Some nutritious, seemingly safe finger foods actually are unsafe because they may pose a choking danger. If your baby has only her front teeth, she’s capable of biting off a chunk of an uncooked carrot, but she can’t actually chew it up, which means she could choke on it. Here’s a list of foods to avoid until your baby has molars and can chew chunkier foods:
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Raw vegetables, such as carrot and celery sticks
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Grapes and berries
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Raisins
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Hot-dog or other meat chunks
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Any nuts, such as peanuts, almonds, and cashews
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Popcorn
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Hard candy, even suckers
Foods to avoid until after the first birthday
Your baby has so many food choices, and it’s always a good idea to expand his horizons with new tastes and textures. But there are some foods baby shouldn’t try until after the first birthday. In general, avoid sweet and salty foods. Baby’s taste for these will come soon enough. Also, avoid the following:
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Chocolate
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Citrus fruits and juices
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Corn
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Cow’s milk
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Egg whites
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Honey
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Legumes (beans)
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Nuts
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Peanut butter
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Seafood
Chewable foods: Some foods can cause choking in infants under a year old. Avoid giving your baby:
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Raw vegetables, such as carrot and celery sticks
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Grapes, cherries, and berries
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Raisins
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Hot-dog or other meat chunks
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Any nuts, such as peanuts, almonds, and cashews
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Popcorn
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Hard candy, even suckers
These foods need to be chewed; if they aren’t, they could be swallowed whole and lodge in baby’s throat.
Foods that may cause allergic reaction
Some foods can cause an allergic reaction in babies. They include:
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Chocolate
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Beans
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Corn
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Nuts
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Peanut butter
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Egg whites
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Seafood
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Citrus fruits and juices
Avoid these foods for baby’s first year, especially if there’s a history of allergies.
Another common food allergy is “dairy products” (cow’s milk products) can be something to look for in infants. Especially if this runs in your family.