Safe Eating for Little Ones: A Quick Guide for Parents

This June, during Child Safety Week and Healthy Eating Week, we’re highlighting how to keep little ones safe at mealtimes. At Rosedene Nurseries, children’s health and safety come first -here’s how we make mealtimes safe, and how you can support this at home.

 1. Smart Food Prep = Safer Eating

Choking is a real risk for babies and toddlers, but it’s preventable with the right food prep.

What We Do at Rosedene:

• Our chefs prep all meals to suit each child’s age — soft, safe, and sized right.

• We avoid high-risk foods like whole grapes, mini eggs, marshmallows, popcorn, and nuts.

• We support parents through baby weaning to keep things consistent.

  
  

Karen, our Guisborough Chef, shares: “I follow guidance from the Food Standards Agency to ensure every meal is age-appropriate and safely prepared, including cutting food where needed for safety.”

What You Can Do at Home:

• Cut food into small, manageable pieces (e.g., quarter grapes lengthways). Download the Family Nutrition Food Size Chart -perfect for home use!

• Soften raw veg and avoid sticky or round foods.

• Check ingredients for hidden choking risks - especially during holidays like Easter (mini eggs are a known risk!).

 2. Safe Eating Starts with Supervision

Even the safest foods can pose a risk if children aren’t properly supervised while eating.

At Rosedene:

• Children are always seated at mealtimes.

• Our educators supervise all meals and snacks and ensure children use age-appropriate cutlery.

  
  

What You Can Do at Home:

• Make sure your child is sitting down while eating - no walking or playing with food.

• Keep mealtimes screen-free so you can watch for any signs of choking.

• Enjoy meals together as a family - children eat more willingly, and you can quickly support them if they need it.

3. What to Do If Your Child Chokes

Preparation is everything. Even with care, accidents can happen - and knowing how to react could save a life.

Signs of Choking:

• Struggling to breathe or can’t cough properly.

• Turning red or blue in the face.

Christine, our Guisborough Manager, explains: “A choking child may appear panicked or distressed, and may be unable to cry, cough, or make any sound. Their skin can turn a bluish or greyish colour, and they might make high-pitched or strained noises while struggling to breathe."

What to Do:

• If coughing: Encourage them to keep coughing.

• If silent or can’t breathe: Call 999, then give 5 back blows and 5 abdominal thrusts (for children over 1 year).

  
  

💡 Tip: Consider taking a paediatric first aid course – they’re short, simple, and potentially life-saving. You can access a free course on the St John Ambulance website.

As an added bonus, we also offer our parents a free Noodle paediatric first aid course – just speak to your nursery manager to get started!

Let's Work Together to Keep Mealtimes Safe

Safe eating is a shared responsibility — and with a few simple steps, we can make it easy. Speak to your child’s key educator about any changes in diet or weaning.

Feel confident in an emergency — these videos provide easy-to-follow advice on helping a choking baby or child