Dairy for babies: cheese, yogurt and fromage frais explained
When weaning begins at around 6 months, dairy foods quickly become some of the most useful and versatile ingredients in a baby's diet. Cheese, yogurt and fromage frais are all safe to offer from the start of weaning, and they bring a useful combination of protein, calcium and fat that supports your baby's rapid growth during the first year. The key is knowing which products to choose, which to avoid at this age, and what to look for on labels so you are not inadvertently serving up something with a lot of added sugar or salt.
This article walks through each type of dairy food in turn, explains the NHS guidance on when and how to introduce them, and answers the questions parents ask most often.
Dairy foods in weaning: what is safe from 6 months
The NHS advises that dairy foods, including cheese, yogurt and fromage frais, can be introduced as part of weaning from around 6 months. This sits alongside the general guidance that most foods (with a small number of exceptions) can be offered from the start of weaning. Dairy is not an exception: it is actively encouraged as part of a varied diet.
There is one important distinction that often causes confusion. Dairy foods such as cheese, yogurt and fromage frais are solid foods, or in the case of yogurt and fromage frais, semi-solid spoonable foods. They are not the same as cow's milk offered as a drink. The NHS is clear that cow's milk should not replace breast milk or infant formula as the main milk drink before 12 months. Dairy foods, however, are fine from 6 months because they are eaten as part of a meal rather than drunk in place of breast or formula milk.
The key rules for dairy foods during the 6 to 12 month window are:
- Choose full-fat products. Babies need the calories and fat that full-fat dairy provides. Low-fat versions are not suitable as they reduce the energy and fat-soluble vitamins available to your baby.
- Use pasteurised products. Unpasteurised dairy can carry bacteria that are harmful to young babies. All dairy you offer should be pasteurised.
- Avoid products with high added sugar. Many flavoured yogurts and fromage frais products aimed at children contain a significant amount of added sugar. Check the label and opt for plain, natural products where possible.
- Do not add extra salt when cooking with cheese. Cheese is naturally salty. Adding more raises the salt content of the meal beyond what is appropriate for a baby's developing kidneys.
Cheese for babies: hard varieties first, some to avoid
Cheese is an excellent first food. It is rich in protein and calcium, it can be grated finely, cut into small pieces for finger food, or melted into soft dishes, which means it is easy to adapt to wherever your baby is in their weaning journey. Full-fat pasteurised cheese is safe from 6 months as part of weaning.
Hard cheeses such as mild cheddar are particularly popular for babies just starting on solid foods. Because they are firm, they can be grated into fine shreds that are easy to mix through mashed vegetables, pasta or scrambled egg. A small amount of grated cheese goes a long way as a flavour and nutrition boost without adding bulk that might overwhelm a new eater. As your baby develops their pincer grip and finger food skills, small cubes of soft cheese or sticks of harder cheese become something they can explore and feed themselves.
Other hard cheeses that are suitable from 6 months include edam, red leicester, colby and parmesan. Cottage cheese is also suitable: it is soft, mild and easy to spoon, making it a good option for babies who are still getting used to varied textures.
Some cheeses should be avoided until after 12 months. The NHS advises against soft mould-ripened cheeses, including brie, camembert and similar varieties, and against blue-veined cheeses such as stilton. These cheeses may carry a risk of listeria, a type of bacterial contamination that is particularly dangerous for very young children whose immune systems are still developing. After 12 months, all of these cheeses can be introduced if you choose to do so.
When you cook with cheese, remember that cheese is already naturally salty. There is no need to add extra salt to any dish you are making for your baby, and doing so would take the salt content above what is recommended for this age group.
Yogurt and fromage frais: choosing the right products
Yogurt and fromage frais are both soft, spoonable dairy foods that many babies take to easily. They can be given on their own as part of a meal, stirred through pureed or mashed food to add creaminess, or used as a base for mixing in fruit.
Yogurt from 6 months
Full-fat natural or plain yogurt can be given from 6 months. The NHS highlights it as a useful source of protein, calcium and fat for babies during weaning. The main consideration when choosing a yogurt is fat content and added sugar.
Full-fat yogurt is the right choice at this age. Low-fat yogurts reduce the calorie and fat content that babies need for growth and brain development. Natural or Greek yogurt with no added sweeteners is the ideal base: it delivers the nutritional benefits without unnecessary additives. If you want to add flavour, mashing fresh fruit directly into plain yogurt is a straightforward way to do it. Banana, strawberry, mango and cooked apple all work well.
