Food safety at home for babies and toddlers

Why it matters more for young children

The CDC says children under 5 are more likely to get sick from germs spread through food, like Salmonella and E. coli, because their immune systems are still developing. Food poisoning can be harder on them because diarrhea and vomiting can lead to dehydration. The NHS adds that babies and young children are highly vulnerable to bacteria that cause food poisoning.

The good news is that a few habits prevent most problems. The CDC and USDA sum them up in four steps: clean, separate, cook and chill.

1. Clean

• Wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds before, during and after preparing food, and before eating (CDC). Always wash them after touching raw meat, poultry, seafood, eggs or flour.
• Wash boards, utensils and counters in hot, soapy water after preparing each food (CDC). The FDA adds blenders and food processors used for baby food.
• Rinse fruit and vegetables under running water (CDC). For young children, the CDC says washed and then cooked is safest.
• Keep your baby’s high chair tray and bowls clean, and wash their hands before meals.

2. Separate

• Use one board or plate for raw meat, poultry and seafood, and another for produce, bread and anything that won’t be cooked (CDC).
• Store raw meat, poultry and seafood in sealed containers so juices can’t drip onto other food (CDC). The NHS suggests the bottom of the fridge.
• Don’t wash raw chicken. It spreads germs to the sink and counter, and it’s ready to cook as it is (CDC).

3. Cook

You can’t tell by color whether food is safely cooked (except seafood). The CDC says the only way is a food thermometer. Safe minimum temperatures (USDA FSIS, CDC):

• All poultry, including ground chicken and turkey: 165°F (74°C)
• Ground meat (beef, pork, lamb): 160°F (71°C)
• Whole cuts of beef, pork, lamb and veal: 145°F (63°C), then rest for 3 minutes
• Fish: 145°F (63°C), or until it’s opaque and flakes easily with a fork
• Egg dishes: 160°F (71°C), or 165°F (74°C) if they contain meat or poultry (CDC). For young children, the CDC says cook eggs until the yolk and white are firm.
• Leftovers and casseroles: reheat to 165°F (74°C)

When you microwave, stir, cover and let food stand so cold spots heat through (CDC, USDA FSIS). Take baby food out of the jar and put it in a dish first, and warm baby-food meats and eggs on the stove instead: the FDA says their fat heats fast in a microwave, so they can splatter and overheat. Then let it cool and test the temperature before giving it to your baby (NHS).

4. Chill

• Keep your fridge at 40°F (4°C) or below and your freezer at 0°F (-18°C) or below (CDC). UK advice is a fridge between 0 and 5°C and a freezer around -18°C (FSA).
• The 2-hour rule: refrigerate cooked food within 2 hours. Throw away any food left out at room temperature for more than 2 hours (1 hour if it’s hotter than 90°F / 32°C) (USDA FSIS, CDC).
• Divide large amounts into shallow containers so they cool quickly (USDA FSIS).
• Leftovers: use within 3 to 4 days (USDA FSIS), and reheat cooked food for your baby only once (NHS). Cooked rice is stricter: cool it within 1 hour, eat it within 1 day, and never reheat it more than once (NHS). See rice.
• Thaw frozen food in the fridge or microwave, never on the counter (CDC). See batch cooking and freezing.
• Out and about: carry food in a cool bag with ice packs (NHS).

No double-dipping

Saliva on your baby’s spoon carries germs into the food. The FDA says not to feed your baby from a jar and then put the jar back in the fridge. Instead:

• Spoon a serving into a dish and refrigerate the rest of the jar.
• If your baby wants more, use a clean spoon to take more out.
• Throw away whatever is left in the dish. The NHS says never to save or reheat half-eaten portions.

The same goes for pouches and homemade food: see baby food pouches.

Foods young children should avoid

The CDC lists these as riskier choices for children under 5:

• Raw or undercooked sprouts, like alfalfa and bean sprouts. Cook them until steaming hot.
• Unpasteurized (raw) milk, and cheese and other dairy made from it. Choose products labeled pasteurized. Soft cheeses are safer only if clearly labeled “made from pasteurized milk”.
• Unpasteurized juice or cider. Babies under 12 months shouldn’t have juice at all: see juice for babies.
• Raw or undercooked meat, poultry, fish, shellfish and eggs, including sushi and runny eggs.
• Raw dough or batter, because of raw flour and eggs.
• Cut melon left out for more than 2 hours (1 hour if it’s hotter than 90°F / 32°C).

Honey: don’t give honey to babies under 12 months, in any form. It can carry bacteria that cause infant botulism, a very serious illness (NHS). See honey and botulism and honey.

The NHS also says babies and young children shouldn’t have mold-ripened soft cheeses like brie or camembert, ripened goats’ cheese or soft blue cheese unless cooked, or raw or lightly cooked shellfish. For the full list, see foods to avoid for babies.

If your baby gets sick

Most food poisoning gets better within a week (NHS). Keep up breast or bottle feeds, offering small feeds more often if your baby is being sick (NHS). See food poisoning in babies for signs of dehydration and when to call your doctor.

Call 911 or go to the emergency room if your child:Call 999 or go to A&E if your child:Call your local emergency number (such as 112 in Europe or 000 in Australia) or go to the emergency department if your child:

• vomits blood, or has yellow-green or green vomit (NHS)
• has severe difficulty breathing, or is breathing very fast (NHS)
• is not responding as usual (NHS)
• has blue, gray, pale or blotchy skin, lips or tongue (NHS)
• has signs of infant botulism, such as poor feeding, a weak cry, drooping eyelids, less expression in the face, or muscle weakness and floppiness (CDC)

Constipation can also be a sign of infant botulism (CDC). If your baby under 12 months is constipated after eating honey and has no other signs, call your pediatrician the same day and mention the honey. Constipation with any of the signs above is an emergency.

Where US and UK advice differs

• Leftovers. USDA FSIS says 3 to 4 days in the fridge. The NHS says batch-cooked baby food kept in the fridge should be used within 2 days, and the FSA says leftovers within 48 hours.
• Eggs. The CDC says cook eggs until the yolk and white are firm for young children. The NHS says hens’ eggs with the red British Lion stamp are safe for babies raw or lightly cooked. Other eggs should be cooked until solid.
• Soft cheese. The CDC says pasteurized soft cheese is a safer choice. The NHS says to avoid mold-ripened and soft blue cheeses for babies and young children, even if pasteurized, unless they’re cooked.
• Food on the go. The NHS says food not kept cold should be eaten within 4 hours at most. US advice is 2 hours (1 hour above 90°F / 32°C). Following the US limit fits both.