Babies can have cheese from around 6 months, as long as it's pasteurised and full-fat. Australian, UK and US guidance all include cheese among the dairy foods babies can eat in their first year. Three things need care: which cheeses to skip because of listeria, how much salt cheese adds, and the shape you serve it in, because chunks of cheese are a choking risk.
Cheese also contains cow's milk protein, one of the common allergy foods. This guide covers preparation at each stage, cheeses to avoid, salt, allergy, and how cheese differs from cow's milk as a drink.
When can babies eat cheese?
From around 6 months, once your baby has started solids. See starting solids for the readiness signs.
| Region | What the guidance says | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Australia | Full-fat yogurt, cheese and custard before 12 months; no unpasteurized dairy | Pregnancy, Birth and Baby |
| Australia | Dairy foods such as yogurt and cheese in the first year | ASCIA |
| UK | Pasteurised full-fat cheese from 6 months | NHS |
| US | Pasteurised cheeses without added sugar from 6 to 12 months | CDC |
Australia's Pregnancy, Birth and Baby, which lists the national Infant Feeding Guidelines among its sources, includes full-fat yoghurts, cheese and custard among foods to introduce before 12 months, names cheese as a finger food most babies manage at about 8 months, and lists unpasteurized dairy as unsuitable. The Australia's ASCIA guide to introducing solid foods lists dairy foods such as yogurt, cheese and cow's milk on cereal.
The NHS list of foods to avoid says babies can eat pasteurised full-fat cheese from 6 months, including hard cheeses such as mild cheddar, cottage cheese and cream cheese. It adds that cheese provides calcium, protein and vitamins. In the US, the CDC's foods to encourage lists pasteurised cheeses or yoghurts without added sugars for babies aged 6 to 12 months, and the AAP's starting solids page says there's no evidence that waiting to introduce dairy beyond 4 to 6 months prevents allergy.
Why full-fat?
The NHS guide to feeding young children recommends full-fat cheeses and dairy up to the age of 2, because young children need fat and energy to grow. The Royal Children's Hospital Melbourne toddler guide, from Australia, also lists full-fat dairy such as milk, cheese and yogurt for 1 to 2 year olds, with reduced-fat dairy after 2.
How do I prepare cheese for my baby?
Shape matters more with cheese than with most first foods, because firm cheese doesn't squash easily. The CDC's choking hazards list includes large chunks of cheese, especially string cheese, and the AAP lists chunks of cheese among foods to avoid or modify for young children.
| Stage | Safer ways to serve | Skip for now |
|---|---|---|
| Around 6 months | Finely grated into warm food; cottage or cream cheese stirred through; thin strips of hard cheese to hold | Cubes, chunks, string cheese |
| 8–9 months | Grated; thin strips; small pieces about 1 cm; melted and cooled on toast fingers | Large cubes |
| 12 months+ | Grated, thin slices or small pieces with family meals | Large chunks; whole string cheese |
Around 6 months. The NHS first solid foods guide suggests sticks of pasteurised full-fat hard cheese as a finger food, choosing lower-salt options, in pieces big enough for your baby to hold in their fist with a bit sticking out. Keep the sticks thin rather than chunky. Grated cheese melted into mashed vegetables, pasta or scrambled egg is an easy way to start on a spoon.
8–9 months. Thin strips and grated cheese still work well. If you cut small pieces, the AAP's choking-prevention advice suggests pieces no larger than half an inch (about 1 cm) for infants and young children.
12 months and beyond. Cheese can join family meals, grated or in thin slices or small pieces. The CDC's solids guide says to cut cylindrical foods such as string cheese into short, thin strips.
Let melted cheese cool before serving, and stir it through so there are no long, stringy strands.
Which cheeses should babies avoid?
The main concern is listeria, a bacterium that can grow in some cheeses. The guidance differs a little by country.
| Cheese | NHS (UK) | CDC (US) |
|---|---|---|
| Hard cheese, e.g. mild cheddar | Fine from 6 months | Safer choice |
| Cottage cheese, cream cheese | Fine from 6 months | Safer choice |
| Brie, camembert, ripened goats' cheese | Avoid unless cooked | Safer only if labeled pasteurised |
| Soft blue cheese, e.g. roquefort | Avoid unless cooked | Safer only if labeled pasteurised |
| Any unpasteurized (raw milk) cheese | Avoid | Avoid |
The NHS says babies and young children shouldn't eat mould-ripened soft cheeses such as brie or camembert, ripened goats' milk cheese or soft blue-veined cheese, because there's a higher risk they carry listeria. It also says to avoid cheeses made from unpasteurized milk and to check labels. These cheeses can be used in a cooked recipe, because cooking kills listeria; the NHS gives baked brie as a safer option.
The CDC's safer food choices for children under 5 is less strict about pasteurised soft cheese. It lists raw-milk soft cheese, such as queso fresco, brie, camembert and blue-veined cheese, as riskier, but soft cheese clearly labeled "made from pasteurised milk" as safer, because young children's immune systems are still developing. The CDC's foods to avoid or limit says unpasteurized cheese may expose children to bacteria that cause severe diarrhea.
In Australia, Food Standards Australia New Zealand's listeria advice is written for pregnant women, older people and people with weakened immune systems rather than babies. For those groups it says to avoid soft, semi-soft and surface-ripened cheeses such as brie, camembert, ricotta, blue and feta unless thoroughly cooked, and to reheat food until steaming hot (75°C).
