How to Know When a Baby Can Eat Dried Fruit

Parents often worry when they can introduce foods to their baby. Dried fruits, while healthy for adults, pose severe risks to a baby. Not only are they sized to be a choking hazard, they are also sticky, increasing the choking hazard even further. The potential danger associated with dried fruit outweighs the nutritional goodness. Read on to learn how to know when a baby can eat dried fruit.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

1. Wait until the child is four-years-old. Some children can eat raisins at three-years-old, but four is when the American Dietetic Association recommends. This is due to the high choking risk associated with the stickiness of dried fruit.
2. Cut raisins in half before giving them to a preschool-aged child. This decreases the chance that the child will choke on the dried fruit. Full raisins are too big, and can become lodged in the child's throat.
3. Chop dried fruits into fingertip sized pieces. Dried fruit such as dates or apricots are also sticky, but chopping them into smaller pieces makes them easier for a child to swallow.
4. Brush the child's teeth after they eat dried fruit. Dried fruit increases the chance that a child will have cavities. This is due to the fact that the sticky fruit attaches to the enamel on the teeth, and eventually allows bacteria to decay them. If a toothbrush isn't handy, give the child some water to wash his mouth out.
5. Err on the side of safety. If there are any doubts as to whether the child can safely eat these foods, hold off on trying them.