29 Foods That Are Not Safe For Babies When They Start Solids

When your baby completes six months, you know that they are ready to start trying some solid food out there.

At this point, you start receiving mixed bits of advice from all your near and dear ones regarding what is condemned as safe and unsafe for your baby’s appetite.

There are still a lot of misbeliefs around the solid food that should be fed to a toddler. You should be aware of eatables that could pose potential health hazards to your little one. The following are a few foods and drinks which threaten your baby’s health.

1: – Grapes? Maybe!

Whole grapes should be avoided as they could possibly choke your baby. However, you could cut them into smaller pieces and feed your infant.

2: – Say No To Whole Nuts.

Whole nuts as well as spoonfuls of peanut butter are a choking hazard or pose an allergic threat to the baby. They must be avoided until your baby reaches the age of five.

3: – Raw Fruits And Vegetables.

Raw fruits and vegetables must be avoided unless they are thoroughly washed/peeled as they may contain bacteria.

4: – Cherry Tomatoes? Why Not! Just Be Careful.

Cherry tomatoes are safe for your infant when it is cut into small pieces. Or else, they pose the risk of choking.

5: – Mix Raisins!

Raisins can also choke your baby and therefore must be avoided until your infant completes around nine months.

6: – Cow’s Milk Can Wait.

Babies cannot digest cow’s milk as easily as breast milk. However, you can use small amounts of cow’s milk in cooking. But wait till your infant completes one year, before giving it as a drink.

7: – Raw/Undercooked Eggs? A Big No!

Raw or lightly cooked eggs must be avoided at all cost as they contain salmonella bacteria and thus pose a potential risk of food poisoning to your little one.

8: – Avoid Homemade Mayonnaise.

Homemade mayonnaise is made of raw eggs. Due to the potential risk of food poisoning via salmonella bacteria present in the raw eggs, avoid feeding your baby homemade mayonnaise.

9: – Mousses Containing Raw Eggs? No!

Most of the mousses are made up of raw eggs and thus avoid giving it to your infant.

10: – Avoid Cake Batter Containing Raw Eggs.

As we already know by now, it is best to avoid feeding your baby any foods or drinks containing raw eggs. So the next time you are baking a cake, do not be coaxed into letting your little one lick the cake batter off the spoon.

11: – Stay Clear Of Any Food Cooked With Spirits Or Liqueurs!

Spirits and liqueurs are often used in cooking a variety of foodstuffs. These drinks have a higher alcohol by volume (ABV) content compared to wine, cider or beer. Thus any food cooked with spirits or liqueurs should not be fed to your infant. However, you can always use non-alcoholic wines or beers as substitutes to alcoholic ones.

12: – Keep Your Babies Away From Fast Food!

Fast food such as burgers and pizzas must be avoided by babies as they are high in salt content. They are also high in saturated fat, making them hazardous to your infant’s health.

13: – Don’t Feed Your Baby Liver Pate.

Liver pate could cause food poisoning and therefore is best avoided.

14: – Beware Of Some Seafood!

Some seafood, such as shark and marlin, contain traces of mercury and therefore are unsafe for your infant.

15: – Avoid Mould-Ripened Soft Cheeses.

Mould-ripened soft cheeses like brie and camembert must be avoided as they may contain listeria bacteria. This bacteria is known to cause a severe bacterial infection called listeriosis, which poses a threat to your child’s health.

16: – Bacon Could Be Too Salty For Your Baby’s Liking!

Bacon is high in its salt and grease content. Thus it is best avoided by your infant.

17: – Stay Away From Convenience Foods.

Convenience food should be limited to adults. Do not feed your infant such foods, as these are often high in salt, sugar and fat content and are also loaded with preservatives.

18: – Canned Soups? No, No!

Canned soups are also high in preservatives and salt content. So avoid feeding these to your baby.

19: – Steer Clear Of Deep-Fried Chips!

Besides filling up your baby and leaving hardly any room for nutritious foods, deep fried chips also contain a lot of saturated fat. Therefore, these should be avoided by your infant.

20: – Do Not Begin Your Baby’s Day With Sugary Cereals!

Sugar coated cereals must be avoided by infants as they pose a risk of cavities in your growing toddler. Cereals are also found to be high in salt content, which is not good for your baby’s health.

21: – Tempted To Buy Those Processed Biscuits? Stop Right There!

Processed biscuits are unsuitable for your infant due to its high sugar and salt content.

22: – Tea And Coffee? Not Yet.

Your baby is not ready for coffee or tea yet. Coffee and tea contain caffeine and tannins. Caffeine is known for disrupting sleep, while tannins reduce the absorption of iron from food.

23: – No! Processed Crackers Are Not Allowed Either.

Like processed biscuits, you must also avoid processed crackers to your baby, as these have a high salt content.

24: – Soft Drinks? Absolutely Not!

Soft drinks are loaded with artificial sweeteners and are also acidic, which may harm your baby’s developing teeth. Some soft drinks also contain caffeine and could prove to be irritable for your child.

25: – Avoid Crisps.

Crisps are high in salt content and therefore unfit for your child’s consumption.

26: – Sweets Will Have To Wait A While Longer.

Sweets contain a lot of sugar and could cause cavities in your child’s emerging teeth. Besides, candies also pose a risk of choking.

27: – Don’t Be Tempted To Feed Your Little One Iced Cakes Or Doughnuts Yet.

Iced cakes and doughnuts can make your baby obese and can also cause cavities in their teeth. This is because these are loaded with sugar and saturated fats.

28: – That Jar Of Honey.. Isn’t As Innocent As It Looks!

Do not feed honey to your infant until he completes one year. Honey poses a risk of your baby developing a rare bacterial infection called infant botulism.

29: – Low Calorie Spreads And Yogurt? No! They Need All The Calories.

Low-calorie yogurts and cheese spreads aren’t what you should be feeding your baby. Instead, try out the full-fat versions of these foods, as they will provide the much-needed calories to your infant.

The above-listed foods and drinks are not healthy for your baby. These, in fact, may also harm your child in different ways. So when you think your infant is ready for some solid food, be cautious of what you are giving them!