Choking hazards are food that can block your child's airway and make it difficult or impossible to breathe. Many common foods like raw baby carrot and raw apple are actually choking hazards if we don't modify them for safety before giving them to a toddler.
Until what age are choking hazards considered hazardous?
Most major medical organizations recommend avoiding or modifying choking hazard foods until your child is age four – that’s the age when most kids have adequate oral-motor strength and coordination to properly handle these foods.
What kind of foods are choking hazard foods?
Very hard foods: whole nuts, popcorn, chips, whole raw apples and whole raw carrots
Very round and slippery foods: the shape, size and juiciness of a grape or cherry tomato
Very sticky foods: taffy, gum, gummy bears.
To make this list comprehensive, we have referenced the American Academy of Pediatrics, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and emergency room choking data. All of these references have slightly different recommendations, so we have condensed them into one resource.
Foods that must be modified until age 4:
- Hot dogs – cut into small pieces
- Whole nuts – offer as thinly spread (not spoonful of) nut butter or as ground nuts
- Whole grapes, cherries, or cherry tomatoes – cut into quarters lengthwise
- Large hard carrots or celery* – soften by cooking, grate or cut into thin pieces
- Whole apples* – soften by cooking, grate or cut into thin pieces
- Hard pears – soften by cooking, grate or cut into thin pieces
- Hard dried fruit – soften by cooking (put in oatmeal, baked goods)
- Whole olives – cut into quarters lengthwise
- Marshmallows – bake into foods
- Large chunks of hard meat or hard cheese – cut into smaller pieces
Foods that must be avoided until age 4:
- Whole large seeds
- Popcorn
- Hard candy
- Gummy bear candy
- Sticky candy – taffy, fruit leather
- Gum
- Hard chips (potato chips, tortilla chips)*
*Note: guidance varies on the safety of whole raw carrots, celery, apples and chips between ages 2 and 4. Feeding Littles has noticed a higher probability of choking with raw carrots and apples specifically in kids ages 1-3, even though they’re not on every choking hazard list. Please use caution when serving these foods, especially if they are not modified by softening or shredding.
Additional safety tips:
- Do not allow your toddler to walk around while eating - this is so common for kids, but it can be a safety risk.
- Keep snacks out of the car unless an adult is in the backseat. This is especially important if your child is rear-facing. If they were to choke, you wouldn't know and wouldn't be able to help them quickly.
- Always supervise children when eating.
- Ensure your child is sitting upright when eating.
- Arm yourself with resuscitation and CPR skills – choking can happen with any object (including pureed foods, liquids, toys or household objects). Preparedness is key. If you know what to do to help your child, you will feel much more confident feeding them a variety of foods!
My kid has been eating these foods and they're not 4. Do I really have to stop giving it to them?
Many families do offer these foods earlier than four, but it's our job to share what foods have the highest probability of being a choking risk. In the end, you get to make the decision that's best for your child based on this information. If they're eating any food, especially a choking hazard food, please make sure they are sitting upright and are supervised. One of the biggest risks to kids is when they're eating in a reclined position or when you cannot see and hear them as they eat. This oftentimes happens when kids are eating in a carseat or stroller.
What if I think my child might choke on something but it's not on this list?
Listen to your instinct! You are the parent, and you know your child best. If you're not comfortable offering a certain food to them, it's OK to wait.
My baby has been gagging on food. Isn't this similar to choking?
No, gagging and choking are actually very different! Gagging is safe and expected as long as it improves quickly when you start offering solid foods.
For more help safely feeding your baby, toddler or big kid, check out our Online Courses!
