Popcorn

It is our strong opinion that popcorn is not safe for babies and that it is best to wait to serve popcorn until a child has strong eating skills and the ability to pace themselves (taking manageable bites, not shoveling food in their mouth, chewing food thoroughly, etc.). For many toddlers, this will be after 24 and likely closer to 36 months of age. Even then, popcorn is high-risk and considered a choking hazard for children under 4 years old by the American Academy of Pediatrics, so read this page closely before deciding to introduce popcorn and carefully consider the risks.

Popcorn is a common choking and aspiration hazard for children and adults alike. Carefully consider a child’s eating skills and ability to listen to instructions before introducing popcorn. Make sure the child is sitting down in a safe eating environment and is fully engaged in the activity when serving popcorn.

Indigenous peoples of the Americas learned to harvest and puff corn kernels thousands of years ago. European colonization and trade introduced popcorn overseas and popularized it across North America, where farmers and settlers adopted Indigenous peoples’ growing and cooking techniques for corn. In the 19th and 20th centuries, American technological innovations caused an explosion in popcorn popularity: street cart vendors sold popcorn on city sidewalks and country fairs, movie theaters offered popcorn as a snack, and the invention of the microwave made it easy to make popcorn at home.

When low in sodium, popcorn can be a nutritious food, but it is not safe for babies due to the high risk of choking and aspiration. When you are ready to introduce popcorn, opt for low-sodium brands or make it from scratch to control sodium levels.

It can be, when low in sodium. Most commercially available popcorn is quite high in sodium, which is not healthy when consumed in excess. Read labels carefully and when available, choose varieties with no added salt or sugar.

Popcorn is made from corn, a whole grain that is rich in carbohydrates and fiber and contains certain important nutrients for developing children, such as good amounts of zinc, with smaller amounts of vitamin B6. Together, these nutrients provide energy for growth, support the gut microbiome, strengthen the immune system, and support the metabolism. Plus, popcorn offers polyphenols (a type of antioxidant) that help support the body’s resilience against stress.

★Tip: Enhance popcorn nutritionally by adding your own toppings like coconut oil, nutritional yeast, spices, finely ground-up nuts or seeds, or pulverized kale chips.

Yes. Popcorn is a common choking and aspiration hazard for babies, children, and adults alike. When you decide to introduce popcorn, know that not all popcorn is created equal. An unpopped or partially popped kernel carries more risk of aspiration than a fully popped kernel. Eating popcorn while walking around or while distracted (such as when watching television) increases the choking risk. To reduce the risk when serving popcorn to toddlers, remove all kernels and partially popped popcorn, and only offer popcorn one piece at a time. As always, make sure you create a safe eating environment and stay within an arm’s reach of a child during meals. For more information on choking, visit our section on gagging and choking and familiarize yourself with the list of common choking hazards.

No. Corn allergies are uncommon, but have been reported, with symptoms ranging from short-lived oral allergy symptoms to anaphylaxis. Some individuals with allergy to lipid transfer proteins or chitinase may also have a corn allergy. Corn is known to cross-react with other cereal grains, especially rice, wheat, and barley. However, most individuals with corn allergy can safely consume other cereal grains, and vice versa. Note that many brands of popcorn in the store contain other allergens (such as dairy and soy), so read ingredient lists carefully.

As you would when introducing any new food, start by offering a small quantity for the first few servings. If there is no adverse reaction, gradually increase the quantity over future meals.

If you are looking for a puffed snack, consider those made from ingredients like chickpea, quinoa, or nuts, all of which will offer more nutrients that toddlers need. Also, some companies offer a “hull-less” popcorn—because the corn variety used is smaller, the hull partially disintegrates rather than remaining intact in the fully popped kernel.

Yes. Popcorn offers good amounts of fiber and resistant starches that, in combination with a balanced and varied diet, help support overall digestive health and bowel regularity. Because popcorn is high in fiber, eating large portions can sometimes lead to stomach upset. To avoid this issue, it can be helpful to keep serving sizes for children small. A typical portion for an older child is 1 to 1 ½ c (240 to 360 ml) of popcorn. Remember that pooping patterns can vary significantly from baby to baby. If you have concerns about baby’s pooping and digestive function, talk to your pediatric healthcare provider.