Is Your Child’s Food Being Prepared Safely?
When a baby begins their weaning journey, it is an exciting milestone. Read on to understand Choking Prevention from Weaning Through the Early Years
New tastes. New textures. Finger foods. Sitting at the table. Learning to chew and swallow.
But alongside all of those exciting firsts comes something every parent, carer, nursery practitioner and early years professional needs to understand: choking prevention.
Choking can happen at any age, but babies and young children are particularly vulnerable. Their airways are smaller and more easily blocked, and they are still developing the skills needed to bite, chew and safely manage different textures of food.
This means that something as simple as the way a grape, sausage, piece of apple or block of cheese is cut can make an enormous difference.
For early years settings, this isn’t something that should be left to individual judgement either.
There is clear government guidance around safer eating, food preparation, supervision, weaning and choking prevention.
From September 2025, the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) statutory framework introduced a requirement for providers to take the Department for Education’s nutrition guidance into account and follow it unless there is good reason not to.
The guidance applies to early years providers in England caring for children aged 0–5 and supports settings in providing healthy, balanced and nutritious food.
But nutrition isn’t simply about what we feed children.
How we prepare and serve that food matters too.
This is why choking prevention from weaning through the early years should be an important part of food safety within every nursery, preschool, childminding provision and early years setting.
Why Are Babies and Young Children at Greater Risk of Choking?
Children can choke on any food.
However, the Department for Education highlights that younger children are at greater risk because their narrow airways are more easily blocked.
Babies are also learning an entirely new skill.
For the first months of their life, their nutrition has primarily come from milk. From around six months, most babies begin learning how to manage solid foods.
They need to learn how to:
- move food around their mouth
- bite and chew
- manage different textures
- control how much food is in their mouth
- coordinate chewing and swallowing
- safely swallow solid food.
These abilities develop over time.
This is why food needs to be prepared according to the child’s age, size and stage of development.
The NHS recommends introducing solid foods from around six months and gradually progressing from puréed or blended foods to mashed, lumpy and finger foods as the baby is able to manage them.
Babies need opportunities to learn these skills – but they need to do so as safely as possible.
Choking Prevention from Weaning Through the Early Years Starts With Food Preparation
One of the biggest misconceptions surrounding choking is:
“As long as the food is cut into small pieces, it is safe.”
That isn’t necessarily true.
Sometimes cutting a food into a small, round piece can actually create a dangerous shape.
Think about a sausage.
If you slice a sausage across its width, you create small circular pieces.
A small circle can fit into and potentially block a child’s airway.
The same principle applies to grapes and cherry tomatoes.
Therefore, when thinking about choking prevention, we need to consider three things:
Size. Shape. Texture.
The NHS specifically advises parents and carers to think about all three when preparing food for babies and young children.
Food should generally be prepared to avoid hard, firm and round shapes that could obstruct the airway.
Grapes: Quarter Them Lengthways
Grapes are probably one of the most well-known choking hazards for young children.
But simply cutting a grape in half isn’t necessarily enough.
The Department for Education advises that small round foods such as grapes, strawberries and cherry tomatoes should be:
cut lengthways and into quarters.
This changes the shape of the food and reduces the likelihood of it completely blocking the airway.
So:
❌ Whole grape
❌ A grape simply sliced across the middle
✅ Cut lengthways and quartered
The same principle should be considered with other small, round foods.
It may take a few seconds longer when preparing a snack, but those few seconds matter.
Cherry Tomatoes and Other Small Round Fruit
Cherry tomatoes can present a similar risk.
Their small, smooth, round shape means they could obstruct a child’s airway.
The DfE guidance therefore advises cutting small round foods lengthways and into quarters.
This includes foods such as:
- grapes
- cherry tomatoes
- small berries
- strawberries
- cherries, with stones removed.
Whenever you’re preparing food for a young child, ask yourself:
Could the shape of this food fit into and block a small airway?
If the answer could be yes, consider how its shape can be changed before serving it.
Sausages and Hot Dogs: Never Simply Cut Them Into Rounds
This is another important one for parents and early years settings.
Sausages are often sliced into little round pieces for young children.
Unfortunately, that’s exactly the type of shape we should be trying to avoid.
NHS guidance recommends cutting sausages and hot dogs into short strips. They can be cut in half and then lengthways, or sliced as thinly as possible.
