The Two-Second Safe-Cut Check

• Sit upright - always seated in the high chair, never walking, playing or lying down.
• Supervise - an adult watching, close by, for every single bite.
• No screens - eating is the activity; the tablet and TV wait.
• Never force - if your baby turns away, stop and try another time.

Some shapes are dangerous at every age under 4. Learn them once:

• ✗ Coins and rounds - carrot coins, cucumber slices, whole grapes, whole cherry tomatoes. Round and firm is the riskiest combination.
• ✓ Strips and batons - cut lengthwise, about the size of an adult finger, so a baby can hold it in a fist with the top poking out.
• ✗ Whole nuts and seeds - never whole before 5 years; use smooth butters thinned into a cream instead.
• ✗ Hard and raw - raw apple chunks, raw carrot sticks, hard cheese cubes. Cook until soft, or grate fine.
• ✗ Sticky globs - big spoonfuls of nut butter, marshmallow, gummy candy.

Before you serve any piece, squish it between your thumb and finger. If you can't squish it, your baby can't mash it with their gums. Soft enough to squish = safe to offer.

Age	Texture	Safe shapes
Around 6 months	Smooth purees if spoon-feeding	Soft graspable pieces only when baby shows readiness, sits upright and is closely supervised
6-8 months	Thick creams, then very soft lumps	Soft mashed food and very soft graspable pieces as skills develop
9-12 months	Soft pieces to pick up	Lengthwise batons, well-cooked florets held by the stem, soft strips
12+ months	Bite-sized soft pieces	Small pieces of most family food, risky shapes still cut lengthwise or avoided

Grapes and cherry tomatoes are classic round choking shapes. Until at least 4 years, quarter them lengthwise. Never serve them whole or as round slices.