So, my wife and I had a little disagreement about how bad stale food is for our one-year-old. He's got his four front incisors about halfway in, and no other teeth, so chewing is still very hard for him. We're starting to give him some table foods, like graham crackers, goldfish, and those little baby puffs (which he loves). The thing is that my wife often gives him too many at one time, and he doesn't finish them all... the leftovers then stay on his highchair tray until the next feeding time. By then (sometimes overnight), they're stale.

My concern is that stale food is much harder for him to break down in his mouth, especially when it's gotten that way in a very humid environment (we live in VA and have been having unseasonably hot and humid days recently). My thinking is that he doesn't actually chew, say, a goldfish into something he can swallow... he sort of breaks it up with his tongue and it disintegrates in his mouth. But if it's stale, that doesn't happen as easily, and it becomes a choking hazard.

My wife on the other hand, thinks I'm crazy and that a stale goldfish (or puff, or bit of cracker, or whatever), just tastes bad.

Does anyone else have any thoughts? An article you've stumbled across maybe? Personal experience?

I'm not sure sure I'd be worried about the staleness as opposed to the bacteria and germs breeding in the humid weather on a cracker left out all day on a high chair tray. I can see what you mean though with stale things not crunching into small pieces easy. But I'd imagine you might get farther on convincing her to take out less unless he finishes what he has if you use the bacteria/germs angle. No mom wants to think about the fact that she might be feeding her baby bad food. And once he touches them, especially if he's got baby spit all over his hands, its perfect for bacteria breeding in your weather. You could also ask at the pediatrician next time you take him in for a check up, or maybe a nurses hotline? I know our hospital has one and they are great about answering any questions you have to save you a doctor's visit.

You would not believe how easy it is for germs to spread. I had three little ones all about the same time, and I was always running around cleaning this or that. I would also try and feed less til the rest is finished before giving new. I never left anything out over night for fear it would attract ants.

You would not believe how easy it is for germs to spread. I had three little ones all about the same time, and I was always running around cleaning this or that. I would also try and feed less til the rest is finished before giving new. I never left anything out over night for fear it would attract ants.

I'd worry about ants too - and any other types of bugs or things around your area. I don't know what area you live in so I can't really say.

My area isn't perfect, nor is my house. I've ran into the occasional ant or spider, but I think that's just "normal" or something that you'd get in any house really.