← Starting solids: the overview
What foods should babies not eat?
The good news first: the list of no-gos is short. But the few items on it matter – they cover two different dangers: foods that can make a baby ill and shapes a baby can choke on.
In short: off limits in the first year: honey (botulism risk), raw milk and raw animal products (raw egg, raw minced meat, raw fish), salt and sugar. Because of the choking risk, also: whole nuts, whole grapes (quarter them lengthwise!), hard raw pieces of vegetable and fruit. And: always stay with your baby while eating, baby sits upright.
The red list: can make your baby ill
| Food | Why it's off limits | OK from |
|---|---|---|
| Honey (also in baked goods/tea) | Can contain botulism spores – life-threatening in an infant's gut (BfR). Cooking doesn't reliably destroy the spores. | From the 1st birthday |
| Raw milk & raw-milk cheese | Risk of listeria and EHEC. | Pasteurised as an ingredient at any time; cow's milk as a drink only towards the end of the 1st year in small amounts |
| Raw/soft egg | Salmonella risk. | Hard-boiled/cooked through, already during solids – introducing it early is good (allergens) |
| Raw meat & raw sausage (steak tartare, salami), raw fish | Listeria, salmonella, toxoplasmosis. | Cooked through, already during solids – meat is the best source of iron |
| Salt | Strains the immature kidneys. | Sparingly after the 1st birthday |
| Sugar & sweets | Shapes preferences, damages teeth, displaces nutrients. | The later and rarer, the better |
| Wild mushrooms, large predatory fish (e.g. tuna, frequently) | Heavy-metal or contaminant load. | Toddler age, in moderation |
Choking hazards: the shape is the problem
Here the food isn't toxic – it just has the perfect size to get stuck in the windpipe. The paediatricians' rule (AAP among others): defuse anything round, hard and smooth.
| Risky | How to make it safe |
|---|---|
| Whole grapes, cherry tomatoes, (large) blueberries | Quarter lengthwise – not just halve |
| Whole nuts & peanuts | Only ground or as thinly spread nut butter (stirred lump-free into purée) |
| Raw carrot, raw apple, raw kohlrabi | Cook soft or grate finely – raw only once chewing is reliable |
| Sausages/hot dogs in slices | The classic of emergency rooms: always quarter lengthwise, better to offer rarely |
| Popcorn, hard sweets, chewing gum, whole cherries with stones | Not at all for babies and toddlers |
| Sticky fruit spread, a spoonful of nut butter “neat” | Always thin/stir nut butter in – sticky blobs can block the airway |
The basic rules at mealtimes
Always stay with your baby. Baby eats sitting upright, never lying down, never in a moving car, never while crawling around. No distraction from commotion – and no popping food into the mouth “on the side”. It sounds strict, but it's half the battle: most choking accidents happen in passing.
Warnings at exactly the right moment
Nobody has a table in their head while feeding – that's why HeyFini puts it right into the food catalogue: pick grapes, honey or raw carrot, for instance, and the app warns you before you log it, with the specific note and the source (BfR, Gesund ins Leben, AAP). Over 230 foods, each with preparation by age (6+/9+/12+ months).
Download HeyFini on the App Store
Frequently asked questions
Why no honey for babies?
Botulism spores can germinate in an infant's gut – life-threatening (BfR). Applies for the whole first year, cooked honey included.
Are grapes really that dangerous?
Yes – round, smooth, exactly airway-sized. Quartering them lengthwise makes them harmless.
When can my child eat whole nuts?
Whole nuts stay off the menu for a long time because of the choking risk – ground or as thinned nut butter they're fine from the start of solids.
My baby gags on finger food – should I stop?
Gagging (loud, with coughing) is a normal protective reflex while learning to chew. Stay calm and keep going – the danger is silent choking, see the warning box above.
More guides on starting solids
General guidance, not medical advice. For questions about your child, talk to your paediatrician or midwife; in an emergency call your local emergency number (112 in the EU, 999 in the UK, 911 in the US).