Flavoured yogurts marketed for babies and young children vary considerably in their sugar content. Some contain a meaningful amount of added sugar, including fruit juice concentrate, which still counts as free sugars. Checking the ingredients list and the nutrition label before buying is worthwhile. Look for yogurts where the first ingredient is simply milk or cream, and where there are no added sugars or sweeteners listed.
Fromage frais from 6 months
Fromage frais is a creamy, mild soft cheese that sits somewhere between yogurt and cream cheese in texture. It is widely available in supermarkets and is a popular choice for parents because it is easy to spoon and palatable for most babies.
Full-fat fromage frais is suitable from 6 months. As with yogurt, the plain or natural variety is a better choice than flavoured products because it avoids the added sugars that are common in the children's versions. You can add your own fruit puree or mashed fresh fruit to make it more appealing without the drawbacks of a pre-flavoured product.
One thing to be aware of is that many fromage frais products marketed specifically for babies and young children are made with reduced fat compared to standard plain fromage frais. This is the opposite of what babies need. Always check the label for fat content when buying fromage frais for a baby under 2 years. A full-fat, plain fromage frais is a better nutritional choice than a lower-fat product with added fruit flavouring.
Reading labels on dairy products for babies
The supermarket dairy aisle can be overwhelming, particularly when many products are aimed at families and children. A few simple things to look for on the label will help you choose the most appropriate products for your baby.
Fat content: Look for full-fat products. For yogurt, this typically means at least 3.5 to 5 percent fat or higher. For fromage frais, standard full-fat versions contain around 7 to 8 percent fat, whereas the reduced-fat children's versions are often lower. Whole or full-fat will usually be stated on the front of the pack.
Added sugar and sweeteners: Check the ingredients list. Sugar can appear under several names including sucrose, fructose, glucose, fruit juice concentrate and dextrose. Sweeteners such as stevia or sucralose may also appear in some products. The NHS advises avoiding adding sugar to baby food, and the same applies to choosing products that already contain it. The simpler the ingredients list, the better.
Salt: For yogurt and fromage frais this is less of a concern than it is for cheese, as both are naturally low in salt. For cheese, the naturally occurring salt content varies by type, with hard cheeses generally being saltier than soft ones. Do not add any extra salt when preparing food with cheese for your baby.
Pasteurisation: All dairy products sold in mainstream UK supermarkets are pasteurised. If you are buying from a farmers market, artisan producer or specialist cheese shop, check that the product is made with pasteurised milk. Unpasteurised (raw milk) dairy should not be given to babies or young children.
Frequently asked questions
When can babies eat cheese?
Cheese can be introduced from 6 months as part of weaning. Full-fat pasteurised cheese is safe. Hard cheeses such as mild cheddar are popular first choices as they are easy to grate or cut into small pieces. Soft mould-ripened cheeses (brie, camembert, blue cheese) should be avoided under 12 months because of the risk of listeria. Avoid adding extra salt when cooking with cheese as it is naturally salty.
When can babies eat yogurt?
Full-fat natural or plain yogurt can be given from 6 months. It is a good source of protein, calcium and fat. Choose full-fat rather than low-fat as babies need the calories. Avoid flavoured yogurts high in added sugar. Plain natural yogurt or Greek yogurt with fresh fruit mashed in is a good alternative to sweetened products. Check the label: look for yogurts with no added sugar or sweeteners.
What is fromage frais and is it suitable for babies?
Fromage frais is a soft, creamy dairy product that is popular for babies and young children. Full-fat fromage frais is suitable from 6 months. As with yogurt, choose natural or plain varieties and add your own fruit rather than buying flavoured products, which are often high in sugar. Many fromage frais products marketed for babies and young children are lower in fat than plain fromage frais, so check the label.
Does dairy count as a milk feed for a baby under 12 months?
No. Dairy foods (cheese, yogurt, fromage frais) are solid foods, not a milk feed. They are safe and nutritious from 6 months as part of weaning, but they do not replace breast milk or infant formula as the main milk drink before 12 months. Cow's milk itself should not be the main drink until after 12 months, though dairy foods are fine from 6 months.
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