Removing the sausage skin can also make it easier to swallow.
The Department for Education similarly advises cutting sausages into thin strips rather than chunks and removing the skin.
It is also worth remembering that sausages are generally high in salt, so the DfE advises avoiding them for this reason.
So:
❌ Whole sausage
❌ Thick chunks
❌ Round coin-shaped slices
✅ Cut lengthways into thin strips
This is a simple change that parents and early years practitioners can make immediately.
Apples, Carrots and Other Firm Foods
Healthy doesn’t automatically mean choking-safe.
Raw apple and raw carrot are good examples.
They’re nutritious foods, but their hard texture can make them difficult for a baby or young child to safely manage.
For babies who are first being introduced to these foods, the Department for Education recommends softening hard fruit and vegetables and removing skins.
The NHS suggests that firm fruit can be:
- grated
- mashed
- steamed
- simmered.
Larger fruits such as apples and melon should be cut into slices rather than small chunks.
Vegetables such as carrots, peppers, cucumber and celery can be cut into narrow batons, with firm vegetables softened for very young children.
The preparation method should always reflect the child’s age and developmental stage.
Whole Nuts: Not for Children Under Five
This is a very clear recommendation.
Whole nuts and peanuts should not be given to children under five because of the choking risk.
However, that doesn’t mean all nuts must necessarily be excluded until age five.
From around six months, nuts may be introduced in appropriate forms, such as:
- finely crushed nuts
- ground nuts
- flaked nuts
- smooth nut butter spread onto another food.
Always consider allergies when introducing allergens and follow the appropriate guidance for the individual child.
The important distinction from a choking perspective is the form in which the food is served.
A whole peanut and finely ground peanut are very different choking risks.
Peanut Butter: Don’t Give It by the Spoonful
Peanut butter might not immediately look like a choking hazard because it is soft.
But its thick, sticky consistency can make it difficult for a baby or young child to manage if given by itself.
NHS advice is that nut butters should be used as a spread or incorporated into food.
For example, peanut butter could be:
- thinly spread onto toast
- stirred into porridge
- incorporated into another suitable meal.
It should not be given to babies and young children by itself.
Popcorn: Not Suitable for Children Under Five
Popcorn is another food specifically identified in government and NHS choking-prevention advice.
Children under five should not be given popcorn as a snack.
This is something worth highlighting because popcorn is frequently associated with family activities, parties, cinemas and movie afternoons.
For an older child, it may seem like an ordinary snack.
For a young child, however, it can present a choking hazard.
Early years settings should therefore ensure popcorn isn’t included as a snack for children in this age group.
Marshmallows, Jelly Cubes and Hard Sweets
Some of the most dangerous foods aren’t necessarily the ones people immediately associate with choking.
The Department for Education advises that children should not be given:
Marshmallows
Their soft, sticky consistency can allow them to become lodged in the throat.
Jelly cubes straight from the packet
These can also become stuck in the throat.
Importantly, the DfE guidance says marshmallows and jelly cubes should not be used either for eating or as part of messy-play activities.
That is an important point for early years practitioners.
A food doesn’t have to be presented as a snack for it to end up in a child’s mouth.
Hard sweets
These should not be given to young children because of the choking risk.
The NHS also identifies other hard, gooey or sticky sweets, chewing gum and ice cubes as choking hazards.
Cheese: Think Strips, Not Chunks
Cheese is another common nursery and toddler food.
But again, preparation matters.
Rather than cutting cheese into cubes or chunks, government guidance recommends cutting it into strips.
The NHS also suggests either grating cheese or cutting it into short, narrow strips.
So:
❌ Large cubes or chunks
✅ Grated cheese
✅ Short, narrow strips
It is another good example of how changing the shape of a familiar food can help reduce choking risk.
Bread Can Also Present a Choking Risk
Bread might seem harmless, but white bread can become doughy when mixed with saliva.
If it isn’t chewed properly, it can form into a ball-like texture in the throat.
The NHS suggests lightly toasting white bread or using brown bread instead.
Bread, naan, chapatis and other breads should also be cut into narrow strips for young children.
Again, this demonstrates why choking prevention isn’t simply about avoiding a handful of obviously dangerous foods.
Preparation matters.
