When can you give your child hard cheese? When can you give your child cheese?

It happens that young children do not like cottage cheese too much, but for the most part they are partial to cheeses. If you know when and in what form it is best to start giving your child this product, you can provide the child’s body with calcium contained in both types of fermented milk products.

Taking into account the specifics of the component and the development features digestive tract in infants, violating the recommended periods is prohibited. You need to be careful about the dosage of products and pay attention to their quality. Ideally, it is best to offer homemade cheese made from low-fat cottage cheese to very young children.

The benefits of cheese for children's bodies

Natural and environmentally friendly sour milk product indicated for use by every child without exception. This is due to the following beneficial properties of the component:

• It contains a lot of calcium. Without this substance, normal development of the baby’s bones, teeth, nails and hair is impossible. It is in the first years of life that this microelement is most necessary for children, because their bodies grow and develop very quickly. It is worth considering that calcium is absorbed only if there is vitamin D in the body. You can give it to your child additionally or regularly take him for walks in sunny weather.

Advice: When cheese is given to a baby specifically for the purpose of preventing rickets, it is better to choose hard varieties. For comparison, the amount of calcium in Parmesan is 10 times higher than that in such healthy cottage cheese.

• Cheeses are rich in protein. The building material necessary for the production of amino acids (designed to support vital processes) is more easily absorbed by the child’s body when it is contained in cheeses. The main thing to remember is that too much protein is not the goal either. Excessive consumption of cheeses can cause severe stress on the baby’s kidneys.
• Regardless of the variety, cheese contains an impressive amount of vitamins. An additional advantage is that these components in the fermented milk product are also well absorbed by the imperfect child’s body. This guarantees the child a strengthened immune system, establishment of metabolic processes, stimulation physical activity, improving overall well-being.

To receive the listed positive effects can be calculated by consuming even a small amount of the product. Of course, provided that only natural ingredients were used in its production, and not so popular today milk powder, thickeners, dyes and stabilizers.

Optimal age for introducing an ingredient into a baby’s menu

Answering the question at what age is it best to give children cheese, pediatricians agree on one thing - not earlier than one year (some even think that it is better to wait until 1.5-2 years). This is explained by the high content of protein and animal fats in the product, which put a strong strain on the kidneys. In addition, in the production of most varieties, rennet is used, which forces the baby’s pancreas to work more actively. For children who have reached one year of age, these effects are no longer scary, because... The digestive and excretory systems are sufficiently formed and are not afraid of additional stress.

At the same time, the daily amount of cheese for a child 1-1.5 years old should not exceed 5 g. Gradually increasing this indicator, by 2 years the daily amount can be increased to 20 g. It is not recommended to give cheese to children daily; 2-3 times a week will be enough enough to obtain therapeutic benefits from fermented milk products. When introducing cheese into the diet, special attention should be paid to children prone to dyspeptic disorders. Despite the obvious benefits, the product is quite heavy and at the addiction stage can cause constipation in the little one. Most often this is a consequence of eating cheeses. durum varieties.

The place of cheese in a small child's diet

Cheeses may only be offered to children under 3 years of age as a dietary supplement. To do this, the component is grated and used for sprinkling on familiar dishes. It is strictly forbidden to combine it with meat. You will also have to give up traditional sandwiches made of white bread, butter and cheese. All of the ingredients listed above contain too much protein and the stress on the kidneys will be excessive.

• Take some 5% fat cottage cheese and put it under pressure to get rid of all the excess liquid.
• Lightly add salt to the resulting crumbly mixture, place it in a saucepan and place in a water bath.
• Constantly stirring the mass, wait until it begins to melt. When the child turns three years old, you can add a little baking soda to the composition to speed up the melting process.
• When the workpiece turns into a molten mass, it must be poured into a clean container lined with gauze or a clean thin towel. We place a weight on top and leave the structure for several hours until all the liquid is absorbed into the fabric.

Even if the cottage cheese refuses to melt (this happens if it is not dry enough to begin with), then there is no need to be upset. The curd mass, heated and pressed in the same way, also turns out very tasty and tender. It can be given to your baby with pieces of vegetables or salad leaves.

It will be useful to read the article about

* Milk *

410. Milk after a year.

Milk contains almost all the nutrients needed
to the human body: proteins, fats, carbohydrates, mineral salts and almost all vitamins. Children receiving adequate nutrition are provided with all these substances (except calcium) without milk. Milk is the only product that contains a lot of calcium, so it is advisable that the child drinks from up to 1 liter of milk per day (in any form).
But remember that many children drink different amounts of milk on different days. Therefore, the surest way to preserve a child’s love for milk is to never persuade him to drink more than he wants. If after a few weeks the baby has not returned to his previous norm (750 g), think about what other form you can give him more milk.

