Salt for toddlers: how much is too much?
Salt is one of the easiest things to overfeed a toddler without realising it. Bread, cheese, stock cubes, and packaged snacks all add up quickly. UK guidance sets clear daily limits by age.
Daily salt limits
- 1–3 years: 2g salt per day (0.8g sodium)
- 4–6 years: 3g salt per day (1.2g sodium)
- Adults: 6g salt per day
Babies under 1 should have very little salt because their kidneys cannot process it well.
Common high-salt foods
- Processed meats: bacon, ham, sausages, salami
- Cheese and cheese-based snacks
- Crisps and salted crackers
- Stock cubes, gravy, and salty sauces
- Some breads and breakfast cereals
Check labels for sodium or salt per 100g. As a rough guide, more than 1.5g salt per 100g is high; 0.3g or less is low.
How Tenderheart flags salt
When you forward your supermarket receipt, Tenderheart highlights items that are typically high in salt for toddlers. The reply is gentle: it names the concern, explains the limit, and suggests lower-salt alternatives when there is an easy swap.
Check your next shop. Forward your order confirmation to [email protected].