Raisins and Dried Fruit
The DfE advises that raisins should not be offered as a snack to children under 12 months.
They can, however, be chopped and incorporated into a meal.
The NHS similarly advises against giving whole raisins or other whole dried fruits to babies under one year old and recommends cutting them into small pieces.
As the child develops, food preparation can change with their ability.
Fish and Meat: Check Carefully for Bones
Before serving fish or meat, check carefully and remove bones.
Meat should also be prepared in a way that makes it manageable for the child.
The NHS recommends cutting meat into strips as thinly as possible and removing skin and fat to make it easier to swallow.
With fish in particular, don’t assume that something sold as “boneless” is guaranteed to contain absolutely no bones.
Check before serving.
A Quick Choking-Prevention Food Guide
| Food | Avoid | Safer preparation |
|---|---|---|
| Grapes | Whole or round pieces | Quarter lengthways |
| Cherry tomatoes | Whole | Quarter lengthways |
| Sausages | Round slices/chunks | Thin strips, cut lengthways; remove skin |
| Whole nuts | Whole nuts under 5 | Crush, grind, chop or flake |
| Popcorn | Giving to under-5s | Do not offer as a snack |
| Apple | Hard chunks | Slice, grate, mash or soften as appropriate |
| Carrot | Hard chunks for young babies | Narrow batons; soften for very young children |
| Cheese | Chunks/cubes | Grate or cut into narrow strips |
| Peanut butter | Spoonful by itself | Thinly spread or incorporate into food |
| Raisins | Whole for babies under 1 | Chop and incorporate appropriately |
| Bread | Doughy chunks | Narrow strips; consider lightly toasted/brown bread |
| Marshmallows | Whole or pieces | Avoid |
| Jelly cubes | Raw cubes | Avoid |
| Hard sweets | Whole | Avoid |
This table is a useful starting point, but it isn’t an exhaustive list.
Any food can potentially cause choking.
Preparation, supervision and the child’s individual development all matter.
What About Foods Babies Shouldn’t Have for Other Reasons?
Choking isn’t the only consideration when introducing food.
Some foods need to be avoided or limited because of infection, nutrition or other health risks.
For example:
Honey
Honey should not be given to babies until they are over 12 months old because it can contain bacteria that can cause infant botulism.
High-salt foods
Babies shouldn’t be given salty foods.
Foods such as bacon, sausages, crackers, crisps, some ready meals and takeaways can contain high levels of salt.
Certain cheeses
Babies can have pasteurised full-fat cheese from around six months, but certain mould-ripened, blue-veined and unpasteurised cheeses should be avoided unless appropriately cooked.
Raw shellfish
Shellfish should be thoroughly cooked.
Shark, swordfish and marlin
These are not recommended for babies and young children because their mercury levels can affect the developing nervous system.
Food safety therefore involves looking at the whole picture – nutrition, allergens, infection risks and choking prevention.
Gagging Isn’t the Same as Choking
One of the most frightening things for a parent beginning weaning can be seeing their baby gag.
But gagging and choking are not the same thing.
Gagging is a normal reflex.
Babies are learning to manage solid food. They may:
- make noise
- retch
- push their tongue forwards
- have watery eyes
- bring food forwards
- sometimes vomit.
Gagging tends to be noisy.
Choking can be silent.
When a child’s airway is significantly obstructed, they may be unable to breathe, cry, speak or cough effectively.
The NHS describes choking as quiet, whereas gagging is generally noisy.
Understanding this distinction can help parents and practitioners respond appropriately.
However, if you are concerned that a child cannot breathe properly, treat the situation seriously and follow appropriate choking first aid.
Supervision Is a Crucial Part of Choking Prevention
Preparing food correctly is only one part of choking prevention from weaning through the early years.
Supervision is just as important.
The Department for Education states that babies and young children should be seated safely in a highchair or an appropriately sized low chair when eating.
They must never be left alone while eating and should always remain within the sight and hearing of a member of staff.
Where possible, staff should sit facing the children.
This allows practitioners to monitor how children are eating, prevent food sharing and identify unexpected allergic reactions.
For parents, the same basic principle applies.
Sit with your child.
Watch them eat.
Avoid leaving them eating while you leave the room to answer the door, make a drink or complete another job.
Choking can happen very quickly.