411. Instead of plain milk.

Porridge requires a lot of milk to prepare. Milk is included in various puddings, ranging from curd mass to rice pudding. With milk, instead of water, you can make vegetables and chicken soups. You can cook pasta, mashed potatoes and many other dishes with milk.
It is better not to add various substances to milk to change its smell and taste. But if necessary, you can add cocoa or hot chocolate to the milk, or drink it cold with the addition of some syrup. Usually chocolate causes diathesis and gastric disorders in young children, so it is not given until 2 years of age. Vanillin can also be added to milk. But do not make the milk too sweet, so as not to interrupt the child’s appetite.
Unfortunately, any novelty quickly becomes boring, so a child can also quickly get tired of flavored milk, especially if the mother persuades him to drink a little more on the first day when he drinks less than one glass. I would like to repeat once again that when a parent tells a child: “Drink a little more chocolate milk" (or something else), then the child loses the desire to drink this milk.
Cheese is a very healthy dairy product. 30 g of hard cheese contains the same amount of calcium as 230 g of milk. You need 3 times more processed cheese than hard cheese to get the amount of calcium contained in a glass of milk. There is little calcium in cottage cheese. In terms of calcium content, 1 glass of milk is equivalent to 300 g of cottage cheese.
Since cottage cheese has little fat, it is very easy to digest and you can eat a lot of it. Cottage cheese is eaten salted or mixed with grated cheese or boiled vegetables. Due to its high fat content, cheese should be given little by little. It can be eaten simply in pieces or in the form of sandwiches; Many dishes are sprinkled with grated cheese if the child refuses milk in all its forms. If he is allergic to milk, he should receive calcium in some other form as prescribed by his doctor.
Butter or margarine should be introduced after a year and very gradually, adding it to vegetables and spreading it on bread. Cream should also be given little by little, pouring it over porridge, puddings or fruit for a child with a good appetite. It takes time for the body's digestive system to adjust to increased fat intake.

* Meat, fish, eggs *

412. Meat.

413. Fish.

You can gradually start feeding fish (white, lean) for about a year. It is baked, boiled or fried. Crush the fish with your fingers and remove any bones before giving it to your child. Fattier fish varieties are introduced into the menu gradually after a year. Some children like fish, but most don't like it and there's no point in insisting.

414. Eggs.

This is a very valuable product in any form: hard-boiled or in a bag, in the form of scrambled eggs or used to prepare various dishes and drinks. It is advisable for the child to eat one egg per day. If he likes eggs, sometimes 2 eggs a day is okay.
If the child does not like meat or fish or if you cannot get them, then his protein needs will be satisfied with 3/4-1 liter of milk and 2 eggs per day plus vegetable proteins contained in cereals and vegetables.
If your child does not like eggs or they cause allergies, then regular consumption of meat is even more necessary.

*Vegetables*

415. Different types vegetables

During the first year of life, your baby has probably eaten most of the following vegetables: spinach, peas, onions, carrots, asparagus, zucchini, pumpkin, tomatoes, celery, potatoes.
By the age of one year, the child should switch from pureed food to mashed food with a fork and in the form of pieces. (Of course, some vegetables can also be given in pureed form.) The peas need to be crushed so that the child does not swallow the peas whole. If you gave your child only easily digestible vegetables before one year, then after a year try less popular and more difficult to digest vegetables: cabbage (including cauliflower), turnips, parsnips. Their harsh taste can be softened by boiling them in two waters. Some children like these vegetables and digest them well; other children refuse to even try them. Corn grains are given only after 2 years. Very young children swallow corn without chewing, and it comes out undigested in the feces. Give your child only soft corn. Cut the kernels not too close to the base so that the kernels open up; at 3-4 years old you can feed corn directly on the cob, but cut each row of kernels in the middle so that they open up.
Easily digestible raw vegetables begin to be fed between one and two years, if the child has good digestion. The best of them: peeled tomatoes, lettuce, grated carrots, finely chopped celery. These vegetables must be well peeled. Give them a little at first and see how the child digests them. You can season raw vegetables with orange or sweetened lemon juice.
At the same time, if the child has good digestion, you can start giving vegetable juices. Raw vegetables and their juices are much healthier than boiled vegetables, in which some of the vitamins and mineral salts are destroyed during the cooking process and dissolve in water.
If your child temporarily stops loving just boiled vegetables, think about vegetable soups: pea, tomato, onion, spinach, beetroot, corn and mixed vegetable soups.

416. Vegetables can be replaced with fruits.

Suppose a child refuses vegetables in any form for several weeks. Vegetables are a very valuable product as a source of vitamins, mineral salts and fiber. But various fruits contain most of the vitamins and mineral salts and the same amount of fiber. If a child takes vitamins in concentrates, drinks milk and eats meat and eggs, he receives those salts and vitamins that are low in fruits. In other words, if your child doesn't eat vegetables but likes fruit, he has nothing to lose. Give him fruit 2-3 times a day and forget about vegetables for several weeks or even months. If you don't insist, your child will most likely fall in love with vegetables again after a while.

