, NHS guidance still recommends limiting them and serving them appropriately rather than treating them as an everyday alternative to water.

For babies starting solids, offering sips of water from an open cup or free-flow cup with meals is a simple option.

Breast milk or first infant formula remains your baby’s main drink during the first year.

Fizzy drinks, squash and flavoured milk

Fizzy drinks, squash and flavoured milks are not suitable drinks for babies.

They can contain a lot of sugar and contribute to tooth decay. Diet and reduced-sugar drinks are not recommended for babies and toddlers either.

The same caution applies to many drinks marketed specifically at babies or young children. A baby label does not automatically make a product necessary.

Water and your baby’s usual milk are generally much simpler choices.

Tea, coffee and caffeinated drinks

Tea, coffee and other caffeinated drinks are not suitable for babies and young children.

There is no need for babies to share adult drinks at mealtimes.

If you want your baby to practise drinking from a cup while eating solids, offer water instead.

Also keep hot drinks well away from babies because they can cause serious scalds if spilled.

Foods that do not need to be avoided

A long list of restrictions can make weaning sound more complicated than it is.

Many foods parents sometimes worry about can be introduced from around 6 months when babies are developmentally ready, provided they are prepared safely.

According to NHS guidance, common allergenic foods including egg, peanuts, nuts, gluten, fish, shellfish, soya and cows’ milk in food can be introduced from around 6 months. They should be introduced one at a time and in small amounts so that a reaction can be identified.

Once an allergenic food is introduced and tolerated, the NHS recommends continuing to include it in your baby’s usual diet.

There is usually no reason to exclude these foods simply because they are common allergens unless a healthcare professional has advised you to do so.

A simple way to check unfamiliar foods

You do not need to memorise every food rule before starting weaning.

Before offering something unfamiliar, think about four things:

Is it suitable for my baby’s age? Some foods and drinks have specific age restrictions.
Could the shape or texture cause choking? Hard, round, sticky and difficult-to-chew foods may need to be changed or avoided.
Is it safely prepared? Check whether it needs cooking, pasteurisation, crushing, softening or cutting differently.
Does it contain a lot of salt or added sugar? Babies do not need either added to their meals.

Food labels and current NHS guidance can answer many everyday questions.

And if something still does not feel clear, asking your health visitor is completely reasonable. Baby feeding advice has changed over time, so advice from relatives or older parenting books may not always match current recommendations.

When to get professional advice

Speak to your health visitor, GP, midwife or another qualified healthcare professional if you are unsure whether a particular food is suitable for your baby, especially if your baby was born prematurely, has feeding difficulties, has eczema, has a diagnosed food allergy or has another medical condition affecting feeding.

Seek medical advice if your baby becomes unwell after eating, has persistent vomiting or diarrhoea, develops a suspected allergic reaction, or you are worried about their feeding, growth or hydration.

A severe allergic reaction can be an emergency. Call 999 if your baby develops serious breathing difficulties, significant swelling of the mouth or throat, becomes very unwell or becomes unresponsive.

If your baby is choking and cannot breathe effectively, treat it as an emergency and follow current NHS first-aid guidance while getting urgent help.