If you're unsure about a cheese, the simplest rule is: pasteurised hard cheese, cottage cheese or cream cheese as is, and anything soft, mould-ripened or blue only when it's cooked into a hot dish.
How much salt is in cheese, and what should I choose?
The NHS salt guide lists cheese among salty foods and says babies should have less than 1 g of salt a day, and children aged 1 to 3 no more than 2 g, because a baby's kidneys can't process much salt. The NHS first foods guide says to choose lower-salt options when offering cheese.
Salt content differs between cheeses and brands, so:
- Compare labels. The CDC suggests checking the nutrition label to find foods with less sodium. Compare the sodium per 100 g between brands and types.
- Use a little. A sprinkle of grated cheese adds flavor without making cheese the main part of the meal.
- Balance the day. On days your baby has cheese, skip other salty foods; the NHS lists stock cubes, gravy, bacon, sausages, crackers and crisps.
- Don't add salt. The NHS says not to add salt to your baby's food or cooking water.
Foods to avoid covers salt and sugar in more detail.
Is cheese a common allergy food?
Yes. Cheese is made from milk, and Australia's ASCIA lists cow's milk among the most common allergy foods. Its advice is to introduce common allergy foods in the first year rather than delaying them, starting with small amounts and offering one new common allergy food per meal. The full method is in introducing allergens.
The Australia's ASCIA cow's milk allergy page says more than 2% (1 in 50) of infants in Australia and New Zealand are allergic to cow's milk protein, and around 80% outgrow it by 3 to 5 years. It describes two kinds of reaction:
- Fast reactions, usually within 15 minutes and sometimes up to two hours: hives or welts, swelling of the lips, face or eyes, tummy pain, vomiting or diarrhea. Severe reactions (anaphylaxis) include noisy breathing or wheeze, swelling or tightness in the throat, or a young child becoming pale and floppy.
- Delayed reactions, usually two or more hours later: worsening eczema, delayed vomiting or diarrhea.
Lactose intolerance is different. Australia's ASCIA explains it's caused by a lack of the enzyme that digests milk sugar; it can cause tummy pain, wind and diarrhea but isn't dangerous and doesn't cause rashes or anaphylaxis.
If your baby has a diagnosed cow's milk allergy, don't swap in goat's or sheep's cheese: Australia's ASCIA says most people with cow's milk allergy react to other animal milks too. Follow the plan from your baby's specialist, and an allergy dietitian can help replace the calcium and protein.
Is cheese the same as giving my baby cow's milk?
No. The cow's milk rule is about the main drink, not dairy in food. Australia's ASCIA says cow's milk shouldn't replace breast milk or infant formula as the main milk before 12 months, while yogurt, cheese and cow's milk on cereal are fine. The NHS says cow's milk can be used in cooking or mixed with food from around 6 months, but shouldn't be a main drink until 1.
The CDC says cow's milk as a drink before 12 months may put babies at risk of intestinal bleeding, and has too many proteins and minerals for their kidneys to handle easily. A little cheese in a meal doesn't replace a milk feed. From 1, moving to cow's milk explains how much and how to switch.
What should I do if my baby chokes or has a reaction?
Choking. If your baby can't breathe, cough or cry, shout for help and call 911. The NHS choking first-aid guide describes up to 5 back blows, then up to 5 chest thrusts, repeated until help arrives, and CPR if your baby becomes unresponsive, following the call-taker's instructions. Get medical help afterwards even if the food came out. Choking vs gagging has the full steps, and the AAP recommends taking a certified CPR and first-aid course.
Anaphylaxis. For sudden swelling of the lips, tongue or throat, noisy or difficult breathing, a wheeze or persistent cough, a hoarse cry, or a pale, floppy or drowsy baby, follow the Australia's ASCIA first aid plan for anaphylaxis:
- Lay your baby flat or hold them flat, not upright, and don't stand them up.
- Give an adrenaline (epinephrine) device if one has been prescribed. Australia's ASCIA says if in doubt, give it.
- Call 911 for an ambulance.
- Start CPR at any time if your baby is unresponsive and not breathing normally.
Milder signs. For hives or welts, swelling of the face or eyes, or vomiting, with normal breathing, stop giving dairy, stay with your baby and get medical advice the same day, watching for any breathing change.
When should I get help?
Call 911 now if your baby:
- has difficult or noisy breathing, a wheeze or a persistent cough after dairy
- has sudden swelling of the lips, tongue or throat
- becomes pale, floppy or drowsy, collapses, or has a hoarse cry
- can't breathe, cough or cry because food is stuck, turns blue or becomes unresponsive
Australia's ASCIA classes lip swelling on its own as mild to moderate, while the NHS urgent-help guide lists swollen lips, tongue or throat with difficulty swallowing among reasons to call an ambulance, so this guide treats sudden lip swelling as an emergency.
Get medical help today if your baby:
- has hives, welts or swelling of the face or eyes, and is breathing normally
- vomits soon after eating cheese or other dairy
- needed back blows or chest thrusts, even if they now seem well
Talk to your doctor or pediatrician if:
- eczema, vomiting or diarrhea seems to flare in the hours or days after dairy
- your baby has a diagnosed allergy and you'd like a plan for dairy, or are unsure whether baked dairy is safe
- you're worried about how much salt your baby is getting
What's worth noting?
When you introduce dairy, note the food, the amount, the time and anything you notice over the next two hours, plus any eczema change over the following days. A photo of a rash and the time it started help the doctor.
