Can anyone name all the foods infants should NEVER be fed?

Answer 1

There really isn't a single list.

There are 3 basic categories of foods to avoid: allergenic foods, choking hazards, and toxic foods.

The main thing in the third category is honey. Honey can contain spores of a bacteria that causes infant botulism. It shouldn't be given before baby is a year old (at which time, the digestive system has matured to the point where it can neutralize the bacteria). The risk is *very* tiny, but it exists. Many people would also tell you to avoid fish from polluted waters and highly chemicalized foods. These are best avoided for a lifetime.

The most highly allergenic foods include dairy, soy, wheat, and eggs (and peanuts if you live in the US or if either parent is American). These should ideally be avoided until baby's first birthday--possibly longer if there are food allergies in the family. Other allergenic foods include nuts, fish (especially shellfish), tomatoes, corn, citrus and berries, chocolate, and pork.

Whether a food is a choking hazard has more to do with the form than the food itself. Any hard, firm, or sticky food the size of baby's windpipe is a choking hazard. So chopped raw carrot or apple is dangerous, but grated, they are fine. Peanut butter on a spoon can cause choking, but spread thinly on a cracker or slice of bread, it doesn't. And whole grapes are firm enough to get caught in a baby's windpipe, but if you cut them in half, they soften up enough to allow baby to cough them up. Keep in mind that when you talk about an adult choking, you usually mean coughing up a food that is stuck. This is uncomfortable but not dangerous. The danger comes when a food is lodged so firmly that baby *can't* cough it up.

Answer 2

If you are talking about food allergy avoidance, the main foods that we as pediatricians recommend avoiding are nut products, seafood, and eggs for at least the first year. Some (including myself) even recommend waiting 2 years if possible. Strawberries are sometimes mentioned in this list as well, although it is not nearly as common. The longer you wait to introduce allergenic foods, the less likely a child is to have a reaction. But if they do get exposed early and have a reaction, then they are branded for life with an allergy that they might have been able to avoid.

You should avoid foods which can pose a choking hazard as well. Popcorn, nuts, whole grapes, hot dogs, and chunks of raw fruit or vegetables.

Citrus juices are controversial. Some say it may cause diaper rash, although many babies take it fine. I tell people juice isn't really "necessary" anyway, so its really up to the parents if they want to try orange juice, etc.

Many people have mentioned honey - which is correct so I won't go into detail on this one.

Good Luck!

Answer 3

An infant shouldn't eat any foods except breastmilk or formula until they are 4-5 months when they eat rice cereal. Breastmilk or formula should be used until the 1st birthday. Infants shouldn't eat honey, diet soda's, eggs, chocolate, & cow's milk. Baby food veggies can be started at 6 months and so on.

Answer 4

For the love of food paranoia!

Docs recommend no honey until baby is 1 yr old for fear of botulism. A pretty tough infection that Baby's immune system might not be able to handle, though incidence is rare. Other than that, avoid foods that might be a choking hazard, ie. hot dog chunk or big raw pieces of carrot, whole nuts. If it's something that becomes mushy fast once in the mouth, like those toddler cookies, crackers and cereals (Life or chex), you're fine.

You can be paranoid about food allergies if that keeps you happy. I have never been concerned. All of mine have had scary foods like peanut butter and eggs ( fried, scrambled, or deviled) fed to them starting about 10 months of age, served according to their ability to chew and not choke.

Our family doc only suggests that after starting out with baby cereals, feed them more of the smashed vegetables than fruits or dessert types of foods. Vegetables are an acquired taste. Learning to like them before falling in love with sugary things is a healthy idea.

Answer 5

As a mom of a 8 months old I can for sure state the following:

Babies under 1 year old must not be fed with strawberries, oranges (and any other kind of citrus types) and egg white. And none of the products containing those.
They might develop a huge rash because of those.

Answer 6

Don't know all of them but honey is one. They shouldn't get it until they are two I think because it contains a bacteria or something that they can't fend off or fight until they are a bit older.

Imagine my horror when I took my infant son with me to Burger King with my dad and I got up to get something only to come back to the table to see him about to put honey in my son's mouth. The chances are slim but still there.

Answer 7

I seem to recall someone saying that pretty much any food that is red in color shouldn't be fed to infants.

Answer 8

Honey

Answer 9

Honey
Nuts
Popcorn

I read these three in a magazine. Nuts and popcorn can cause severe choking and honey....I forgot why. There's something in it that can make an infant very very sick.

Answer 10

The ones I can think of off the top of my head are:

Peanut butter
Nuts
Honey
Cow's milk (not until 1 yr. old)
Anything salty
Anything really sweet
Anything that can cause choking