There are many choices of tasty, healthy foods for your baby, but not all foods are baby-friendly. Here are some foods that are not good for your baby.
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Sugar, high fructose corn syrup, salt and caffeine |
Delay introducing as long as possible |
Avoid foods that contain these items as main ingredients. |
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High nitrate foods |
Introduce over 8 months |
Beets, carrots, green beans, spinach, and collard greens. Also hot dogs, ham, bologna, sausages, salami, and many other deli meats. |
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Foods that can contain disease-causing bacteria |
Introduce over 12 months |
Honey, un-pasteurized foods (i.e. apple cider), blue cheese, brie, and raw fish. |
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Frequent allergens |
Introduce over 12 months, possibly much later |
Berries, chocolate, citrus fruits, cow's milk, egg whites, fish and shellfish, nuts, peanuts, and tomatoes. Processed foods with additives, coloring agents, and preservatives |
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Choking hazards |
Introduce at 2-3 years |
Nuts (other than finely ground); peanut butter; caramel; candy; gum; whole grapes; raw, hard fruits and veggies; chunks of meat; pieces of bacon; hot dogs; sunflower seeds; popcorn; raisins; potato chips; and hard candy. |
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Hot foods |
Introduce after 2-3 years |
All foods should be served cold, at room temperature, or slightly warm. |
-- Copyright 2009. Excerpted from So Easy Baby Food: Homemade Baby Food in Less Than 30 Minutes Per Week, By Cheryl Tallman, www.FreshBaby.com.
