What age do you stop cutting up grapes ?

[Mingo2010]

At what age do you stop cutting grapes up for your child ?

@VaTeLaverLesMains phew - thought it was just me!

My DC are adults now TBF - maybe it’s a new thing?

It's not that new - my niece is almost 15 and my DSIS always cut hers

@nanbread

I don't buy grapes any more. A faff to cut and as far as fruit goes they're pretty high in sugar and not so great on the nutrients compared to berries.

You don't know the trick then! All the grapes on one cutting board, another board on top, slide a knife between, 50 cut grapes at once.

Ta da!

@nanbread, I’m just a bad mum then

@MrsTerryPratchett I have seen that, but it's the sort of thing I'd try and in the process cut my hand and send a zillion grapes flying

Haha @nanbread I know what you mean!

My son is 13 and I still do it haha. He does roll his eyes at me. In my defence I think they are nicer cut up! In all seriousness though there was a child of a family friend that died from choking on a grape age 2. I think that they need to be cut up at least until age 7.

They need to be cut lengthways too!

I taught DS to bite them in half to eat them. I don't think I cut them past two, they'd have been a sticky mess at the childminder by the time they were eaten.

@catsarecute I think apples taste nicer cut up too

*bigTilly
*
My oldest is 23, youngest is 16 so I'm just out of date.

I still cut up apples for my 20 y old but that's just for fun.

Still cutting them up for DS(5) and no intention of stopping for the next few years.

I have a friend who has always refused to cut up anything for her DD(5) as she says she will never learn to chew things like grapes and nuts if everything is cut up into smaller pieces. I remember one occasion when her DD was about 2 that she stuffed 5 grapes into her mouth and was running around the lounge, tripped over backwards laughing, mouth wide open and another mum and I were horrified to see the grapes she was holding in her mouth. Friend was not bothered and just told her to stand up and chew properly

I'm obviously in the minority. I don't cut grapes for my kids. They are taught to bite them. They are 2 and 3

MN - 12
RL - 3 or 4 (if ever).

I did a first aid at work course run by a local secondary school teacher & St Johns Ambulance trainer. His advice was always to slice grapes, so I (still) do for teen DCs.

Choking is silent and many bystanders have no idea what is happening until it’s too late.

No one is ever too old to choke on a grape.
So I alway chop them.

Heartofstrings - you really should. Especially for packed lunches as it only takes a moment for a child to be laughing with a friend at school lunch etc to choke. Its a good thing to be in the habit of doing for when they're at preschool/with friends/at school.

See also marshmellow.

I know of at least 2 young children locally who have choked and died eating grapes...

One whilst eating out and one when at home.

Oldest DS 12 knows to eat them carefully due to these reasons and I think we stopped cutting them up at 7ish.

Youngest DS is 17 months and has then cut thinly longways.

Those who say their children are taught to bite them.... I imagine those children who died were taught to bite and chew also.

It takes no time at all to do and if it stops a child choking in a split second then worth it 100%. My opinion obviously but not worth the risk when it is so easily prevented.

I was told 7 at a first aid course. I don't cut my 7 and 9 year olds anymore but I avoid putting them in packed lunches as I am paranoid and when they eat them they do it sitting down.

@MrsTerryPratchett if this works for me, you've just improved my life a little bit

@elephantskiss

Professional video of same!

Is it only grapes though? I always cut blueberries for me 1 year old, and would cherry tomatoes too...I’m not normally fussy/overprotective tbh but I can never understand why it’s only grapes which feature in the advice, other similar size foods aren’t??

It's not about age. Anyone can choke on. grapes. Better safe than sorry.