Which of the following foods should be avoided to prevent choking hazards for infants?

Nuts should be avoided to prevent choking hazards for infants due to their small size, hard texture, and the difficulty infants have with chewing and swallowing solid foods. Infants may not be able to adequately chew nuts, and their shape can easily cause them to become lodged in the airway, increasing the risk of choking.

In contrast, while carrots are also a hard food, they can be served in a cooked, soft form that makes them safer for older infants and toddlers. Bananas are soft and easily mashable, making them appropriate as a safe food for infants. Grapes, although round and potentially hazardous, can be cut into smaller pieces to reduce choking risk, but they still require careful consideration when serving them to preverbal infants.

Overall, the distinctive qualities of nuts in terms of their hardness and shape make them a particularly significant choking hazard for infants, highlighting the importance of choosing age-appropriate foods.