At what age/stage can toddlers handle raw carrots/apples

BrideInLondon

DD is 13 months and in the toddler room at her daycare. They have just hired a new chef (they didn't have one before) so they can provide lunch. They've just sent next week's menu home, and on it they had carrot sticks as a side on one of the days.

DD doesn't yet have her molars in (but they are on their way and she has seriously swollen gums). She is good at eating most things, but I've stayed away from raw carrots, raw apples, etc because they are a choking hazard, right?

When can they start eating those things? Is it when the molars come in?

 

aglenn

DD has eaten raw apple slices, but not carrots.  She doesn't have molars yet, either, but I think apples are not too hard to gum if they're sliced thinly.  I would be afraid of the carrots at this point.

BrideInLondon

Sorry - let me clarify, DD has 8 teeth (4 top, 4 bottom) so when chomping on a raw apple, she can actually bite off chunks.

We're awaiting these pesky molars, and I was wondering if we can add things like raw carrots when they come in, or if it's still considered a choking hazard until a later time.

ncbelle

This is just my opinion of course but I'd say having molars might be a good gauge to go by as it's likely kiddo's ability to handle the more difficult food (in other words to actually chew it well) would also be developed by that point.   Only in the last few months have I felt ok with kiddo having raw carrot and apple slices.  Of course an early teether might not be a good enough chewer to handle them despite having molars.

e_b_r

ncbelle:

This is just my opinion of course but I'd say having molars might be a good gauge to go by as it's likely kiddo's ability to handle the more difficult food (in other words to actually chew it well) would also be developed by that point.   Only in the last few months have I felt ok with kiddo having raw carrot and apple slices.  Of course an early teether might not be a good enough chewer to handle them despite having molars.

i'd go with this. until real molars come in, toddlers aren't able to chew with the grinding action necessary for things like raw carrots or apples. they have the incisors to bite off chunks, but only their gums to chew them up. don't get me wrong, they do great with what they've got! there's enough great, tasty, healthful food that i'd prefer to wait until the first molars for really raw carrots or apples.

jen5-03

DS has been gnawing on raw apple for a couple months already. I don't think they are too hard to gum.

I have given him some raw carrot, but only tiny grated carrot pieces and he still didn't eat them.

But maybe they are steaming them and they are just cut in sticks/matchsticks/julienned. I find that sticks are a great shape to serve DS food in because it's easier for him to keep ahold of it while he's eating.

kelbrian

We did raw apples and carrots before a year. I diced the carrots until she was a year old and gave her thin apple sticks until then as well.

I then started carrot 'chips' or 'match sticks' and did that until 18 months? She eats baby carrots and whole apples now with no issue.

You could maybe ask for the to do the match stick or chip type for him if you are really worried.

sunnyday016

DD can handle both, but if she's going to eat raw carrot I hold it and let her gnaw on it from my hand. She hates having to be fed that way, but I'm too scared she'll shove the whole thing in her mouth and choke. If it were a really long stick (like from an actual carrot and not the baby cut carrots) then I'd be more comfortable with it because she wouldn't be able to get the entire thing in her mouth.

But cooked carrots are her favorite food ever!