Children Should Be Sitting Upright to Eat
The NHS advises that babies and young children should be alert and sitting safely upright in a highchair while eating.
That means mealtimes aren’t the time for a child to be:
- lying down
- reclined
- running around
- eating while distracted
- eating unsupervised.
The aim is to create an environment in which the child can concentrate on safely biting, chewing and swallowing their food.
For babies, a properly fitted highchair with a secure harness is important.
Should Children Eat While Watching a Tablet or Television?
The NHS recommends keeping distractions to a minimum during mealtimes, including avoiding sitting a baby in front of a television, phone or tablet.
Eating is a skill.
Young children need opportunities to concentrate on what is happening inside their mouth and learn to chew and swallow effectively.
Adults can also role-model appropriate eating behaviour.
Sitting together and showing children how to chew and swallow calmly can help develop those skills.
The EYFS Has Specific Safer-Eating Requirements
This section is particularly important for nurseries, preschools, childminders and school-based early years provision.
Choking prevention isn’t simply an optional addition to an early years food policy.
The Department for Education states that the EYFS framework includes detailed safer-eating requirements concerning:
- allergies
- safe weaning
- choking prevention.
Early years providers must be aware of these requirements.
Settings must also be confident that anyone responsible for preparing and handling food is competent to do so.
This means choking prevention from weaning through the early years should involve the whole setting, rather than simply the nursery cook.
Practitioners serving snacks need to understand it.
Staff supervising meals need to understand it.
Managers need to understand it.
Anyone preparing food needs to understand it.
And critically, staff need to know what to do if prevention fails and a child begins choking.
A Full Paediatric First Aider Must Be in the Room While Children Eat
This is an especially important requirement for early years settings.
Current Department for Education guidance states:
Early years settings must always have a member of staff with a valid full-course Paediatric First Aid certificate in the room when children are eating.
That goes further than simply having somebody PFA trained somewhere on the premises.
Think about what this means operationally.
What happens at breakfast?
What happens during snack time?
What happens at lunch?
What happens if the usual qualified practitioner goes on their break?
What happens when children eat outside?
What happens during a trip?
What happens if children are eating in two separate rooms?
Settings should look at their staffing arrangements and make sure their procedures reflect the current requirements.
What Should Happen After a Choking Incident?
A choking incident shouldn’t simply be dealt with and forgotten.
The Department for Education advises that when a child experiences a choking incident requiring staff intervention – for example, back blows – the details should be recorded and the child’s parents or carers informed.
Recording incidents can help settings identify patterns.
For example:
Was the same type of food involved more than once?
Was it prepared correctly?
Was the child’s developmental stage considered?
Did the child put too much food into their mouth?
Was the food too firm?
Does the risk assessment or food-preparation procedure need reviewing?
A near miss or successfully resolved choking incident can provide important learning.
What Should You Do If a Baby or Child Is Choking?
Prevention should always be the priority.
However, everyone caring for young children should know how to respond if choking does occur.
If the child is coughing effectively, encourage them to cough and closely monitor them.
If the cough becomes ineffective or the child cannot breathe properly, immediate action is needed.
Current NHS guidance advises giving up to five sharp back blows.
The next steps differ depending on whether you are treating a baby under one year old or a child over one, which is why practical Paediatric First Aid training is so important.
If the obstruction does not clear, further choking treatment is required and emergency assistance should be obtained.
If the child becomes unresponsive, CPR may be required.
Never blindly sweep your fingers around inside a child’s mouth. If you can clearly see an obstruction and can safely remove it, do so, but blindly probing the mouth can push an object deeper.
Choking first aid is a practical skill.
Reading about it is useful, but actually practising the techniques on appropriate training manikins can help people understand the positioning, sequence and differences between treating babies and older children.
“But We’ve Never Had a Child Choke Before”
Hopefully, you never will.
But absence of a previous incident doesn’t mean absence of risk.
Most workplaces don’t wait for a fire before introducing a fire procedure.
We don’t wait for a serious accident before carrying out risk assessments.
And early years settings shouldn’t wait for a choking incident before reviewing how food is prepared, served and supervised.
Look at your normal menu.
Look at snack time.
Look inside the children’s lunchboxes.
Look at birthday celebrations.
Look at cooking activities.
Look at messy play.