* Fruits *

417. In what form to give them.

During the first year of life, the child apparently tried the following fruits, boiled or canned: pureed apples, apricots, prunes, pears, peaches, pineapples and raw ripe bananas, apples, pears. A one-year-old child can be given some of these fruits not in pureed form, but in pieces. Canned fruits that adults eat are not as healthy for children because the syrup is too sweet. If you give children canned compotes, then at least drain the sweet syrup.
Raw fruits, such as oranges, peaches, apricots, plums, and seedless grapes, are provided between one and two years if the child has good digestion. Raw fruits must be very ripe. Cut off the peel for a child under 4 years of age. If you leave it, you should wash the fruit thoroughly to remove any chemicals that have been sprayed on the fruit trees.
Usually, raw berries are not produced until 2 years old. Strawberries often cause rashes. Until the child learns to chew well, mash the berries so that he does not swallow them whole. Remove the pits from the cherries until he learns to do it himself by spitting them out. Whenever you start giving berries, do it gradually and stop if your baby starts to have diarrhea.
Melons and watermelons should be given carefully at 2 years of age, in small portions in a mashed form.
Dry fruits - prunes, apricots, figs, dates - can be given uncooked from 2 years of age. Dry fruits should be washed very carefully and given sliced ​​as a fruit salad or whole.

* Porridge and dinner *

418. Porridge.

Your one-year-old child probably already eats various cereals, made from children's semi-finished products or boiled: oatmeal, wheat and others that the whole family eats. Feed your baby cereal as long as he likes it, once or twice a day. Remember that children like either solid or almost liquid food. They usually don't like a sticky consistency. Therefore, make the porridge liquid.
If your child is tired of one porridge, offer him another one that he did not like before. You can occasionally give boiled unpolished rice, hominy, semolina porridge. Children often prefer dry porridges (buckwheat, millet, etc.), because adults and older children eat them. Wheat and oatmeal- the most useful because they are rich in vitamins and mineral salts (porridges made from corn and rice are less valuable).

419. Bread and cereals.

If your child is tired of porridge for breakfast, you can give him toasted bread, a bun made from wholemeal flour, rye flour or oatmeal. Bread is the same porridge, only baked, and is just as healthy. The fact that the bread is cold and not hot, like porridge, does not matter and does not reduce either its nutritional value or digestibility. Spread the bread with a thin layer of butter or margarine (after a year). You can spread a layer of pureed fruit or a little jam on the bread if your child likes it that way.

420. Dinner.

Mothers often complain: “He’s tired of porridge and I just don’t know what to feed him for dinner.” If you are going to give your child several dishes for dinner, then you need to remember a simple rule so as not to feed him two hearty dishes for one dinner and two light ones for another. This is the rule: 1) fruits or vegetables; 2) a filling, high-calorie dish.
A hearty dish can be porridge, which your child will like much more if you add slices of raw or boiled fruit, or finely chopped dry fruit, or honey.
An older child can be given sandwiches instead of porridge. It is still difficult for a one-year-old child to eat a sandwich, and he will still split it into pieces. But closer to 2 years old, he will cope well with a sandwich. For sandwiches, use rye or wholemeal bread. Spread it with a thin layer of butter, cottage cheese or melted cheese. You can add a little jam, honey or sugar if the child does not eat sandwiches without sweets. But I would not recommend getting carried away with sweets. Sandwiches can be made with a wide variety of foods: raw vegetables (lettuce, tomatoes, grated carrots or cabbage), boiled or chopped dry fruits, eggs, herring, chopped poultry or meat, cheese (grated or melted, and later sliced). For children over 3 years old, you can put a little mayonnaise on the sandwich.
As a hearty dish for dinner, you can serve broth or soup with rice, pearl barley or pasta, into which you can throw in some croutons.
In addition to the egg received for breakfast, or instead of it, you can give an egg (in any form) for dinner. Place the egg on the bread or crumble the bread into the soft-boiled egg.
You can give plain cookies by spreading them with something or crumbling them into a cup with warm or cold milk. You can crumble bread or croutons into cold or hot milk.
Potatoes are a very filling dish and are quite suitable for dinner if the child likes them. Sometimes you can give pasta and vermicelli.
Instead of the first hearty dish, followed by boiled or raw fruit, you can first give boiled vegetables or a vegetable or fruit salad, and after that - milk or cereal pudding, and for an older child, ice cream.
Bananas are a wonderful dessert and a very filling dish. They can sometimes replace porridge for breakfast. You can give cottage cheese or desserts made with gelatin (preferably with fruit). But they do not contain enough calories and, therefore, do not fully satisfy the child's appetite.
There are children who always eat little food containing starch and do not seem to need it. They get enough calories from milk, meat, fruits and vegetables and gain weight normally. They get enough B vitamins from these same foods. So, the last thing you should worry about is bread, cereal and other high-calorie foods, even if the child has gone without it for several weeks.

