Cut small round fruits like grapes, cherries, berries, strawberries and cherry tomatoes into quarters (4 small pieces).

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Always remove hard pips or stones from fruit.

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Cut fruit like melon and apples into slices instead of small chunks. For very young children - try grating, mashing, steaming or simmering firm fruits.

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Cut vegetables like carrots, peppers, cucumber and celery into narrow batons. For very young children, try grating, mashing, steaming or simmering firm vegetables and legumes like butter beans, chickpeas and tofu.

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Try softening firm fruit and vegetables (like carrots, broccoli, yam and apples) by steaming or simmering until soft. Then cut the fruit or vegetable into slices or narrow batons.

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Try removing the skin on fruit and vegetables - it makes it easier to swallow, especially for very young children.

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Either grate cheese or cut it into short, narrow strips.

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Chop or flake whole nuts, peanuts and seeds.

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Do not give whole nuts or popcorn to children under 5 years old.

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If not chewed properly, white bread can form a ball shape with a dough-like texture in the throat. Try lightly toasting white bread, or use brown bread instead.

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Bread, chapatis, naan bread and other breads should be cut into narrow strips.

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Peanut butter

Only use nut butters as a spread or in other cooking, for example in curries or swirled into porridge.

Do not give peanut butter to babies and young children by itself.

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Raisins and other dried fruits

Do not give whole raisins or dried fruits to babies under the age of 1.

Always cut them into small pieces.

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Babies and young children should not have:

• popcorn

• jelly cubes

• marshmallows

• boiled sweets (or any hard, gooey or sticky sweets, including cough sweets)

• peanut butter by itself

• chewing gum

• ice cubes

These are all choking hazards.