Kamil Perry
When it comes to introducing cheese into a baby's diet, it's important to start with soft cheeses that are easy to eat and digest. From around six months, babies can be offered very soft cheeses like ricotta, cream cheese, farmer's cheese, or very soft goat cheese from a spoon or spread on a lightly toasted piece of bread. Once a baby reaches nine months, they can start eating small pieces of soft cheese crumbles or shredded cheeses like mozzarella. These are great early finger foods and can help babies develop their fine motor skills. It's important to cut the cheese into small pieces to avoid any choking hazards and to choose lower-sodium options like goat cheese and mozzarella if you're concerned about sodium intake.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Age | 9 months or older |
| Texture | Soft |
| Type | Goat cheese, mozzarella, ricotta, cream cheese, farmer's cheese |
| Serving suggestion | Crumbled, shredded, spread on toast |
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What You'll Learn
Soft goat cheese crumbles
You can offer soft goat cheese crumbles as a finger food or spread it on a lightly toasted piece of bread for baby-led weaning. If you're offering it as a finger food, make sure the pieces are small enough for your baby to pick up with their fingers. You can also try shredding the cheese or offering it in small, soft crumbles.
Goat cheese has a mild flavour, so it's a good option for babies who are just starting to explore solid foods. It's also a nutritious choice, as cheese is a good source of protein and calcium.
When introducing any new food to your baby, it's important to do so gradually and watch for any signs of an allergic reaction. If you have any concerns about offering cheese or other dairy products to your baby, be sure to consult with your healthcare provider.
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Soft shredded cheeses
Shredded cheeses are also a good option for baby-led weaning. You can spread a very soft cheese onto a finger-size piece of bread, or offer a pre-loaded spoon to a baby doing baby-led weaning. Soft shredded cheeses are also a good option for babies who are just starting to eat solids, as they are easy to chew and swallow.
When choosing a shredded cheese for a baby, it's important to consider the sodium content. Some shredded cheeses, like cheddar, can have close to 200mg of sodium per serving. Lower-sodium options include goat cheese and whole milk mozzarella.
It's also important to cut the shredded cheese into small pieces to avoid a choking hazard. Around 12 months old, you can offer very small diced pieces of shredded cheese. And when a baby is over about 16-18 months old, they may be able to start taking bites from a cheese stick.
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Baby-led weaning
When it comes to baby-led weaning, cheese is a great option for babies from around six months old. It's an accessible, nutritious food that's easy to serve to kids from an early age, with a few small tweaks to make sure it's easy to chew and swallow.
For babies who are six months old or older, you can offer very soft cheeses like ricotta, cream cheese, farmer's cheese, or very soft goat cheese from a baby spoon. You can also spread it on a lightly toasted piece of bread for baby-led weaning style foods.
Once a baby is nine months old, or is able to pick up smaller pieces of food with their fingers, you can offer soft goat cheese crumbles or soft shredded cheeses like mozzarella. These are usually a great early baby finger food option and Stage 3 baby food. You can also try fresh mozzarella, which has a mild flavour and is great for finger foods.
When a baby is 12 months old, you can offer very small diced cheeses, cut into pieces roughly the size of two peas to avoid a choking hazard. Be sure to avoid any very firm cheeses.
At 16 to 18 months old, babies may be able to start taking bites from a cheese stick. Model how to take bites to help them learn not to take too big a bite and get too much cheese in their mouth at once.
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Sodium intake
When introducing cheese to a baby's diet, it is important to consider the sodium content of the cheese. While cheese is an accessible, nutritious food that is easy to serve to babies, some cheeses are high in sodium. Cheddar cheese, for example, has around 200mg of sodium per slice.
Babies under one year old should consume less than 1g of salt per day (around 0.4g of sodium). Therefore, it is important to choose lower-sodium cheeses for babies. Goat cheese and whole milk mozzarella are good options, as they have less than 50mg of sodium per serving. Fresh mozzarella is also a good choice, as it has a mild flavour and can be easily spread on toast or used as a finger food.
When preparing cheese for a 9-month-old baby, it is recommended to offer small pieces of soft cheese crumbles or shredded cheeses. Soft goat cheese crumbles or soft shredded cheeses like mozzarella are good options. These cheeses are usually a great early baby finger food option.
It is important to note that babies should not be given cheese that is too firm, as it can pose a choking hazard. Additionally, cheese should be cut into small pieces, about the size of two peas, to avoid choking.
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Choking hazards
Cheese is an accessible, nutritious food that can be served to babies from an early age, as long as it's prepared in a way that's easy for them to ingest. For babies who are 9 months old, soft goat cheese crumbles or soft shredded cheeses like mozzarella are a great option. These can be served as finger foods.
When serving cheese to a 9-month-old baby, it's important to be mindful of choking hazards. Avoid using any very firm cheeses, as these can be difficult for a baby to chew and swallow. Even with softer cheeses, it's important to cut the cheese into small pieces, roughly the size of two peas, to reduce the risk of choking.
It's also important to supervise your baby while they're eating cheese and to make sure they're sitting upright. This will help to ensure that they're chewing and swallowing properly, and it will also help you to spot any signs of choking. If your baby is just starting to eat solids, it's a good idea to spread the cheese onto a piece of bread or toast to make it easier for them to handle and swallow.
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Frequently asked questions
Soft cheese crumbles or shredded cheeses, such as mozzarella.
You can spread soft cheese onto a finger-size piece of bread or toast.
Ricotta, cream cheese, cottage cheese, goat cheese, and farmer's cheese.
Goat cheese and whole milk mozzarella.
When they are over 12 months old.