*Less valuable and junk food*

421. Cakes, pies, cookies.

These products are undesirable for children because they are prepared mainly from premium flour, sugar and fat. Since they are very high in calories, the child quickly gets full, but receives almost no vitamins, mineral salts, fiber and proteins. This kind of food is called “incomplete”. It only satisfies the child's appetite, but deprives him of essential nutrients that he could get from other foods.
Of course, a child can occasionally eat pies and cakes (for example, on a birthday). If you give them regularly, you will deprive him of essential nutrients. There is no point in making pies at home if there is no special need for it.
Cream cakes are especially dangerous. Cream is an excellent environment for bacteria to multiply, especially if the cakes are not stored in the refrigerator. Stale cakes are often the cause of severe poisoning.

422. Sweets.

They are also undesirable because they quickly satisfy the child’s appetite and are harmful to his teeth. If a child happily eats porridge with fruit without sugar, then there is no need to add it. But, if a little sugar or a spoonful of honey, in your child’s opinion, makes the porridge very tasty, then sweeten it without talking. But don't let him add too much sugar. Calmly and firmly move the sugar bowl away from him. Jelly, jam, and canned fruit (except for special canned fruit for children) contain too much sugar and therefore should not be fed to the child frequently. If he eats bread and butter with only jam, then spread it just a little, just for taste. If the whole family eats canned fruit, you can give it to your child too, but without the syrup. Raisins, prunes and dates, if a child eats them regularly, are harmful to the teeth because they stick to them for a long time.

423. Sweets, fruit water, ice cream.

This is an unhealthy food, and children usually eat them between feedings, which is especially harmful for both teeth and appetite. It won't hurt your child if he eats candy or ice cream for dessert after dinner with the whole family. But at all costs, avoid giving your baby sweets between feedings. It is not recommended to give sweets regularly, even on the third day. To avoid getting your child used to sweets, do not keep them at home and do not buy your child ice cream or fruit water. But a school-age child will inevitably learn about the existence of such “joys.” If a child only wants sweets from time to time, then it is better to give in to his desire so that he feels that he is “the same as everyone else.” But, if he constantly eats sweets and especially if he has bad teeth, then parents should allow sweets only on special occasions.

424. Often parents themselves instill in their child a love of candy.

Children love candy. Their “hungry”, growing bodies require additional calories. But an unspoiled child is unlikely to eat a lot of sweets. Some young children do not like candy or sweets at all. In her experiments, Dr. Clara Davis found that if you let your child decide what to eat, he will eat sweets in reasonable quantities.
I think that parents often unwittingly instill in their children an exaggerated love of sweets. For example, a mother says to a child: “Until you eat spinach, I will not give you ice cream” or “If you eat all the porridge, I will give you candy.” When you promise and keep the promise (or any reward), it increases desire. The effect is the opposite of what the mother needs. The child eats spinach and porridge that he hates, and he craves candy and ice cream even more. As a joke, I would advise bribing a child differently: “I won’t give you spinach until you eat ice cream.” But seriously, I advise you to never hold back one dish until your child has eaten another. Let him think that simple food is as good as sweet food.

425. Corn, rice and premium flour are less valuable products than wholemeal flour and oatmeal.

Corn and rice are poor in vitamins and valuable proteins (even before processing) compared to oatmeal, rye flour and wholemeal wheat flour. Processing grain deprives it of most of its vitamins, mineral salts and fiber. Therefore, foods such as white bread, pasta, cookies, rice, hominy, etc. should be given less frequently. Unpolished brown rice is healthier than polished white rice.
You may think that I am exaggerating the dangers of sweet and starchy foods. In many families, children eat approximately as follows: breakfast - porridge (very sweet) and bread with jam; lunch - pasta, white bread and jam; afternoon snack - ice cream and soda water; dinner - cornflakes, pies and pudding. Even if with such a diet the child eats both meat and vegetables, still 2/3 of his menu is “junk” food.

426. Coffee and tea.

They are not suitable for children because they fill the space in the stomach that belongs to milk, and in addition, they contain an stimulant - caffeine. Most children are active enough without caffeine. You can add a tablespoon of liquid tea or coffee to the milk if your child likes to do everything “in an adult way.” But it’s better and easier not to give these drinks to your child at all.

* Frozen food *

427. Frozen foods are just as good for children as fresh and canned foods, if they are prepared correctly.

Freezing affects food in the same way as cooking, that is, it brings it into a state in which it is better absorbed by both humans and bacteria. In other words, cooked and thawed food spoils faster than raw food.
Milk, products prepared with milk, vegetables, poultry, various fillings are easily spoiled foods that cannot be kept out of the refrigerator for a long time.

