Foods to Avoid for Babies

You're better off waiting a little while to add these foods to your baby's diet.

What to avoid?

If your baby is under 6 months, there are a few foods you'll want to wait to introduce until a bit later, as they may cause food allergies or make your baby ill. They include:

• Eggs
• Fish
• Shellfish
• Nuts and seeds
• Soft and unpasteurised cheeses
• Foods that contain wheat or gluten (a protein found in wheat, rye and barley)

Fruit, vegetables and baby rice are really all you need at this early stage; they won’t get bored, trust us.

Even after the magic 6-month point, there are still a few no-no’s for babies under one: namely too much sugar or salt, artificial additives, honey, unpasteurised milk or cheeses, and raw or undercooked meat, fish or eggs. It's also best to limit high-fibre foods until the age of 2, because they fill tiny tummies up too fast and keep your baby from getting enough calories to fuel that rapidly growing body! Choose full-fat dairy products, too – they provide valuable energy and valuable vitamins such as vitamin A which low fat dairy products may be low in.

One last tip: your baby is still figuring out this chewing lark, so for safety's sake, avoid giving foods that are hard or large in size, like popcorn or grapes. Vegetables bigger than a pea could get stuck if they go down the wrong way.