What the Tractor Wheels Toddler Snack Bar Recall Means for Parents

Parents and caregivers who have Once Upon a Farm Tractor Wheels soft-baked bars at home are being told not to serve them. The Food and Drug Administration said it received several reports of toddlers whose airways were completely blocked after eating the bars. The company has recalled every version of the product.

According to USA Today, Once Upon a Farm issued the recall on Oct. 30. NBC Connecticut reported that it covers all flavors, quantities and varieties, including every lot code and expiration date.

What this means for parents and caregivers

The FDA warned people not to buy or serve the bars. NBC Connecticut reported that customers should not open or eat the recalled products. Newsday and USA Today both said the products should be thrown away, while NBC Connecticut said buyers are urged to return them to the store where they bought them.

All three outlets said buyers can get a full refund. According to NBC Connecticut and USA Today, they can return the bars to the place of purchase or email [email protected].

The recall is limited to Tractor Wheels. NBC Connecticut reported that no other Once Upon a Farm products are affected.

Which products are recalled

The recall covers three varieties, according to NBC Connecticut and USA Today:

• Apple, Sweet Potato, & Spinach Tractor Wheels
• Strawberry, Pumpkin, & Beet Tractor Wheels
• Banana, Pumpkin & Cauliflower Tractor Wheels

Newsday described the product as Once Upon a Farm Tractor Wheels Organic Toddler Soft-Baked Bars.

Why the FDA is concerned

In its advisory, the FDA said that when the bars are chewed, they reportedly form a "dry, sticky mass." The agency said standard choking responses, including back blows and the Heimlich maneuver, may not clear it from a child's airway.

The FDA said some of the reported incidents required emergency response and hospital observation. USA Today and Newsday reported that the affected children were between 1½ and 2½ years old. Newsday said the FDA informed the company of the adverse events and the company agreed to start a recall.

The FDA did not say how many reports it received. NBC Connecticut reported that Once Upon a Farm said in a statement it had received three reports of a potential choking hazard.

Where the bars were sold

The FDA said the bars were sold nationwide, in stores including Costco, Target and Walmart and online. NBC Connecticut and Newsday named Amazon.com among the online sellers, and Newsday also cited other third-party vendors.

USA Today published a state-by-state list provided by the company. It includes Alabama, California, Connecticut, Florida, New York, Texas and many other states.

What the company says

In a statement quoted by USA Today, Once Upon a Farm said parents trust the company with every purchase and that "We fell short of that." The company described its actions as aggressive.

NBC Connecticut reported that CEO John Foraker said the company is reformulating the bars to meet the highest standards. He said the company's mission is to improve childhood nutrition and that doing right by customers is part of that. The sources did not give a timeline for when a reformulated product might return.

What to check at home

Because the recall includes all lot codes and expiration dates, no date or code on the package makes a Tractor Wheels bar exempt. Anyone unsure whether a snack bar is part of the recall can check the product name against the three varieties listed above.

Around Prague, based on reporting by NBC Connecticut, USA Today, Newsday