A mum who works in a funeral home has shared the “deadly” snacks she will never give her kids – after seeing too many deaths caused by the popular treat while doing her job.
Lauren Eliza, a mortician from the US, has created a list of things she “will not keep” in her home after being left “scarred” by her line of work.
One of the “bad” items she’s included was popcorn, which she has described as “one of the quickest ways you can get a ride in an ambulance.
“Those little kernels that get stuck in your teeth, [they’re] so lightweight and so easily sucked up back into your oesophagus that you could aspirate on them or choke,” she explained in a viral TikTok.
Want to stream your news? Flash lets you stream 25+ news channels in 1 place. New to Flash? Try 1 month free. Offer available for a limited time only >
Lauren is right, popcorn is one of the most common food items children in Australia are known to choke on, with Tiny Hearts previously warning parents it should be a no-no for kids under 5.
However, Eliza urged parents to take even more caution, warning keeping an eye on kids won’t protect them from food harm.
“No matter how much you watch your children, they can still choke on popcorn whether you are there or not,” she insisted.
“And the super scary thing is that you can’t get it out, even if you remove all the kernels [from their portions].”
Eliza explained that the irregular shapes and dry texture of each popped bite makes it easy for any piece to become lodged in a person’s throat.
She went on to deem grapes and peanuts high-risk goodies, too.
“One of the saddest calls [to the funeral home] involved a child with a peanut,” Eliza declared.
“They put their child to bed not knowing that there was a piece of peanut in their lip, and [the child] didn’t wake up the next morning.”
Her bulletin seemed to have resonated with online audiences as many shared their own horror stories with popcorn.
“My husband had a friend in college who choked to death on popcorn while eating it laying down. Don’t eat laying down,” urged a commentator.
“My kids aren’t allowed popcorn, grapes, or stringy cheese on pizza! Saved three kids from choking on that cheese, gives me anxiety,” said another.
“My dad has been a medic for 30 years. He said the most common food he saw kids choke on were hotdogs and popcorn!,” another chimed in.
Doubling down on her word to the wise, Eliza emphasised: “This type of accident happens when you least expect it.”
“Don’t just assume that it is something that happens to other parents,” she advised.