*Eating out of schedule*

428. Be prudent.

Many young children need a snack between two meals. But between feedings, not all foods can be given and not at any time, so as not to interrupt the baby’s appetite.
Fruit and vegetable juices and fruits are quickly and easily digested and are less likely than other types of food to contribute to tooth decay. Milk stays in the stomach much longer and, therefore, can kill the baby's appetite. But there are children who cannot eat enough at one time and feel hungry and tired much earlier than the next feeding. It is better for such a child to give milk outside of the schedule. Then by the next feeding he will not be too exhausted and his appetite will be better.
Do not offer your baby cakes, pies or sweet cookies between feedings. They have three disadvantages: they are high in calories, low in vitamins and other nutrients, and harmful to teeth. Even hard crackers and bread stick to the teeth for a while and are therefore not particularly suitable for this purpose.
It is best to give your baby a snack halfway between two feedings or no later than 1.5 hours before the next feeding. But even to this rule there are exceptions. Some children, having drunk juice between feedings, still become so hungry and angry before the next feeding that, having found a reason for hysteria, they refuse to eat at all. If you give such a child a glass of juice as soon as he returns home from a walk (even if there are 20 minutes left before lunch), this will improve both his mood and his appetite. So, what and when to give between feedings is dictated by common sense and the needs of your baby. Many children do not need to snack outside of their schedule at all. IN as a last resort You can change your feeding schedule and continue to stick to it for a long time.
Some mothers complain that the child does not eat well at the table, but asks to eat outside the schedule. This problem arose as a result of the fact that the mother persuaded and forced the child to eat during the established feeding hours and, conversely, refused to feed him between them. Persuasion only deprives the child of appetite. If this continues for several months, then the sight of the dining room is enough to make him sick. But as soon as lunch is over (although the child has eaten very little), his stomach returns to its natural state and requires food, like any healthy empty stomach. The solution to this problem is not to deny the child food at the wrong time, but to try to make the procedure of feeding at set hours so pleasant that he looks forward to it with pleasure in advance. The food should be tasty and have an appetizing appearance so that the baby eats it with more pleasure than what is offered to him between feedings.

*Breakfasts, lunches, dinners*

429. Sample menu

Breakfast:
1) fruit or fruit juice;
2) porridge;
3) egg;
4) milk.
Lunch (or dinner):
1) meat, fish or poultry (or an additional egg);
2) vegetables (raw or cooked);
3) potatoes;
4) raw fruit (occasionally pudding);
5) milk.
Dinner (or lunch):
1) a hearty dish, for example: porridge or bread or sandwiches or potatoes or soup with crackers, croutons, pasta, noodles, etc. or eggs in any form with bread or (but not often) pudding, pasta;
2) vegetables or fruits, raw or boiled;
3) milk.
In addition: vitamins in concentrates - daily; fruit or juice between feedings, if necessary; wholemeal bread - with every meal, if you want.

Recently I witnessed a conversation between two mothers. One of them shared information that cheese is a fatty product and should not be offered to a child before two years of age. The second interlocutor, on the contrary, told me that she has been giving it to her baby since he was one year old, and there are no problems.

I understood: the question of at what age can a child have cheese is relevant and needs to be dealt with. If you want to know what I learned about this, then read on.

The benefits and harms of cheese

Cheese is a product that will benefit your baby’s developing body:

• Contains protein. It is needed for tissue formation;
• Rich in calcium, which is involved in the formation of teeth, hair, skin and nails;
• Vitamins A, B, D, PP, as well as potassium, phosphorus and other useful minerals contained in the product are no less important for the body of your growing child;
• Fatty acids are involved in brain function;
• It is a good source of energy and is involved in weight gain. This is another necessary useful property, since small children use up energy very quickly;
• By giving this product to your child from an early age, you instill in him the right eating habits, which is important for his future adult life.

Harm of cheese

You also need to know about possible harm, which can bring this dairy product. In this matter, the quality of the product purchased is important. If it is at a low level, this can lead to:

• obesity;
• dermatitis;
• allergies, which is very rare;
• nausea.

When to give cheese to a child

Now let's talk about when a child can have cheese. In fact, it all depends on the type of complementary foods introduced.

Therefore, whether a one-year-old child can have cheese or not depends only on one factor: whether the child is allergic to milk or not.

It is necessary to introduce complementary foods correctly, not to load the child’s body with allergenic products, be sure to give any product washed down with breast milk and then there will be a negative reaction from the child. gastrointestinal tract will not be.

What types of cheese can a child eat?

Covering the question of what kind of cheese can be given to a child, first of all, I would like to say that you should not save money when buying cheese.

1. Pay attention to the composition: dyes, flavors and other dubious additives have little relation to the real product and should not be there.
2. Fat content should not exceed 30 - 35%.
3. Maazdam, Cheddar, Oltermani, Mozzarella, Ricotta - the most suitable varieties for your baby. You can also give goat cheese to your child. This species is classified as a dietary variety, as it is low in calories.

