| Age | Can they have it? | How to serve it |
|---|---|---|
| 4 months | No — not yet | — |
| 6 months | No — not yet | — |
| 9 months | No — not yet | — |
| 12 months | No — not yet | — |
| 18 months | No — not yet | — |
| 2 years | Yes | Use iron-fortified INFANT cereal instead — oat, barley or multigrain — mixed with breast milk, formula or water. The AAP also warns that processed foods made for adults and older children often contain more salt and preservatives. |
Cut food for infants and young children into pieces no larger than one-half inch. Cut cylindrical foods (hot dogs, sausage, string cheese) into short thin strips — round pieces can get stuck in the airway. Cut small spherical foods (grapes, cherries, berries, tomatoes) into small pieces. Cook hard vegetables and fruit until they mash easily. Remove seeds, hard pits, skin and bones.
Yes — Breakfast cereal (adult) is one of the foods the AAP and CDC name on their choking-hazard lists. The danger is almost always the shape rather than the food itself, which is why the serving form above is the whole answer. Cut everything to no larger than half an inch, cut cylindrical foods into short thin strips rather than rounds, and quarter anything round.
Breakfast cereal (adult) is not one of the common allergens. Introduce it on its own anyway and wait 3 to 5 days before the next new food, so if your baby does react to something you know what it was.
Watch for diarrhea, rash, vomiting or hives after a new food. Call 911 for trouble breathing or swelling of the face, lips or tongue.
Some plain unsweetened O-shaped cereals dissolve easily and are used as early finger foods, but the sources do not name a specific brand, so we won't either — check the label for added sugar and for whole kernels, seeds or nut pieces.
Not before 2 years. Sweetened adult cereals are not for a baby: they are a food with added sugars, and the CDC says infants and young children should not have added sugars. Granola in particular is on the choking-hazard list. Some plain unsweetened O-shaped cereals dissolve easily and are used as early finger foods, but the sources do not name a specific brand, so we won't either — check the label for added sugar and for whole kernels, seeds or nut pieces.
From 6 months: Use iron-fortified INFANT cereal instead — oat, barley or multigrain — mixed with breast milk, formula or water. The AAP also warns that processed foods made for adults and older children often contain more salt and preservatives. Cut food for infants and young children into pieces no larger than one-half inch. Cut cylindrical foods (hot dogs, sausage, string cheese) into short thin strips — round pieces can get stuck in the airway. Cut small spherical foods (grapes, cherries, berries, tomatoes) into small pieces. Cook hard vegetables and fruit until they mash easily. Remove seeds, hard pits, skin and bones.
Breakfast cereal (adult) is on the AAP and CDC choking-hazard lists. Cut food into pieces no larger than half an inch, cut cylindrical foods into short thin strips rather than rounds, and cut small round foods into small pieces. Keep the highest-risk foods away until at least 4 years, judged on your own child.
Watch for diarrhea, rash, vomiting or hives after a new food. Call 911 for trouble breathing or swelling of the face, lips or tongue. Offer one single-ingredient new food at a time and wait 3 to 5 days before the next one, so a reaction is easy to trace. Call 911 for trouble breathing or swelling of the face, lips or tongue.