Foods to Avoid for Baby - Healthy Eating for Babies Age 6-12 Months (2024)

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Foods to Avoid for Baby - Healthy Eating for Babies Age 6-12 Months (2)

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Do not give your baby honey (even if it’s pasteurized) or foods containing honey such as baked goods, yogurt, etc. There is a risk that honey could make your baby very sick with botulism, a type of food poisoning. Honey is safe for children over 12 months of age.

Some unpasteurized and raw foods may contain harmful bacteria. Do not give your baby:

  • unpasteurized juice and cider
  • unpasteurized milk and milk products
  • raw or undercooked meat, poultry, fish, and shellfish
  • raw or undercooked eggs
  • raw or undercooked sprouts

Some foods are not recommended for babies during the first year. Many are low in nutrients. Most are high in sugar or sodium (salt). These foods are listed below.

Do not give your baby:

  • sweets (e.g. candy, chocolate, cakes, cookies, pies, donuts)
  • ice cream, frozen desserts/treats, and jelly/gelatin desserts
  • sugar-coated cereals
  • jam, jelly, marmalade, molasses
  • soft drinks (pop); “fruit” drinks, crystals, powders, punches, beverages, ades (e.g. lemonade), and fruit co*cktail drinks (e.g. cranberry co*cktail); sports drinks; energy drinks
  • drinks with artificial sweeteners or other sugar substitutes, and tabletop artificial sweeteners and sugar substitutes
  • processed packaged snack foods (e.g. cheese-flavoured snacks, corn chips, wheat chips, potato chips, salted pretzels)
  • processed meats such as ham, bacon, wieners, salami, pepperoni, bologna, sausages, luncheon meats and processed deli meats
  • salt meat and salt fish
  • pickles, olives
  • tea, coffee, herbal teas

Some foods can be choking hazards; see the section on Food Choking Hazards for more information on other foods to avoid.

Foods to Avoid for Baby - Healthy Eating for Babies Age 6-12 Months (2024)

FAQs

Foods to Avoid for Baby - Healthy Eating for Babies Age 6-12 Months? ›

Honey: In children younger than 12 months, honey may cause botulism, a serious illness. Fruit juices: Drinking juice can discourage your baby from eating other nutritious food that is not sweet. Sugary drinks: Avoid soft drinks, sports drinks, fruit drinks, energy drinks, and sweetened teas.

Which food should infant avoid until 12 months of age? ›

Honey: In children younger than 12 months, honey may cause botulism, a serious illness. Fruit juices: Drinking juice can discourage your baby from eating other nutritious food that is not sweet. Sugary drinks: Avoid soft drinks, sports drinks, fruit drinks, energy drinks, and sweetened teas.

What is the best food for babies 6 to 12 months? ›

In addition to grains and potatoes, be sure your baby has vegetables and fruits, legumes and seeds, a little energy-rich oil or fat, and – especially – animal foods (dairy, eggs, meat, fish and poultry) every day. Eating a variety of foods every day gives your baby the best chance of getting all the nutrients he needs.

What should a 12 month old not eat? ›

Toddlers between 12 and 24 months should avoid: foods with added sugars and no-calorie sweeteners, including sugar-sweetened and diet drinks. high-sodium foods. unpasteurized juice, milk, yogurt, or cheese.

What is healthy eating and nutrition for children ages 6 12? ›

Consider these nutrient-dense foods:
  • Protein. Choose seafood, lean meat and poultry, eggs, beans, peas, soy products, and unsalted nuts and seeds.
  • Fruits. Encourage your child to eat a variety of fresh, canned, frozen or dried fruits. ...
  • Vegetables. ...
  • Grains. ...
  • Dairy.

What foods should I avoid at 6 months? ›

Do not give your baby:
  • unpasteurized juice and cider.
  • unpasteurized milk and milk products.
  • raw or undercooked meat, poultry, fish, and shellfish.
  • raw or undercooked eggs.
  • raw or undercooked sprouts.

