Cheese can form part of a healthy, balanced diet for babies and young children, and provides calcium, protein and vitamins. Babies can eat pasteurised full-fat cheese from 6 months old. This includes hard cheeses, such as mild cheddar cheese, cottage cheese and cream cheese.
In general, the best cheeses for babies are those that are pasteurized and low in sodium, including emmentaler cheese, fresh goat cheese, labneh, mascarpone cheese, fresh mozzarella cheese, paneer, fresh ricotta cheese, and swiss cheese.
We recommend choosing labneh, unprocessed swiss cheese, goat cheese, ricotta and fresh mozzarella for babies under the 1 year of age mark. Our recommendation for the best cheese for baby is based on the amount of salt and fat content found in different varieties of cheese.
Yes — cheese can be introduced around 6 months of age when your baby starts eating solids. Choose pasteurized, full-fat cheese for safety and to optimize nutritional value.
Yes! Unless your baby already has allergies associated with dairy products, you can start incorporating cheese into their diet once they start eating solid foods around six months of age.
Steer clear of processed cheese slices or packaged cheese spreads or sauces, which often contain artificial ingredients and loads of sodium. Made from pasteurized milk. Dairy products made from raw milk, especially soft cheeses, can be contaminated with listeria and make your baby or toddler sick.
You can offer soft cheese like mascarpone or cottage cheese as it is. Add them to breakfast, use for a spread on toast or a dipping sauce for fruit or veggies. For semi hard or firm cheese, like your mozzarella, thinly slice to reduce choking risk, as these rubbery foods can be tricky for gums new to solids.
9 to 12 months old: Opt for lower-sodium cheeses and only serve colby cheese on occasion in small amounts. When serving colby cheese, cut into 1 or 2 thin slices (not cubes) or serve in shredded/grated form to reduce the risk of choking.
When can you start giving feta to your baby? Babies can eat pasteurized full fat cheese starting at the age of 6 months old. The process of pasteurization makes the cheese safe to eat, because during this process harmful bacteria gets killed.
Nutritional Benefits of Cheese for Babies
Aged cheese contains lower levels of lactose than milk does, so it can be better tolerated by people who are lactose intolerant. Lactose is a type of sugar that is not easily digested by people who don't have the enzyme to break it down. Cheese is also high in: Calcium.
You might want to avoid or only offer the highest salt cheeses such as feta and halloumi in very small amounts until baby is older.
Can my baby eat cheese? Your baby can have pasteurised full-fat cheese from six months old, such as mild cheddar cheese, cottage cheese and cream cheese.
Fresh, pasteurized mozzarella (the type preserved in water or whey) may be introduced as soon as baby is ready to start solids, which is generally around 6 months of age. Avoid “low-moisture” mozzarella, as it tends to be higher in sodium and more rubbery, which can increase the risk of choking.
2. When can kids eat hummus? Hummus can generally be introduced to babies around the 8 - 9 month milestone as long as it is bland to begin with.
Grilled cheese and grilled cheese sandwiches are safe for babies 6 months and up. But remember to cut them up into small pieces. The cheese of choice should be pasteurized or be a type of hard cheese to make it safe for consumption.
Most babies can start eating sandwiches around 8 months old. If your baby is able to sit up well and has good head control, they should be able to try a sandwich. Be sure to cut the sandwich into small pieces and remove any crusts.
Babybel cheese is safe for babies once they reach six months old. The first ingredient in Babybel cheese is pasteurized milk. Pasteurization is the process of heating the milk to high temperatures to ensure that all potentially harmful bacteria are killed off.
Babies between 6 to 9 months can eat beans of all types. If using canned beans, try to purchase low-sodium. Make sure they are well-cooked and soft before serving to your baby. Squish gently between your fingers for baby-led weaning or mashed up as a puree at this age.
Vegemite has a peculiar taste, but it is its sodium content, which makes it bad in an unhealthy way. It is especially unhealthy for babies, whose kidneys cannot cope with too much salt. Vegemite is not recommended to be given to babies under the age of 1 year old.
Honey is the one identified and avoidable food reservoir of C. botulinum, the bacterial spore that causes infant botulism. While most cases of infant botulism today are not caused by exposure to honey prior to illness, it is the only avoidable source of exposure to the bacteria.
Why can babies have yogurt but not cow's milk? Health professionals note that because yogurt is made by fermentation, its proteins can be easily digested by tiny tummies. This is one reason why feeding yogurt to babies under one year is recommended, while offering cow's milk is not.