Look at outings and picnics.
Could any of those activities introduce a choking hazard?
Choking Prevention Isn’t About Becoming Frightened of Food
This is an important message, particularly for parents beginning weaning.
We don’t want parents to become frightened of introducing textures or finger foods.
Babies need opportunities to learn how to manage different foods.
The NHS encourages progression from puréed and blended food towards mashed, lumpy and finger foods as babies become able to manage them.
Finger foods can help babies learn to self-feed and develop coordination.
The aim isn’t to eliminate texture.
It is to introduce food appropriately and safely for the child’s stage of development.
That’s the heart of choking prevention from weaning through the early years.
Choking Prevention Checklist for Parents and Early Years Settings
Before giving food to a baby or young child, ask:
Is the child sitting upright?
Are they alert and ready to eat?
Will an adult remain with them throughout the meal?
Is the food appropriate for their age and developmental stage?
Have stones, pips and bones been removed?
Have round foods been appropriately cut?
Are firm foods sufficiently softened or prepared?
Have sausages been cut lengthways rather than into round pieces?
Are whole nuts and popcorn excluded for under-fives?
Are sticky choking hazards such as marshmallows being avoided?
Have allergies and dietary requirements been checked?
Does someone present know what to do if the child chokes?
And, within an early years setting:
Is a member of staff holding a valid full-course Paediatric First Aid certificate in the room while the children are eating?
These are small checks.
But they can make an enormous difference.
Choking Prevention from Weaning Through the Early Years: The Key Message
Choking prevention isn’t about one particular food.
It’s about creating safer habits.
Prepare food appropriately.
Think about size, shape and texture.
Avoid known choking hazards.
Sit babies and young children safely upright.
Supervise them throughout meals and snacks.
Understand the difference between gagging and choking.
Make sure staff know how to respond to an emergency.
And for early years settings, make sure your policies and everyday practices reflect current EYFS requirements and Department for Education guidance.
Something as simple as cutting a grape differently might seem insignificant.
Until you understand why you’re doing it.
Choking emergencies can develop incredibly quickly, which is why prevention and preparation need to work together.
Paediatric First Aid Training with HMB Training Services
Would you know what to do if a baby suddenly stopped making a noise while eating?
Would your team recognise the difference between gagging and choking?
Would they know how to correctly position a baby for back blows?
Would they know what to do differently for a child over one?
And would they know what to do if that child became unresponsive?
Paediatric First Aid training gives early years professionals the practical skills and confidence to respond when a child needs help.
At HMB Training Services, our Paediatric First Aid courses are practical, engaging and designed to give learners the opportunity to practise the skills they may one day need in a real emergency.
Training includes essential paediatric emergency skills such as:
- recognising and responding to choking
- CPR for babies and children
- use of an AED
- managing an unresponsive casualty
- bleeding and wounds
- seizures
- anaphylaxis
- other common paediatric first aid emergencies.
For nurseries, preschools, childminders, schools and other early years providers, Paediatric First Aid isn’t simply about obtaining a certificate.
It’s about knowing that if something happens at breakfast, lunch or snack time, your team knows how to respond.
Choking prevention from weaning through the early years starts with reducing the risk – but it also means being prepared for the moment when prevention isn’t enough.
If your Paediatric First Aid certificates are due for renewal, you have new members of staff who need training, or you’d simply like to discuss the right course for your setting, contact HMB Training Services to discuss Paediatric First Aid training for your team.
Frequently Asked Questions
At what age should babies start weaning?
NHS guidance generally recommends introducing solid foods from around six months old. Babies develop at different rates, so parents should look for signs that their baby is ready and seek professional advice where needed.
Can babies have grapes?
Grapes need to be appropriately prepared. Small round foods such as grapes should be cut lengthways and into quarters to reduce the choking risk.
Can children under five eat popcorn?
Government and NHS guidance advises that children under five should not be given popcorn because of the choking risk.
Can children under five eat nuts?
Whole nuts and peanuts should not be given to children under five because they can cause choking. Nuts can be appropriately crushed, ground, chopped or flaked.
Can babies have peanut butter?
Nut butter can be introduced from around six months where appropriate, but it should be spread onto another food or incorporated into a meal. Babies and young children should not be given peanut butter by itself.
Should sausages be cut into circles for toddlers?