What are 10 foods you should avoid? ›

  • Soda. ...
  • Sweetened Canned Fruit. ...
  • Commercially Fried Foods. ...
  • Energy Drinks. ...
  • Refined-Grain Pretzels. ...
  • Artificial Sweeteners. ...
  • Processed Deli Meats. ...
  • Packaged Muffins.
Aug 16, 2022

Can I give my 6 month old eggs? ›

You can give your baby the entire egg (yolk and white), if your pediatrician recommends it. Around 6 months, puree or mash one hard-boiled or scrambled egg and serve it to your baby. For a more liquid consistency, add breast milk or water. Around 8 months, scrambled egg pieces are a fantastic finger food.

Which fruits are good for babies? ›

Offer a variety such as:
  • apples.
  • apricots.
  • bananas.
  • pears.
  • grapes.
  • kiwis.
  • mangoes.
  • oranges.

What fruit to start a baby on first? ›

Bananas are popular as a first food because they are mild, sweet, and easy to mash. Take a firm ripe banana and process it until it is smooth and thin the puree with breastmilk.

Why can't babies have strawberries? ›

Strawberries are safe for babies beginning around ages 4 to 6 months old when solids are typically introduced. Because strawberries are not a common allergen, the biggest risk in feeding them to babies is introducing them too early, in which case the infant may gag or push the food back out of their mouth, warns Dr.

What are the 20 most unhealthy foods? ›

20 Of The World's Unhealthiest Foods
  • Soda Drinks. Soda drinks in glasses - Pjohnson1/Getty Images. ...
  • Processed Meats. Cooked bacon in frying pan - Elena Veselova/Shutterstock. ...
  • Candy Bars. Candy bar broken in half - 4kodiak/Getty Images. ...
  • Potato Chips. ...
  • Breakfast Cereals. ...
  • Energy Drinks. ...
  • Processed Pastries. ...
  • Instant Ramen.
Apr 23, 2024

How to help a child lose weight without making them feel bad? ›

Changes are more successful when they are small, incremental and involve the entire family. Be the best example you can. Choose nutritious, whole foods like fresh fruits and vegetables, encourage physical activity, promote sufficient sleep, and refrain from negative talk about your or others' weight.

What is healthy food for kids? ›

grain (cereal) foods, including breads, rice, pasta and noodles, mostly wholegrain or high cereal fibre types. lean meat, fish, poultry and/or alternatives. milks, yoghurts, cheeses or alternatives — children under 2 should have full-fat milk, but older children and adolescents should choose mostly reduced-fat ...

What foods should not be given to infants under one year of age? ›

Foods to avoid giving babies and young children
  • Salt. Babies should not eat much salt, as it's not good for their kidneys. ...
  • Sugar. Your baby does not need sugar. ...
  • Saturated fat. ...
  • Honey. ...
  • Whole nuts and peanuts. ...
  • Some cheeses. ...
  • Raw and lightly cooked eggs. ...
  • Rice drinks.

What foods should you wait until 1 year old? ›

When starting your baby on solids, avoid:
  • foods with added sugars and no-calorie sweeteners.
  • high-sodium foods.
  • honey, until after the first birthday. ...
  • unpasteurized juice, milk, yogurt, or cheese.
  • regular cow's milk or soy drinks before 12 months instead of breast milk or formula.

Which food should you refrain from giving children under 12 months of age in order to minimize the risk of infant botulism? ›

One way to reduce the risk of botulism is to not give infants honey or any processed foods with honey before their first birthday. Honey is a proven source of the bacteria.

What food should be avoided until the child is 1 year old Why should this food be avoided? ›

Children younger than 24 months old should avoid added sugars. Cow'smilk before 12 months old may put your baby at risk for intestinal bleeding. It also has too many proteins and minerals for your baby's kidneys to handle easily and does not have the right amount of nutrients your baby needs.

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