Generally, cheese is not only safe, but is a healthy food for babies. It’s packed with calcium and is a great source for vitamins A, D and B12. For vegetarian families raising children on a meatless diet, cheese can prove a great alternative source for vitamin B12, a nutrient commonly derived from meat sources.
Babies like it too. Most cheese products come with a rich and full flavor, allowing it to be incorporated into many tasty meals. Even better, it’s very easy to prepare. You can:
- cut up firm cheeses and serve as finger food or mix them into meals
- grate it and stir into rice, pasta, soups, cereals and other dishes
- grill it and serve with bread
- mash it and mix with fruit purees like avocado
- incorporate when baking soft snacks like cookies and muffins
Most babies should be able to handle cheese made from pasteurized milk as early as the sixth month. If a history of dairy allergy is present in your family, however, make sure to consult your child’s pediatrician first. Bear in mind, though, that cheese is usually free from the milk protein that causes dairy allergy so it might not even be that big a concern.
Great cheeses you may want to consider for your baby’s diet includes swiss cheese, cheddar, parmesan, romano, colby, mozzarella, cream cheese, cottage cheese and romano. Heavily processed cheese products found in groceries, while fine, usually has plenty of emulsifiers, additives and enhancers. During their early years, it might be best to focus their diet on full-flavored “real” cheeses.
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