All nutritionists and pediatricians are of the same opinion - cheese can be introduced into a child’s complementary foods only after one year. The fact is that this is a high-protein product, and protein is a complex element that puts a lot of stress on the liver and kidneys. In addition, cheese always contains salt and a decent amount of animal fat, which the baby’s digestive system cannot cope with.
After a year, the child has a more mature digestive system, the number of enzymes increases and the intestinal walls are less permeable. In addition, due to a stronger immune system, the risk of developing an allergic reaction is reduced.
Introduction of cheese into complementary foods
For the first acquaintance with cheese, it is better to give preference to hard varieties, such as Maasdam, Rossiysky, Alterman, etc. Smoked and processed cheeses cannot yet be introduced at all due to the high salt and fat content. Blue cheeses should also not be introduced yet, as such varieties can cause an allergic reaction.
For the first feeding, only 3-5 g of cheese per day will be enough. By the age of 3, this figure can be increased to 10 g. At the same time, it should be given together with the main food - porridge, mashed potatoes, because children rarely eat cheese in its pure form. A full-fledged cheese sandwich can generally be given only after 3 years. To make cheese better and easier to digest, it is better to give cheese to your child in the morning, when his digestive system is most active.
Cheese for lactase deficiency
What’s most remarkable is that cheeses can be given even to children who cannot tolerate cow’s protein or have lactase deficiency. The fact is that during the fermentation process, milk protein is almost completely broken down and loses its allergenicity, and lactose is practically absent in solid varieties. Of course, such a product must in any case be taken under the supervision of a doctor, since there is still a risk.
But there are also special lactose-free varieties that contain 0 carbohydrates.
When can you give cheese to children?
Some little children do not like cottage cheese, but they really love cheese, and, as you know, it also contains large quantities of calcium. But many mothers are concerned about when children can eat cheese, and how much of this product is allowed to eat. small child. So, how is this product useful for a child’s body, can it be harmful, and in what quantities can small children consume cheese?
What are the benefits of cheese for children?
The most important thing is calcium. Cheese contains a fairly large amount of it, much more than cottage cheese or milk. Calcium is necessary for the normal development of the bone skeleton, the strength of the child’s nails, teeth, and hair. As the baby grows, he especially needs this microelement. In order not to be unfounded, we will give approximate statistics: in Parmesan (or in any other hard cheese) the amount of calcium reaches 1300 mg/100 g. For comparison, let’s remember cottage cheese: it contains calcium in an amount of only 125 mg/100 g.
The next useful component of cheese is protein, which is absorbed by the child’s body much better than that found in cottage cheese or milk. Proteins are the building blocks of our body, because they produce the amino acids necessary for life. However, large amounts of protein can put a serious strain on a young child's kidneys, which is why cheese should be given to children in limited quantities.
As for vitamins, cheeses are also rich in them. Vitamins A, PP, E and D, as well as B vitamins. All of them are needed by the child’s body, as they have a positive effect on the immune system, the functioning of many organs, as well as on the child’s general well-being and physical activity.
At what age can children be given cheese?
You can't give your child cheese before a year. Before this age, it is highly not recommended to give such a product to your baby. Afterwards, cheese can be slowly introduced into the diet if the baby doesn’t mind.
Cheese contains a high content of animal proteins and fats, which causes increased stress on the kidneys. Due to the rennet used in the production of many varieties, the load on the pancreas increases. When a child is about 12 months old, his body is already more formed, the pancreas secretes a sufficient amount of enzymes to digest various foods, and the kidneys cope better with their functions.
The daily allowance of cheese for a child 1-1.5 years old should not exceed 5 grams. Gradually, closer to the age of two, this amount can be increased to 20 grams. It is not advisable to introduce cheese into the daily diet; it is enough for the baby to consume it 2-3 times a week. Despite the abundance of useful substances in its composition, cheese is a rather difficult product for the digestive system. In some children, hard varieties can cause constipation, so be careful.
Children from one to three years old should be given cheese exclusively as an addition to their main food (you can grate it and sprinkle it on dishes). You should not combine cheese with meat and butter in one meal, as these two products also contain a lot of proteins, and together they will put a strain on the child’s kidneys.
Well, when can you give cheese to children as an independent dish? After three years. Hard cheese can be cut into slices and given to the child. By chewing it, he will further strengthen his maxillofacial muscles. You can also make delicious sandwiches, although again, preferably without butter. It's better to put a piece of lettuce on the sandwich in addition to a piece of cheese, or fresh chopped vegetables.
Tags: ,Advantages of cheese All mothers know that it is very healthy.
