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Foods that Toddlers Should Not Eat

By Martha Sanders

Although toddlers can eat the same type of food as adults, there’s still some foods that are unsafe and unhealthy for toddlers and you should avoid giving such foods to your little ones. When planning your toddler’s menu, keep these foods in mind:

1. Drinks that are high in sugar or fructose corn syrup, or contain caffeine. Sodas, fruit drinks and squashes are expensive, high in sugar and bad for teeth. If you offer sweetened drinks to your toddler, he’s likely to develop a liking for overly sweet things later in life.

Boiled cooled water is the cheapest and best source of fluids. And, it’s also fortified with fluoride for strong teeth.

You can offer fruit juice to your toddler but make sure to mix it with equals parts of water. However, don't let your toddler fill up on juices that there's no room left for food.

2. Toddlers should not have no more than 1/6th of an adult’s maximum daily allowance of salt in any one day, which is less than 1g per day. If you want some flavor in your toddler’s food, use herbs and spices instead.

Some adult foods are unsuitable as they are often high in salt or sugar, or contain additives, sweeteners, artificial colorings and flavoring. Check the salt content on nutrition labels if you're giving packaged foods.

Avoid srerving your small children processed foods such as noodles or chicken nuggets as they contain a high amount of salt and artificial flavorings. If possible, hamburgers should be homemade and the fish fingers organic.

Additionally, don’t automatically assume that baking frozen nuggets at home transforms them into healthy choices. Much of the fat and sodium are in the meat mixture and coating, and not due to deep-frying.

Also, be extra careful when you serve hot dogs – cut it lengthwise and then in bite-size pieces. Never give a hot dog to toddlers in its original shape because hot dogs swell in the esophagus if caught, and can block the airways.

3. Hydrogenated oils are one of the most worst things added to foods these days. When grocery shopping, always read food labels – avoid cereals, crackers, cookies, cakes, salad, or anything that has “hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated” on its ingredient list.

If you want to give your toddler some snacks, it’s best you make your own snacks or offer fresh fruits in place of unhealthy snacks such as candies, cookies or cakes.

4. Eggs, shellfish and raw honey can upset delicate tummies and even cause food poisoning if cooked improperly. Egg or fish allergies in a toddler can produce a rash, vomiting or even anaphylaxis.

If you’re serving your toddler eggs, make sure they are cooked until both the white and yolk are solid.

Be aware that shark, swordfish and marlin contain relatively high levels of mercury, which might affect a kid's developing nervous system.

5. Although there’s nothing wrong with nuts, some toddlers can develop severe allergic reactions. Even if your toddler isn’t allergic to nuts, nuts can be a chocking hazard so it’s better to avoid nuts.

If you want to serve your toddler nuts, make sure you use crushed or flaked nuts.

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