It will also be useful for you to know which types are not suitable for feeding a small child:

• smoked sausages and processed cheese products. Neither Druzhba cheese nor processed cheeses having a softer consistency. This type contains a lot of salt. In addition, they have a high percentage of fat content. Neither one nor the other will do any good;
• Curd cheeses can also be questioned. They contain various additives and flavorings. As a result, allergies and other unpleasant reactions of your child’s body;
• Products with mold are another type that is banned at such an early age. An allergy to cheese in a child is a small thing that you can get rid of after you treat him to such cheese. In the worst case scenario, you cannot avoid an infectious diseases hospital. 7, or even 12 years - the age at which you can remember this type of product for your child;
• brine - Brynza, Adygei, Feta, Suluguni. These types are oversaturated with salt, and this is harmful to your baby’s body;
• cheese product. The name speaks for itself here. There is little that can be found of real cheese in this form. Usually such products are much cheaper, moreover, manufacturers generally indicate on the label that this is a cheese product. But is it worth believing the inscriptions in all cases? Obviously, not everyone will tell the truth. First of all, focus on the price: it should not be lower than the market average.

How often and in what quantity

When starting to give your baby cheese for the first time, do not be lazy to follow simple rules in order to avoid troubles.

1. On the day you plan to give it for the first time, do not overload your child’s diet with other new foods. This should be regular, familiar food for the baby.
2. The ideal time to introduce yourself to a new dairy product is the first half of the day. During the rest of the time, monitor your baby's behavior.
3. You need to start with a small microdose, the size of a grain of rice.
4. This dairy product should be present in your baby’s diet several times a week (2 – 3).

Attention. At 1.5 years, the portion can be increased to 15 g, and at 2 years, you can give 20 g of cheese per day.

How to choose a good cheese?

We discussed some important points of choice above. Let's summarize briefly.

1. Buy products from a trusted manufacturer in a large retail chain.
2. Pay attention to the packaging and date of manufacture. It is better to give preference to polypropylene packaging (PP). Polystyrene is best avoided.
3. Choose a product without additives.
4. Consider fat content.
5. Look at the price and don't buy cheap products

Cheese is necessary and the right product in your child's diet. The main thing is to observe the quantity and take into account the rules described above when purchasing this product.

The thinnest slices of cheese have an infinitely pleasant taste. This is one of the most interesting and healthy products, a love for which most people experience throughout their lives. At what age can a baby be given cheese? Which varieties will be healthier for him? Today we will answer these and many, many other questions.

Is cheese healthy?

Weird question! Of course! How else can one explain such a variety of varieties - there are only several hundred of them. With noble blue mold and spices, soft and hard, crumbly or with many large holes. All of them are made on the basis of milk - with the addition of special enzymes, thanks to which the product matures. Cheese should definitely be in the diet of children, there are several reasons for this:

• It contains more protein than meat; moreover, cheese protein is absorbed by 95% - almost all of it.
• Even if your baby is allergic to milk protein, eating cheese will most likely not cause an allergic reaction. This is due to the fact that the cheese protein is broken down during the fermentation process.
• Cheese is an excellent source of calcium; there is significantly more of it in the product than in milk - 8 times, and 10 times - than in fermented milk products, in particular in cottage cheese. Important! In terms of calcium content, processed cheese is inferior to hard cheese.
• Hard cheese contains a significant amount of fat-soluble vitamins, including A, D and E, as well as many others - B vitamins and others.
• Cheese contains amino acids that are strategically important for the baby’s health; of particular interest are: lysine, tryptophan, and methionine. They provide proper development internal organs, contribute to the development of the baby’s muscles, and have a positive effect on the condition of hair, nails and skin.
• In addition to vitamins and amino acids, cheese contains microelements, including calcium, which is so important for strengthening the skeletal system, phosphorus, which is necessary for brain development, as well as zinc and many other substances.
• Cheese - the best remedy to restore strength. Therefore, it is especially useful to use it after physical exercise (we hope you are involved in sports and active games with your baby), as well as swimming, playing football and other activities that involve significant energy expenditure.

30–40 g of cheese is enough to satisfy a child’s daily need for vitamins and minerals. For this reason, it is recommended to be given regularly to patients with fractures or other injuries.

Precautionary measures

You are mistaken if you think that cheese is good for absolutely everyone. Some people have a complete intolerance to this product. You should also refrain from using it in some other cases:

• for gastritis - regardless of acidity: high or low;
• for kidney problems, including pyelonephritis (both acute and chronic);
• with urolithiasis;
• for heart problems or hypertension;
• if you are overweight, cheese is a very high-calorie product, energy value 200 g of product covers the daily calorie requirement.