- It contains a lot of up to 25% milk protein. And this is more than in meat. Moreover, protein is valuable, 95% digestible. Cheese proteins are easier to digest than meat proteins and even than milk proteins. Cheese protein may not cause allergies in babies who have had an allergic reaction to cow's milk. Because the protein in cheese is partially broken down during the manufacturing process. It is exposed to enzymes and lactic acid bacteria.
- Cheese contains a lot of calcium, almost eight times more than milk and ten times more than milk, and processed cheese contains approximately three times less calcium than hard cheese.
- Cheese contains a lot of fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E, B vitamins, and nicotinic acid.
Flaws
Cheese contains a lot of fat and salt. This limits its use in baby food.
Which one is possible?
Fat content different varieties cheese ranges from 7 to 75%
When and how much is possible
It is clear that for a child with an immature digestive system such a product, if given as an independent dish, large quantities will be difficult to digest. Therefore, cheese is added to the child’s menu only after a year. And in small quantities, as an addition to main dishes.
It is recommended to start introducing cheese into your child’s menu at 1 year of age.. If a child receives enough milk, kefir and cottage cheese for his age, the recommended average daily intake of cheese is 5 g. This does not mean that it is strictly necessary to give the child 5 g of cheese every day. You can give 10-20 g a couple of times a week. But not all at once and not separately. And, as an addition to other dishes.
For a child under two years old, it is best to sprinkle grated cheese on meat and fish puree. Or add it to cottage cheese or pasta.
When a child learns to chew food well, he can make sandwiches with cheese.
If the baby does not want to eat kefir, milk and cottage cheese, the daily amount of cheese in his diet can be increased to a maximum of fifty grams. But you still need to start with small quantities. And distribute the daily amount of cheese evenly throughout the day, giving it in addition to other dishes.
Melted and smoked
The healthiest for children are hard and semi-hard cheeses with a mild taste.
Processed and smoked cheeses are not recommended for children. Since they contain a lot of spices, food additives. They contain even more salt, sugar, milk, cream, margarines, vegetable oils, melting salts are added, lemon acid, flavor enhancers, flavorings, etc.
Processed and smoked cheeses are not healthy foods for children. They can be given in small quantities to children over 6 years of age.
Allergy to cheese
Mild varieties of hard and semi-hard cheese are products with a low degree of allergenicity. Since in cheese, as well as in fermented milk products, milk protein is in a partially split state.
Highly allergenic products include
- Soft cheeses.
- Blue cheese - allergies most often occur to mold fungi.
- Processed and smoked cheese - an allergic reaction occurs to food additives.
I would like to believe that the article helped you decide when to give cheese to children. Stay healthy!
Young mothers always look forward to the moment when they can diversify the diet of their babies. After all, you really want to give your little one something tasty! Shouldn’t he still drink milk and eat porridge?! The first pureed vegetables, fruits, meat puree... But many parents often don’t even remember about cheese. It is generally accepted that this product is not for infants. Is this statement true and is it possible to give cheese to a child?
Why is cheese necessary for kids?
Cheese should certainly enrich a child's diet. And that's why. The protein contained in this appetizing product (and there is up to 25% of it - this is more than what is found in meat!) is much better absorbed than that found in milk and cottage cheese. The valuable proteins that make up cheese are absorbed almost completely - 95%.
In addition, there is quite a lot of calcium, which is so necessary for a child’s body: 8 times more than in milk, and 10 times more than in cottage cheese!
Cheese is also rich in phosphorus and fat-soluble vitamins of several groups. It also contains many mineral salts.
By chewing this fairly hard product, babies develop their jaw apparatus.
Even little ones who have been diagnosed with lactose intolerance can make cheese, because during its production all the lactose remains in the whey.
Add to this a harmonious combination of proteins and fats - and there will be no trace of doubt about the benefits of this tasty product for the child’s body.
Which children should hold off on cheese?
In front of everyone beneficial properties cheese, the large amount of proteins and fats contained in this product can overload the digestive system of a baby’s body that has not yet become stronger. Therefore, it is better not to give this product to children with digestive tract problems.
And salts also complicate the work of the pancreas.
Some babies are allergic to cheese product. When can you give cheese to a child with this pathology? If the baby is prone to allergies, you will have to introduce him to delicious cheese no earlier than he is a year and a half old, or even later.
Due to the high fat content of the product, cheese should not be given to small children who are obese and often constipated.
At what age can you give your child cheese?
If cottage cheese and kefir are recommended to be given to babies from the age of six months, then nutritionists advise introducing cheese into the diet no earlier than 11-12 months. The reason is simple - this product is more difficult to digest, and the small, fragile body is not yet ready to process it.
