Foods to avoid for babies under 12 months (and why)

The list of foods to avoid in your baby's first year is short. Skip honey, foods that are easy to choke on (such as whole nuts and hard raw vegetables), added salt and sugar, and drinks other than breast milk, formula and water. That means no juice, tea, coffee or rice drinks, and no cow's milk as the main drink. Also avoid unpasteurised dairy, raw shellfish and high-mercury fish, and cook eggs the way your country's guidance advises.

Almost everything else the family eats can be offered, as long as it's prepared to a texture your baby can manage and you stay with them while they eat. Common allergy foods such as egg and peanut are not on this list: current advice is to introduce them early, which introducing allergens explains.

Which foods should babies avoid in the first year?

This table draws on the NHS list of foods to avoid giving babies, the CDC's foods and drinks to avoid or limit and the Australian Government's Pregnancy, Birth and Baby guide to introducing solids. The sections below explain each one.

Why can't babies have honey before 12 months?

Honey can contain bacteria that produce toxins in a baby's gut, causing infant botulism. The NHS calls it a very serious illness and says not to give honey until your baby is over 1 year old. The CDC adds: don't add honey to your baby's food, water or formula, or put it on a dummy.

The NHS botulism page lists the signs in babies:

• a weak cry, or a cry that sounds different from normal
• difficulty feeding
• being quieter or less active than usual, or constantly sleepy
• a limp or floppy head, neck, arms or legs

The NHS says to call an ambulance if you think your child may have botulism. Call your local emergency number (000 in Australia, 999 in the UK, 911 in the US) if you notice these signs.

How do I make nuts, grapes and other choking risks safer?

The NHS says never give whole nuts to children under 5. From around 6 months, nuts can be crushed or ground into food, or nut butter spread on food rather than eaten alone. The CDC's list of choking hazards includes whole or chopped nuts, chunks or spoonfuls of nut butter, uncut grapes and cherry tomatoes, hard raw fruit and vegetables, popcorn and hard lollies.

The preparation tips come from ASCIA's guide to introducing solids and the Royal Children's Hospital Melbourne in Australia, which also recommends that anyone caring for children does a first-aid course.

Sit your baby upright and stay with them for every meal. If your baby can't breathe, cough or cry, call your local emergency number (000 in Australia, 999 in the UK, 911 in the US) and start infant choking first aid — back blows and chest thrusts, and CPR if they become unresponsive and aren't breathing normally. The choking vs gagging guide walks through the steps.

How much salt and sugar can a baby have?

None added. The NHS says babies shouldn't eat much salt because it isn't good for their kidneys. Don't add salt to your baby's food or cooking water, and limit salty foods such as stock cubes, gravy, bacon, sausages, crackers, crisps, ready meals and takeaways. The CDC notes that some snack foods and packaged toddler foods are high in salt, so check labels.

The NHS advises avoiding food and drink with added sugar or sweeteners for children aged 4 and under, including syrup, juice and smoothies, to help prevent tooth decay. Whole fruit is fine. The CDC says infants and young children should not have added sugars.

A practical way to manage family meals is to take your baby's portion out before you add salt, stock or sauces.

What drinks should babies under 12 months avoid?

Before 12 months, your baby's drinks are breast milk or infant formula, plus water once solids start. Skip these:

• Cow's milk as the main drink. It's fine in cooking, on cereal and as yoghurt or cheese, according to ASCIA. But the CDC says giving cow's milk as a drink before 12 months may put babies at risk of intestinal bleeding. See moving to cow's milk for the switch after the first birthday.
• Juice and cordial. The CDC says children under 12 months shouldn't have any fruit or vegetable juice, and that juice after 12 months isn't necessary. If you do offer it later, the CDC cites the AAP limit of no more than 4 ounces (about 120 mL) of 100% juice a day for ages 1 to 3.
• Tea, coffee and caffeinated drinks. The CDC says children under 2 should avoid caffeinated drinks such as tea, coffee, soft drinks and sports drinks. Pregnancy, Birth and Baby also lists energy drinks.
• Rice drinks (UK advice). The NHS says children under 5 shouldn't have rice drinks in place of breast milk or formula because they may contain too much arsenic.
• Reduced-fat milk. Pregnancy, Birth and Baby lists it as unsuitable for babies.

For how much water to offer, see water for babies.

Can babies eat eggs, cheese and fish?

Yes, with a few adjustments.

Eggs. Babies can have eggs from around 6 months. How cooked they need to be depends on where you live; see the table below. For egg as a first allergen, ASCIA recommends well-cooked egg, such as mashed hard-boiled egg.

Cheese and dairy. The NHS says pasteurised full-fat cheeses — including hard cheese, cottage cheese and cream cheese — are fine from 6 months. Avoid mould-ripened soft cheeses such as brie and camembert, ripened goats' milk cheese, soft blue cheese and any unpasteurised cheese, because of the risk of listeria. Cooking kills listeria, so these cheeses are safer baked into a dish. The CDC's safer food choices for children under 5 also says to avoid raw milk and unpasteurised juice, because young children's immune systems are still developing.

Fish and shellfish. Food Standards Australia New Zealand describes fish as an excellent source of protein, omega-3 fats and iodine. Some species carry much more mercury than others, and the NHS says mercury can affect the developing nervous system. Avoid raw or lightly cooked shellfish such as mussels, clams and oysters (NHS), and raw fish such as sushi (CDC).

How guidance differs by country

The Australian fish advice also allows one 75 g portion a week of orange roughy (deep sea perch) or catfish, with no other fish that week, for children up to 6.

What's worth writing down?

When you're starting solids, a simple list of foods tried — with how each was prepared — makes it easier for everyone who feeds your baby to follow the same rules. If your baby reacts to a food, note the time, what they ate and what you saw; a photo of any rash helps the doctor.

When should I get help?

Call your local emergency number (000 in Australia, 999 in the UK, 911 in the US) now if your baby:

• can't breathe, cough or cry after food goes down (choking)
• has difficult or noisy breathing, a swollen tongue, or becomes pale and floppy after eating — signs of a severe allergic reaction listed by ASCIA
• has sudden swelling of the lips, mouth or throat after eating, which the NHS food allergy guide says needs an ambulance
• has a weak or unusual cry, trouble feeding, unusual sleepiness or floppiness, especially after eating honey

See a doctor today if your baby:

• has hives, swelling of the face or eyes, or vomiting after a new food, and is breathing normally
• needed back blows or chest thrusts for choking, even if they now seem well

Talk to your GP or child-health nurse if:

• you're unsure whether a food is suitable, or your baby is on a restricted diet
• your baby has eaten something on this list and you'd like advice (call a health advice line (Pregnancy, Birth and Baby on 1800 882 436 in Australia, NHS 111 in the UK, your pediatrician's after-hours line in the US) after hours)