Cheese for babies

[WindInThePussyWillows]

I just wondered what cheese you started your baby on during weaning, and at what point did you introduce different cheese.

My twins are nearly 8mo and LOVE cheddar, cheese sauce, cheesey pasta, cheese cubes, cheese on cheese..

I'm a fussy cheese eater and will only have Cheddar, but I don't want them to be fussy like me.

[GoofyTheHero]

Yes, guidance is that you can give your baby anything except honey and whole nuts.
Obviously you have to bear salt content in mind over the course of the day, but of course they can eat cheese such as feta and Brie in small amounts.

[WindInThePussyWillows]

Ah thank you for all the new replies, I promise I'm not only feeding my babies cheese/ adding it to everything!!
Will take on board the soft cheese with caution (will check labels for un/pasteurised)

I've given them a few cubes of feta since this and they loved it, also a sprinkling of Parmesan which went down very well!

[MyCatLikesToSitInBoxes]

I gave dd (6 months) some Brie the other day and she absolutely loved it.

[peardropz]

My 12m old dd loves cheese! She loves a strong cheddar, and Parmesan, and cream cheese.

There is salt in cheese but I can't get too worked up about that, it's hardly turkey twizzlers.

[StylishDuck]

My nearly 2 yo loves parmesan in pasta sauce, cheddar on its own or in a sauce, cream cheese on toast or in a sandwich. I've also occasionally given her spreading cheese such as laughing cow or dairylea and she loves a babybel - they do Edam, cheddar and Gouda ones. Cheese is a great way to get calcium into a milk refusing baby (which is what I have!)

[YoScienceBitch]

My DD loved Brie jackets when weaning.
Last time I checked the NHS website, the only thing a child under 1 shouldn't have is honey and whole nuts.

[Lovemyfurfurbabs]

Wait I'm not supposed to be giving my baby bread???

[SprogletsMum]

My dd used to love Stilton.
I'm guessing from reading some of the pps that I probably shouldn't have given it to her but she used to steal mine. She's not had it for a while now because it gives her the most disgusting farts.

[Artandco]

There's salt in loads of food. It's only an issue if your giving them all the other salty items also ie bread

[Breadwidow]

Absolute rubbish about soft cheese! Most cheese is made with pasteurised milk so there is no risk of listeria. Cheese made with raw milk (which is far superior in flavour imo) poses a very very very small risk but it's tiny.

I also wouldn't worry much about the salt content in most hard cheese unless they vast amounts.

[Chottie]

My SiL is Italian so DGS was chomping on chunks of parmesan from a very young age :)

[Hurryboomboom]

Cream cheese is a good bet btw, DS loves cream cheese sandwiches for lunch

[Hurryboomboom]

My DS won't eat anything savoury unless it's cheesy

My lad has good taste.

[Zahrah5]

Feta is also super salty. Their kindeys are not fully mature and that is one of the reasons why meals should not be salty. It would be better to offer cheese with less sodium content. Keep in mind that recommened sodium daily intake would be significantly lower for 7m old than for an adult.

[Lindorballs]

I've always grated some Parmesan on my DD's pasta since she was a baby. She loves it! It's a good route in to a stronger flavour

[Zahrah5]

Believe it is same as for pregnant women, issue of listeria.
Also cheese with mold like blue cheese and brie, believe same thing apply.

[EmzDisco]

Tend to only find unpasteurised in fancy cheese shops, it will always say on the label.

[EmzDisco]

Most soft cheese including the ones you mention will be pasteurised, If bought in a supermarket.

[ronconcoke]

Apparently they shouldn't have unpasteurised soft cheeses, as they may contain listeria..

[GoofyTheHero]

Why are soft cheeses not suitable? Both mine have been eating soft cheese since 6 months. Neither of them would ever touch purées and went straight to finger foods, I think cubed feta was one of the first things DD2 ate

[Highlove]

But yes I agree that salt-wise it's something to keep an eye on when they're very little. But 1 year-plus, a few cubes msybe with cherry toms or cucumber makes a great snack.

[Highlove]

As it goes mine us a right fusspot about cheese and only eats cheddar or similar hard cheeses. She's 2.8 now. But I've always offered her everything. Can't imagine why soft cheeses wouldn't be ok?!

[Twozealotmorethan1]

Why not soft cheese? It's ideal on toast for something they can feed themselves.
My baby enjoyed some Cathedral city mature for his first hard cheese yesterday. He's 7mths. He only had a little bit.

[SnugglySnerd]

Feta is fine. DD loves it. Agree about the salt though.

[Highlove]

Why on earth are soft cheeses not suitable?