Choking Prevention

Welcome to Chop, Look, Listen — A Mealtime Safety Initiative from DECAL

Caring for Georgia’s children means keeping them safe in every moment — especially during meals and snacks. That’s why the Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning (DECAL) has launched Chop, Look, Listen, a new initiative designed to help early childhood educators prevent choking and promote safe eating habits.

These easy-to-follow practices empower educators to create safer, more attentive mealtime environments. Explore our resources and meet the Mealtime Minis — your new partners in keeping every bite safe.

Based on feedback from child care providers across the state, this campaign introduces three simple steps to support mealtime safety.

Prepare the food right.

Watch out for high-risk foods that are round, hard, sticky, or slippery.
Pay attention to texture and shape—cook it, mash it, shred it or chop it!
Don’t forget to size it right—for infants chop to ¼ inch pieces and toddlers to ½ inch pieces

Observe the kids eating.

Keep your eyes on little ones while they eat. Watch for safe eating habits and be ready to teach them. Stay within arm's reach and focus on mealtime supervision.
Repeating the same lessons each day can help children learn: Stay seated, take small bites, chew fully, and swallow before speaking.

Sit with kids and engage!

Pay attention and connect with kids while they eat. Your focused attention makes all the difference.
Mealtime is together time! When you sit and eat with children, you create connection while keeping them safe.

These easy-to-follow practices empower caregivers to create safer, more attentive mealtime environments. Explore our resources below and scan the QR code to access posters and flyers of the Mealtime Minis — your new partners in keeping every bite safe.