Are Raisins Safe For Babies? - BabyCentre UK

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1. Baby /
2. First foods

Are raisins safe for babies?Medically reviewed by Sarah Schenker, Dietitian Written by Lorna Marsh | 1 May 2022Photo credit: Banana StockIt depends on the age of your baby. It’s best not to give young babies small pieces of food, such as raisins (NHS 2014). Small pieces of food could cause your baby to choke (NHS 2014).

When can I give raisins to my baby?

Make sure your baby is ready for small food before giving them raisins. They’ll need to be able to chew or gum food, and to sit up properly. They’re usually ready when they’re a year old (NHS 2014). They’ll also need to have mastered the pincer grasp, which means they can pick up small objects between their forefinger and thumb. They won’t develop this until they’re around nine months old (Duryea 2020). Advertisement | page continues below Always stay with your baby while they’re eating.

Is it OK to give raisins to toddlers?

By the time your baby has grown into a toddler, raisins can be a handy and nutritious snack when you're both out and about. You could also try offering dried apricots, figs and stoned dates. All these dried fruits provide good amounts of calcium, potassium, iron, and magnesium. However, raisins and other dried fruits are high in sugar and can stick to your baby’s teeth. That’s why experts recommend giving raisins or other dried fruits to your baby with meals, rather than as a snack in between (NHS 2019). If you do give them as a snack, wait an hour then brush your baby’s teeth carefully. Don’t brush their teeth immediately as the enamel will still be soft straight after eating. The packet may have a warning about the product being prepared where nuts are also processed. Check the packaging before giving them to your child if they have a nut allergy. Discover whether it's safe for your baby to eat:

• eggs
• honey
• sesame seeds
• nuts and nut products

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Sources

BabyCentre's editorial team is committed to providing the most helpful and trustworthy pregnancy and parenting information in the world. When creating and updating content, we rely on credible sources: respected health organisations, professional groups of doctors and other experts, and published studies in peer-reviewed journals. We believe you should always know the source of the information you're seeing. Learn more about our editorial and medical review policies.

Duryea TK. 2020. Introducing solid foods and vitamin and mineral supplementation during infancy. UpToDate. www.uptodate.comOpens a new window [Accessed May 2022] NHS. 2014. A Guide to Weaning. NHS Forth Valley. nhsforthvalley.comOpens a new window [Accessed May 2022] NHS. 2019. What to feed young children. NHS, Health A-Z. www.nhs.ukOpens a new window [Accessed May 2022] Lorna MarshLorna Marsh is freelance editor at BabyCentre. She has more than 20 years’ journalism and editing experience, including working for the NHS. Opens a new window Opens a new window

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