Choose neither chewing gum nor boxed chocolates as a routine toddler snack. The NHS says babies and young children should not have chewing gum because it is a choking hazard, and advises avoiding sugary snacks because they can cause tooth decay. For a child aged 1 or over, consider an age-appropriate option such as fruit, plain unsweetened yoghurt or toast, prepared for the child's eating ability and served with supervision.
If you are deciding what to offer between meals, keep chewing gum out of the choice. The NHS identifies it as a choking hazard for babies and young children and suggests foods such as fruit, plain unsweetened yoghurt and toast for young children who have snacks.
A box of chocolates can be a separate gift purchase without becoming the toddler's routine snack. The NHS advises avoiding sugary snacks for babies and young children because they can cause tooth decay.
For children under 5, food choice is only part of the decision. Department for Education guidance calls for food to be prepared with choking risks in mind and for babies and young children never to be left alone while eating.
Start with the child's age and eating ability, then consider the food itself and how you will serve it.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Choking hazards | Exclude chewing gum for babies and young children, as the NHS advises. Consider the shape and texture of other foods and how they need preparing. | I need a snack my child can manage at their eating stage, with an adult present while they eat. |
| Everyday food choice | The NHS advises avoiding sugary snacks for babies and young children. Its examples for young children include fruit, plain unsweetened yoghurt, toast, crackers and unsalted rice cakes. | For routine snack time, I want to choose food separately from any chocolates I am buying as a gift. |
| Age and eating stage | The NHS says children under 1 should not be given snacks. For an older child, check the pack's age guidance and whether the texture matches their eating ability. | My child's age matters more than an age label alone: I need to decide whether a snack is appropriate at all, then how to serve it. |
| Serving and ingredients | Follow the product's serving directions, check the full ingredient and allergen label, and prepare food appropriately. Department for Education guidance says babies and young children must not be left alone while eating. | Before serving a packaged snack, I want to check it against my child's dietary needs and make time to supervise them. |
Sugar-free wording does not change the choking hazard. The NHS says babies and young children should not have chewing gum.
Leave gum out of toddler snack choices, regardless of how it is labelled for sugar.
A gift for someone else does not answer what to serve a toddler. The NHS advises avoiding sugary snacks for babies and young children because they can cause tooth decay.
Make the gift decision separately; for routine toddler snacks, consider age-appropriate foods such as fruit, plain unsweetened yoghurt or toast.
Department for Education guidance notes that children can choke on food; its shape, texture and preparation matter, even when it is sold as a snack for young children.
Prepare food for the child's eating ability, follow the pack's directions and stay with them while they eat.
These age-labelled fruit pouches and child-focused snacks are options to assess for a child aged 1 or over, not chewing gum or boxed chocolates. Check each pack against the child's eating ability and dietary needs; an age label does not change the NHS advice that children under 1 should not be given snacks.
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A mango yoghurt pouch to consider when choosing a spoon-served option for a child aged 1 or over. Serve the contents on a spoon or in a bowl, keep the cap out of reach and check the label for milk and other dietary requirements.
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Fruit-flavoured puffs to assess for a child aged 1 or over who is ready for self-feeding. Confirm the age guidance on the pack, as the product information gives differing ages; keep the child seated and supervised, and check the allergen label.
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A fruit pouch option to assess for a child aged 1 or over. Serve the contents on a spoon, keep the cap out of reach and supervise eating. Check the nutrition label, including sugars per 100g, when comparing routine snack options.
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A hand-held wafer option for a child aged 1 or over who can manage firmer textures. Check that this matches the child's eating ability, seat and supervise them while eating, and check the label for milk and wheat.
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An apple biscotti to assess for a child aged 1 or over, with a texture that can be softened according to the product directions. Check its sugars per 100g when considering routine snacks, review the allergen label, and seat and supervise the child while eating.
No. The NHS says babies and young children should not have chewing gum because it is a choking hazard. Department for Education early-years guidance also says not to give it to babies and young children.
Not for routine snack time. The NHS advises avoiding sugary snacks for babies and young children because they can cause tooth decay. A chocolate gift can remain a separate purchase; for a young child who has snacks, NHS examples include fruit, plain unsweetened yoghurt and toast.
NHS examples include fruit, plain unsweetened yoghurt, toast, crackers, breadsticks and unsalted rice cakes, with suitable accompaniments. The NHS also says children under 1 should not be given snacks, so an age label starting below 1 year is not, by itself, a reason to offer food between meals.
Prepare them for the child's age and eating ability, and stay with the child while they eat. Department for Education guidance addresses food shape and texture, including cutting small round foods lengthways and into smaller pieces and slicing or softening firm fruit for younger children.