MetricPoint — Food Intelligence
LabelBaby ingredient guide

Which ingredients should toddlers avoid from 12 to 24 months?

Some first-year restrictions lift after 12 months, others don't. This guide covers what is still worth avoiding or limiting for toddlers 12–24 months, with a plain-language reason for every rating.

18 reviewed ingredient guides. Looking for older or younger? See the 0–12 months guide.

Avoid

Use with caution

How to use the toddler ingredient guide

What changes after the first birthday

Some first-year restrictions lift at 12 months. The CDC's honey warning, for example, applies to children younger than 12 months, so honey is no longer treated as an infant botulism risk once a child turns one. Toddlers also start eating more of the family's food, which is exactly when ingredients like added sugar, sodium and dyes begin to show up in their diet in larger amounts.

Choking hazards remain

Turning one does not end choking risk. The American Academy of Pediatrics advises keeping certain foods away from children under 4, or modifying them: whole grapes, hot dogs and meat sticks, popcorn, raw carrot sticks and apple pieces, hard or sticky candy, nuts and seeds, string cheese and cheese chunks, and thick servings of peanut butter. Its guidance is to cut food into pieces no larger than half an inch, spread nut butter thinly, and have children sit while they eat under supervision.

Added sugar and sodium

The Dietary Guidelines for Americans advise avoiding added sugars for children under 2, which includes sweetened yogurts, fruit snacks, cereals and drinks marketed to toddlers. Sodium needs are small at this age, and processed foods, soups, snack foods and restaurant meals can add up quickly. The entries in this guide explain which ingredients contribute and what to look for on the label instead.

Drinks matter too

The CDC advises that cow's milk can be offered after 12 months, that juice is unnecessary after that age, and that the American Academy of Pediatrics suggests no more than 4 ounces of 100 percent fruit juice a day for ages 1 to 3. Sugar-sweetened drinks, including soda, flavored milk, sports drinks and juice drinks, should be avoided under 24 months, as should caffeinated drinks. Unpasteurized milk, yogurt, cheese and juice are best avoided at any age in early childhood.

Dyes and additives

Artificial colors are an exposure question rather than a nutrition one, since they add no benefit to a toddler's diet. In April 2025, HHS and the FDA announced a plan to work with industry to phase out petroleum-based synthetic dyes, including Red 40, by the end of 2027 through voluntary commitments. Until products change, the ingredient list is where you find out what a snack contains, and the entries here explain the concern behind each additive.

How ratings are assigned

Each entry is rated Avoid, Caution or Generally OK for the 12 to 24 month band, with a written reason, listed sources and a named reviewer. A rating can differ from the 0 to 12 month guide for the same ingredient, and each entry links across so you can compare. This is general feeding information, not medical advice, so talk to your pediatrician about your child's allergies, growth and needs.

General feeding information, not medical advice. Talk to your pediatrician about your child's allergies and needs.

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