The child's digestive system is more or less stabilized only at the age of one year. The walls of the child’s intestines are strengthened, so there is a risk that little man pathogenic bacteria can penetrate and allergic reactions to an unfamiliar product may appear, which is significantly reduced.
By the age of one year it begins to produce required amount enzymes and pancreas. This is when you can give cheese to your baby.
Which one for the baby
It is also important what kind of cheese can be given to a child up to one year old. The first varieties should be unsalted and without spices. That is, you need to start cheese feeding with Dutch, Poshekhonsky, Parmesan, Russian and similar varieties. Other varieties need to be added more carefully, and this must be done gradually.
Very great importance This product also has a fat content. You can give babies cheese with a fat content percentage of about 45. Fattier cheese is harmful to the child’s body because it overloads the child’s pancreas and liver, and cheese with a lower fat content percentage is less absorbable of the calcium it contains.
The menu of a one-and-a-half-year-old child can already be diversified by introducing Georgian and Adyghe fermented milk and pickle products.
But you shouldn’t get your little ones used to eating processed cheese and smoked cheese! This also applies to cheeses with noble mold.
When can you give this type of cheese to a child? Not until he is 5-6 years old.
How much cheese to give and in what form
When can you give cheese to your child and how much of the product should you start with?
The first time you need to give the baby no more than 5 grams of cheese. This is the maximum daily allowance for an infant.
Up to two years, the amount of cheese can be gradually increased to 30 grams per day. But you only need to give it 2-3 times a week.
Pediatricians do not advise giving babies cheeses in combination with meat and butter, so as not to overload children's kidneys, liver and pancreas.
If you want to treat your little son or daughter to a sandwich with butter and cheese, which you yourself love, know that you shouldn’t do this, since this combination of products is harmful for a fragile child’s body.
Experts advise giving cheese to children in grated form up to three years of age. And only from this age fermented milk product Can be offered cut into small pieces.
In the morning or evening?
Young parents are interested in when they can give their child cheese: in the morning, afternoon or evening. Does it matter what time of day you feed it to your baby?
Experts recommend treating your little person to this tasty and nutritious product in the first half of the day, since it is at this time that enzymes work most actively, which will facilitate faster processing of cheese by the child’s body.
Observing the above conditions, loving parents diversify their child’s menu with delicious and useful product and will not harm the fragile child’s body.
Cheese is very healthy and delicious product. Most adults are happy to eat a few bites throughout the day. And thanks to its high protein content, cheese will also be useful for children. But which type of this product should you prefer? And at what age can you give your child cheese?
The benefits of cheese
On average, at the age of one year, doctors recommend starting to introduce dairy products into the weekly menu for children. The list of recommended foods includes not only kefir, but also cheese and cottage cheese. These products are necessary for the growing body so that it can develop normally.
Some mothers are afraid to give cheese, preferring various curds, but this is in vain. A high-quality product contains protein, potassium, calcium, phosphorus and a large amount of vitamins, mainly group B. Moreover, cheese contains approximately 10 times more calcium than milk.
Due to its composition, cheese has the following effects on the child’s body:
- strengthens bones, nails and hair, as it contains calcium;
- protein is involved in tissue formation;
- fatty acids contained in the composition are beneficial for internal organs, brain and skin;
- satisfies hunger well;
- gives the body the energy it needs to function;
- helps to gain weight;
- has a positive effect on vision.
Separately, it is necessary to say that cheese, among other products, is involved in the formation of the baby’s correct taste habits. If you do not start feeding him such food in a timely manner, then over time he will begin to be capricious and refuse healthy foods.
Do not be afraid that this is a high-calorie food that will harm the body. Children use up energy very quickly, so it is quite possible for them to consume such products.
Which variety should you prefer?
If you are going to start giving cheese to your child, then you should not skimp on quality. If the body of an adult is able to digest a lot, then for a baby all kinds of dyes and flavors will be harmful. You should also pay attention to the amount of salt in the product, because its excess can lead to increased water consumption and the appearance of edema.
You can start offering your baby hard cheeses, a little sweet, with large holes and with a fat content of no more than 20%. Maasdam is one of these. You can also buy Russian, Poshekhonsky and Oltermani, if you are confident in the manufacturer of these brands.
At what age should a child be given processed cheese? Theoretically, you can also start doing this at the age of one year. But at the same time, it is necessary to find a product on the shelves that does not contain dyes, flavors and other unhealthy additives that can cause allergic reactions. And it will be very difficult to do this.
It is forbidden to feed babies smoked cheeses, which can be produced in the form of sausage or processed cheeses. Processed products such as Druzhba, which come in a foil wrapper, are also prohibited. They contain an excessive amount of salt and a lot of fat. Not all parents know, but most sausage and processed cheeses are made from various waste products.