No. Sausages and hot dogs should be cut into thin, short strips rather than round chunks. Cutting them lengthways helps remove the round shape that can obstruct the airway. Removing the skin can also make them easier to swallow.
Should grapes just be cut in half?
The Department for Education recommends cutting small round foods such as grapes lengthways and into quarters.
Are marshmallows safe for nursery-aged children?
The DfE’s early years food-safety guidance says children should not be given marshmallows because they can become stuck in the throat. It also advises against using marshmallows in messy-play activities.
Does a Paediatric First Aider need to be present while children eat in nursery?
Yes. Current Department for Education early years food-safety guidance states that early years settings must always have a member of staff with a valid full-course Paediatric First Aid certificate in the room when children are eating.
What’s the difference between choking and gagging?
Gagging is a normal reflex when babies are learning to manage food and is usually noisy. Choking can be silent because the airway is blocked. A child who cannot breathe, cry, speak or cough effectively needs immediate help.
Should a choking incident at nursery be recorded?
Yes. DfE guidance says that where a choking incident requires intervention from a member of staff, such as back blows, the details should be recorded and parents or carers informed. Recording incidents can also help a setting identify patterns and review how particular foods are prepared.
Official Guidance and Further Reading
This article has been prepared using current guidance from the Department for Education, Early Years Foundation Stage and NHS, including:
- Department for Education – Early Years Foundation Stage nutrition guidance
- Department for Education – Help for Early Years Providers: Food Safety
- NHS Best Start in Life – Preparing Food Safely
- NHS – Your Baby’s First Solid Foods
- NHS Best Start in Life – Choking and Gagging on Food
- NHS – Foods to Avoid Giving Babies and Young Children
Guidance can change, so early years providers should continue to check the latest EYFS and government guidance and ensure their policies, procedures and staff training remain up to date.
This article provides general information and does not replace appropriate Paediatric First Aid training, individual medical advice or your setting’s own policies and risk assessments.
Paediatric First Aid Training for Nurseries, Preschools & Schools
Making sure your team has the right Paediatric First Aid training isn’t just about meeting EYFS requirements – it’s about making sure staff feel confident and prepared if a baby or child becomes ill or injured.
At HMB Training Services, we provide practical, engaging Paediatric First Aid training for nurseries, preschools, school nurseries, Reception staff and other early-years professionals.
12-Hour Paediatric First Aid Course
Our 12-hour Paediatric First Aid course is designed to meet the Paediatric First Aid requirements of the EYFS.
The course can be completed through blended learning, combining online learning with practical, face-to-face training.
Learners develop the knowledge and practical skills needed to respond to a wide range of emergencies involving babies and children, including:
- CPR and resuscitation
- using an AED
- choking
- unconsciousness and the recovery position
- anaphylaxis and allergic reactions
- seizures and febrile convulsions
- catastrophic and serious bleeding
- head injuries
- burns and scalds
- fractures and soft-tissue injuries
- shock
- poisoning
- common childhood illnesses and emergencies.
Our training is practical and interactive, giving learners the opportunity to practise essential skills rather than simply listening to a presentation.
Emergency Paediatric First Aid
We also provide Emergency Paediatric First Aid training for organisations that need the shorter course for appropriate members of their team.
As explained throughout this article, Full Paediatric First Aid and Emergency Paediatric First Aid are not interchangeable in every situation. Nursery and school managers should consider which qualification each member of staff requires based on their role and how they are being counted within the EYFS staffing arrangements.
If you’re unsure which course your staff need, we’re happy to help you work through your requirements.
Need to Get Your Nursery Team PFA Trained?
Don’t wait until certificates are about to expire – or until staffing changes leave you struggling to maintain your Paediatric First Aid cover.
HMB Training Services can train your team at your workplace, making it easier to get multiple members of staff trained together and minimise disruption to your setting.
Whether you need to train newly qualified practitioners, apprentices, existing nursery staff or an entire early-years team, we can help you choose the appropriate course.
Ready to Book?
Get in touch with HMB Training Services to discuss your Paediatric First Aid training requirements, request a quote or arrange training for your team.
Not sure how many staff need training or whether they need Full Paediatric First Aid or Emergency Paediatric First Aid?
Contact us and we’ll help you identify the most appropriate training for your setting.
