The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) sets clear safeguarding and welfare requirements around safer eating to reduce the risk of choking and ensure children are properly supervised at mealtimes.
Here’s what the EYFS states (Safeguarding and Welfare Requirements):
Supervision During Mealtimes
Children must always be within sight and hearing of a staff member while eating.
- Choking can be completely silent – active supervision is essential.
- Where possible, practitioners should sit facing children while they eat.
- Practitioners to ensure children are eating safely and appropriately.
- Prevent food sharing.
- Be aware of potential allergic reactions.
Vigilant supervision can prevent serious incidents and ensures children remain safe during mealtimes. Active supervision is a safeguarding requirement — not optional.
Paediatric First Aid Requirement
While children are eating, there must always be at least one member of staff in the room who holds a valid full Paediatric First Aid certificate.
This ensures practitioners are fully prepared to respond quickly and effectively in the event of an emergency.
Safe Food Preparation
Providers must:
- Ensure food is prepared, stored, and served safely.
- Take steps to prevent choking.
- Be aware of allergies and dietary requirements.
- Maintain good hygiene practices.
Extra care should be taken with foods that may present a choking risk. Choking can happen with any foods, but ‘firm foods’, bones and small round foods that can easily get stuck in the throat present a higher risk.
When preparing food think about the size, shape and texture of food – cut it into narrow batons and avoid round shapes and firm foods. It is important to avoid round shapes as these are a choking hazard. Cut small fruits lengthways and then halve again (quarters). These fruits include but are not limited to:
– grapes
– raspberries
– strawberries
– cherry tomatoes
Do not give babies under the age of 1 whole raisins or dried fruits. Cut them into small pieces.
Whole nuts should not be given to children under 5.
Best Start in Life also shows visually how to prepare foods safely for babies Preparing food safely for babies – Best Start in Life – NHS
The Food Standards Agency have created two posters which can be displayed in your setting where food is prepared and served to children, as a helpful reminder of how to minimise the risk of choking.
The first poster lists 5 essential steps to take to reduce the risk of choking and can be downloaded from here: https://www.foundationyears.org.uk/files/2021/09/Early-Years-Choking-Hazards-Poster_FINAL-21-Sept-2021.pdf
The second poster is a table of foods and advice on how to prepare them to reduce the risk of choking. It also lists a number of foods to avoid giving to early years children. It can be downloaded from here: https://www.food.gov.uk/sites/default/files/media/document/Early%20Years%20Choking%20Hazards%20Table_English.pdf
The Department for Education also provides specific guidance for early years providers on food safety, including:
- Foods and drinks to avoid for young children
- How to cut and prepare foods safely
- Choking risk reduction strategies
Please refer to the official guidance here:
- Early years foundation stage statutory framework EYFS statutory framework for group and school-based providers
- Food safety Help for early years providers : Food safety
- Department for Education EYFS nutrition guidance Early Years Foundation Stage nutrition guidance
Keeping children safe at mealtimes is a shared responsibility. Please take a moment to review and share these important food safety reminders with all practitioners to help ensure safe eating practices in your setting.