Blue cheeses can be offered to children starting from school age. Their consumption at an earlier period may cause allergies or skin diseases.
Pediatricians advise starting to introduce cheese into your baby’s diet from Maasdam.
It has a slightly sweet taste that most children like. And this brand is practically not counterfeited.
Do not give preference to vacuum packaging. Usually such a product is unripe and not very tasty. Also, you don’t need to buy cheese that is too cheap, as it often either has problems with its shelf life or is made from low-quality raw materials.
Choosing the wrong food can lead to a child developing an aversion to this product for a long time. It is best to take cheese from a place where you can taste it first. Most often they do this at the market, but now they often organize tastings in stores.
Carefully study the label if you decide to take cheese in its original packaging. If it says cheese product, then the internal content is a surrogate that is best not given to a small child.
So-called pickled cheeses, which include suluguni, feta cheese and the like, are best not given to children under 6 years of age. The fact is that their manufacturing technology involves soaking the product in brine for several days. Such food will be too salty for the baby. You can cut off a small piece and soak it in water for 3 hours, this will make the product almost fresh, but it can be given to children.
When and how to give your child cheese
Some parents, trying to diversify their baby's menu, start giving him cheese before he turns one. But doctors do not recommend doing this.
The fact is that enzymes that help break down cheese begin to be produced in gastrointestinal tract only about a year. Moreover, this age is considered average, and specifically for your child it can begin at 13 months. Therefore, you should not start giving any food before the age recommended by doctors, but at the same time it is necessary to look at the child’s reaction to this product. Maybe it’s worth waiting a little longer.
For a one-year-old child, one slice of cheese per day is enough or, alternatively, a teaspoon of grated cheese. It is advisable to give such food at this age no more than 3 times a week. If the child refuses this piece, then first try feeding him a different type of product, and if this does not help, then you should stop introducing cheese into the menu for a while.
You should not give cheese at the same time as meat. An increased amount of protein can worsen your baby's digestion. It is best to serve this product simultaneously with vegetable or fruit purees.
When a child reaches the age of 3 years, you can start giving him up to 10 g of cheese per day. It is best to do this during breakfast, since during this period the body absorbs protein best. The optimal dish is sandwiches with butter and cheese, as they provide the body with a large amount of essential nutrients.
You can take a sandwich like this with you on a walk as a snack. It will be healthier than various bars and cookies, and will quickly satisfy your hunger. Grated cheese can be added little by little to most dishes that your baby loves. And almost all children like cream cheese soup.
It is advisable to try to offer even the same products in different shapes or form. Then the child will not get bored with such food, and taste habits will be formed correctly.
Before you fully start giving your baby cheese, you should test the selected piece and the body’s reaction to this product. On this day, it is necessary to completely exclude from the menu all other unfamiliar and unfamiliar foods. During lunch, a very small piece is cut off, or about a teaspoon is grated on a fine grater.
Feed your child a piece, carefully observing the reaction. If the baby spits and does not want to eat, then there is no need to insist. If you liked the piece and it was completely eaten, then there is no need to give supplements.
Then you need to monitor the condition of the baby for several hours. Does his tummy hurt, or does he have any allergic reactions? If everything is fine, then you can start introducing cheese into the menu. For variety, you can alternate between different varieties.
But if your stool changes or other negative reactions to the piece you eat appear, then you should wait a while with this product. Perhaps the body is simply not ready to consume it yet.
Possible negative consequences
If you accidentally give your little one low-quality cheese, this may affect the condition of his body. But some children should not even be given good products, since each organism is individual. Do not add cheese to the menu without consulting a doctor if your baby has:
- tendency to quickly gain weight,
- negative reaction to fatty foods,
- there is a history of gastrointestinal pathologies,
- allergies to certain foods.
You should also carefully ensure that the baby does not eat too large portions, since, if unaccustomed to large quantities, even high-quality food can provoke the appearance of an allergic reaction, diarrhea or dermatitis.
Most often, it is not the entire cheese that causes negative reactions, but some of its components. For example, spices or preservatives. So if any symptoms appear, try not to give this particular variety to your baby anymore.
As a rule, allergic reactions in children are much more pronounced than in adults. This is due to the peculiarities of the immune system. Therefore, to protect the child, if allergy symptoms appear, you should give him water and induce vomiting to flush out the stomach. If your symptoms are very severe, do not delay calling an ambulance. But fortunately, an allergic reaction to such food in children is extremely rare.
For the convenience of parents, some companies produce special children's cheeses. They contain a minimal amount of salt and fat, so it is safe to start introducing them into the baby’s menu starting from 10–12 months. However, such food is easy to find only in large cities. Everyone else will have to make the crumb menu in a variety of traditional ways.
