A list of the most dangerous foods to feed your child has been published.

Health and safety experts have drawn up a list of the foods youngsters are most likely to choke on and one unexpected item comes out top.

And with 80% of parents unsure what to do if their child or baby is choking, experts have also explained what you should do to avoid an emergency.

Research reveals that hot dogs are the most dangerous food to serve to children, according to CE Safety , and parents are being advised to remove the peel and chop them up.

A CE Safety spokesman said the hot dog has just the right size and consistency to perfectly block the airway, DevonLive reports.

Hot dogs are the top cause of food-related choking in children under the age of three, with 17% of cases caused by hot dog inhalation, followed by hard candy (10%), grapes (9%) and nuts (8%).

Other household items that are a risk of choking include: Latex balloons, buttons, coins, marbles, toys with small parts, small balls, pen or marker caps, button type batteries, medicine syringes, screws, stuffing from a bean bag chair, rings, earrings, crayons, erasers, staples, safety pins, small stones, tiny figures, and holiday decorations including tinsel, or ornaments and lights. 

Children don’t master the chewing/swallowing technique until they’re four, five sometimes even six years old.

A spokesman for CE Safety said: "Choking is a serious risk and is something that can be prevented. It is important to be aware of the size of items located near to a child as it is highly likely they will pick up any items nearby at place this in their mouth."

CE Safety's list of child choking food hazards


Hard and crunchy foods such as popcorn can easily get stuck in your child's throat, even toddler's with fairly competent eating habits shouldn't be given this food - un-popped corn kernels are incredibly hard and can easily become lodged in airways. Its texture is a danger as other food products can stick to the popcorn and create a larger block of the airway which could be fatal.  

Hard boiled sweets

Any sort of hard sweet is a hazard and there's a high chance it will become trapped in your child's airway. Children struggle to break down any food that doesn't dissolve quickly and so anything of this texture should be avoided. Hard sweets even more so as they do not melt or dissolve when lodged.  

White bread 

This is potentially one of the lesser known choking hazards - white bread often forms large pasty textures in the back of your child's throat and can very quickly become stuck, causing breathing difficulties and potentially choking.

Crackers or rice cakes

Foods with coarse textures can be extremely dangerous to young children, particularly dry foods that can't be easily broken down. Crackers and rice cakes have hard edges that can also scratch and damage the inside of your child's throat. 

Nuts and seeds

If children still haven't had their molars through, their ability to grind down food can be completely impaired. Any small, hard foods such as nuts and seeds should be avoided at all costs.

Chunks of cheese

Even if the pieces of cheese have been cut into small chunks, they still pose a huge choking hazard. Due to its hard texture, cheese can easily become wedged in the back of a child's throat causing their airway to become blocked. 

Whole grapes

Doctors have issued stark warnings about grapes after a number of unfortunate chocking deaths in the last few years. While in theory, the texture of grapes may seem harmless, they are incredibly dangerous and pose a huge choking risk if children swallow whole. The size and shape of grapes means that they can completely plug children’s airways, with the tight seal produced by fruit’s smooth, flexible surface making them tricky to shift with first aid manoeuvres.

Raw vegetables

Round and hard foods are extremely dangerous for young children – pieces of raw carrot, celery and broccoli can be easily lodged in the back of their throat, blocking airways.

Chewing gum

Gum presents a huge risk, the sticky texture and frequent chewing motion means children can often get it stuck in the back of their throat. Some children may be tempted to swallow, which leads to the gum blocking their windpipe. 


Although soft in texture, marshmallows can often glob together and cause a high choking risk. They expand in the throat making it a high choking risk. If left unsupervised for a matter of seconds, children can also be tempted to put the whole thing in their mouth, blocking their airways entirely.

Fruit – apples

Apples, particularly the apple skin pose a huge risk to children as they can easily become stuck in the back of their throat and the skin is airtight. It’s definitely worth avoiding any fruit with seeds such as watermelons, oranges and cherries. 

Chicken with bone

Bones are incredibly harmful to children if they become wedged, but unfortunately bones can be hidden in boneless meats - always check thoroughly before giving any meat to your child.