Blue cheeses should be consumed with caution - they can cause an allergic reaction in children. We do not recommend including processed cheeses in the diet of children. Cause? The fact is that almost all products in this category are obtained by processing products lying on the shelf. There is practically no benefit from them.

First "tasting"

Pediatricians unanimously object to children eating cheese before they reach the age of 1 year. The reasoning for this is simple: almost all products are obtained by fermentation, so it creates an increased load on the child’s digestive system. The optimal age for “acquaintance” with cheese is 1 year. An older baby has more digestive enzymes, so he can consume this product without risk to health. Administration scheme:

• On the first day, offer your baby a tiny slice of cheese - weighing up to 2 g.
• If the tasting went well, next time the portion can be increased to 4–5 g.
• Maximum daily norm cheese consumption by a child aged 1–3 years is 5–10 g, preschool children - up to 50 g.

In the first days of introducing a new product, carefully monitor all changes in the child’s health. Very often, an allergy does not manifest itself as a rash, but by the appearance of a cough, runny nose or other symptoms.

What cheeses are best to give to your baby?

At the age of 1–2 years, it is better to offer a child low-fat varieties of cheese without spices, with a mild taste, for example, “Maasdam” or “Russian”, as well as similar products. Do not buy smoked cheeses under any circumstances - due to their high fat and salt content, they can negatively affect the kidneys and liver.

Little children accept Poshekhonsky or Dutch cheese well, as well as other varieties with a fat content of up to 45–50%. You can make delicious desserts from Mozzarella, while Camembert is more suitable for children over 3 years old. Its use activates the digestive system. If your child has a calcium deficiency (manifested by brittle nails and poor hair condition), introduce Gouda or Emmental varieties into his diet. After one and a half years, children can be given pickled cheeses, including Adyghe or Suluguni.

Recipes

Children are happy to eat cheese in its natural form, but sometimes you really want to please your baby with something tasty. We hope that the proposed recipes will help with this.

Cheese soufflé

Ingredients: milk sauce (1 teaspoon each of honey and butter, 0.5 tablespoon flour), 4 eggs, 70 g grated cheese, 25 g butter.

Preparation of milk sauce: heat a frying pan, pour honey and butter into it, when melted, add flour, cook until thickened (sour cream consistency). Cool the resulting mixture, add the yolks and cheese to it (leave a little), then mix thoroughly. Beat the whites separately, then carefully fold them into the cheese mixture. Then it must be placed in a mold, previously coated with butter, and sprinkled with the remaining cheese on top. Bake for 15-20 minutes. Serve warm.

Milk-based cheese pudding

Products: 0.25 milk, 50 g plums. butter, 125 g breadcrumbs (you can grate the dry bread), 125 g hard cheese, 3 eggs.

Preparation. Boil the milk, add crackers with grated cheese and butter, then stir, then cool to a temperature of 75-80 ° C, add the yolks. The final stage is the introduction of whipped whites into a stable foam and cooking in a water bath (40 minutes) in a form sprinkled with breadcrumbs (pre-grease). A wonderful option for an afternoon snack!

Cheese omelette

For 2 servings you will need: 2 eggs (if quail - 8), 100 ml of milk, 2 teaspoons of flour, 30 g of cheese - any of the hard varieties will do, a little vegetable oil, salt - to taste.

Preparation. Wash the eggs thoroughly, break them into a bowl, add salt, add milk, and then beat until smooth (alternatively, you can do this by hand). At the very end, carefully add flour so that no lumps form. Second stage of preparation: grease the mold, pour the omelette mixture into it, and place in a preheated oven. Bake for 5 minutes, then sprinkle with grated cheese, and then put back in the oven - 3-5 minutes is enough.

Many parents diligently monitor their children's diet. Pediatricians advise feeding the baby correctly so that unforeseen health situations do not arise in the future. If your baby has grown, it’s time to gradually introduce complementary foods into his diet.

Product benefits

Is it possible to give cheese to babies? The product is rich in calcium and proteins; they are absorbed faster than the proteins contained in milk and cottage cheese. It contains vitamins A, PP, B; microelements – phosphorus, pantothenic acid.

The composition of the product confirms its value. He must be present in baby food, fully forming bones, hair, teeth. Cheese has a beneficial effect on vision, improves metabolism, strengthens the walls of blood vessels, and improves mood, thanks to the serotonin contained in it.

The smallest children, children under 6 months, should not be offered cheese as complementary foods. The protein contained in the product overloads the kidneys, and fats and salts are poorly accepted by the child’s body.

From what month can a baby be given cheese?

From 8 months, pediatricians recommend introducing cottage cheese into complementary foods. It's better if mom cooks it herself. You can add half a teaspoon of grated or mashed with a fork product to your baby’s porridge. With cheese, beneficial substances will enter the baby's body. This cheese is very similar to cottage cheese.

From the age of 9 months, a child can be introduced into complementary foods with cheese of a uniform consistency, without seasonings, and a little salty. Add it to food, a teaspoon, 2 times a week.

By 10-11 months of life, you can give your child soft curd cheese, industrially produced, in small quantities.

How to give cheese to a baby if he refuses?

The baby will like its delicate taste; its soft consistency makes it easy to mix it with porridge or add it to pureed natural vegetables.

At what age can a child fully try a tasty, healthy product?

At 1 year, the digestive system will stabilize, immunity will increase, the strength of the intestinal walls will increase, and the risk of allergic reactions to an unfamiliar cheese product will decrease.

Rules for feeding cheese

Cheese is not a main dish or a side dish for a child, it is a nutritious food supplement. It should be given in small portions, alternating with eggs, cottage cheese, and meat. As a source of fats and proteins, cheese can be included in the diet.

You need to start complementary feeding with 5 grams per day, by the age of two the portion increases to 30 grams. Cheese should be taken in the morning, before lunch, when digestive enzymes are most active. It is combined with other products: pasta, vegetables, bread, to balance the necessary carbohydrates, proteins, fats.

The method of serving the product depends on the age of the child. It is better for children three years old to add grated cheese to their food. Pediatricians do not recommend combining it with foods that contain proteins and fats, such as butter and meat. This will put additional stress on the digestive organs - the stomach, intestines, as well as the pancreas, kidneys, liver, leading to their failure.

From 4 years old, a child can be given cheese in slices. The baby’s body will receive useful substances, and by chewing a tasty product, the jaw muscles will be well strengthened.

Product selection

Not all varieties are suitable for little ones. What cheese is best to give to a baby? You should not buy cheap cheese for your child; you should approach the choice responsibly. An inexpensive product may be of poor quality and cause allergies in the baby. It is better to choose low-fat, lightly salted cream cheeses, without various additives.

The child's body accepts soft cheeses well. There is no need to offer children hard cheeses until they are one year old.

The healthiest thing for a baby is homemade cheese. Cooking technologies at home must be strictly followed. And the store sells high-quality cheeses; you need to learn how to choose them correctly. When the baby turns one year old, Russian cheese is ideal for him, and later let him try Mozzarella and Parmesan.

Fat content

When purchasing, parents must control the fat content; it should not exceed 45%. Cheese with low fat content is not recommended for children; in the absence of fat, the body does not absorb calcium.

From the age of one and a half years, pickled and fermented milk cheeses are added to the diet. Little gourmands will like Adygei, Suluguni, Georgian. They have less fat content than rennet products, but more salt.

Cheese is a high-calorie dairy product, but children are active - they jump, run, and play, especially on a sunny summer day. Calories burn quickly, there is no need to count them, a healthy baby does not have a tendency to become overweight. From the age of 3, children begin to be introduced to a new assortment, starting with Poshekhonsky or Dutch. To diversify the baby’s diet, it is necessary to introduce new varieties, excluding melted and smoked ones.

You should avoid feeding your child blue cheese; the additive often causes severe allergies. When can you treat your child to an unusual product? From the age of 6, the body will become stronger and the child will be able to try the delicacy.

Allergies in children

Cheese is a favorite and popular product for many. Convenient for daily use, does not require preparation. The product is rich in a large number of useful substances. It has many types, many get acquainted with new tastes.

Not everyone can enjoy eating a product that often causes allergies. Infants, their delicate bodies are exposed to substances that cause this disease.

In most cases, it appears on the components of a dairy product. Allergy appears in young children as an intolerance associated with the characteristics of the reaction to a certain product. An allergy to cheese occurs in an infant due to the body's inability.

Having a negative predisposition to certain components of classic cheese, the baby often accepts products produced from or derived from plants well. For example, Tofu cheese, familiar to many, is made from soy milk.

The younger the child, the less protected the vital systems are. The resulting reaction to the product is more pronounced in the baby and can take on a complex nature.

The child develops symptoms of the disease:

• Quincke's edema;
• dyspnea;
• attacks of suffocation;
• dangerous intestinal disorders;
• dehydration of the body, which in a short time leads to a sad outcome;
• anaphylactic shock.

If you are allergic to this dairy product, it is better to avoid it. Checking your baby’s normal tolerance to the reaction to cheese will help you avoid serious consequences.

To find out if your baby has an allergy, do a small test. The baby should be given a small piece of the product. If small spots on the body and loose stools do not appear in the evening or morning, add cheese to your child’s food.

At the first symptoms of negative changes in the condition, the product causing the allergy should be excluded from the diet after observing the child’s behavior. A new attempt to include cheese in your baby’s diet should be repeated after a few weeks, after consulting with your pediatrician.

Children like cheese, they need to start complementary feeding correctly, on time, and monitor the baby’s health. A tasty product will help your child grow up strong and smart.