Baby Food Recipes with Cheese

Cheese is very tasty and nutritious and can be a part of the baby’s diet. There are quite a few things to consider when giving your baby cheese. In this article, we talk about introducing cheese to your baby’s diet and we give you 5 recipes for tasty homemade baby food. 

The recipes in this article:

Recipe 1 – Easy Cheese Omelet
Recipe 2 – Cauliflower Puree with Cheese
Recipe 3 – Baby Mac and Cheese with Carrots
Recipe 4 – Sweet potato, Cheese, and Kale puree
Recipe 5 – Risotto, Spinach, and Cheese

You might also be interested in our recipes with carrots, sweet potato or spinach. 

When can a baby eat cheese?

This depends on the cheese. Some cheeses are safe to eat after 6 months of age. Other cheeses are unsafe until 12 months of age.

The cheese for your baby has to be made from pasteurized milk. After opening, store the cheese in aluminum foil and keep it in a sealed container to avoid any bacteria growth. The safe cheeses for your baby are the more “simple” ones, excluding more exotic ones that are unsafe until 12 months of age.

So let’s start with a list of safe and unsafe cheese for your baby, accompanied by instructions on how to buy the proper cheese.

SAFE cheeses for your baby after 6 months of age; Ricotta and cottage cheese, cream cheese, mascarpone, mozzarella, swiss cheese, parmesan, aged variations of cheddar, and other simple hard cheeses (gouda, romano, etc.).

UNSAFE cheeses for your baby are all the unpasteurized ones, processed cheeses, imported, cheeses with mold, stinky cheeses and similar. These cheeses can contain bacteria, that are unsafe until the baby is at least 1 year of age.

Some of these cheeses are; All types of brie, Camembert, Queso fresco, Stilton, Gorgonzola, all blue and green cheese and all similar fresh, soft, moldy or stinky cheeses. If you are not sure, it’s better to stay safe and only use the cheese from the safe list.

Start feeding your baby with 2-3 small pieces of cheese a day, you can also incorporate it in many baby foods and we will provide you with, three tasty and nutritious baby food recipes with cheese.

Recipe 1: Easy cheese omelet (age 6 months+)

Ingredients:

• One egg
• 1-2 tablespoons of shredded cheese (from the safe list), parmesan, cheddar or swiss cheese are perfect
• 1 tablespoon of milk
• Optional veggies of your choice, chopped
• Butter or oil (butter is healthier).

Instructions:

Step 1 – Mix the egg with milk (add small chunks of veggies- optional).

Step 2 – Heat the pan and melt a piece of butter. When the butter is hot, add the egg with milk and spread it evenly. Let it cook until you reach the consistency of a solid “pancake”.

Step 3 – Turn it around and sprinkle the cheese on top, folding it in half.

Step 4 – Cook for another minute. Cut it into baby-friendly chunks and serve.

This recipe is very nutritious and healthy, especially if you add some veggies.

Recipe 2: Cauliflower puree with cheese (age 6 months+)

Ingredients:

• Small cauliflower or half of the c. head (you can use frozen too)
• 20-30 grams of cheddar or swiss cheese
• Baby’s milk.

Instructions:

Step 1 – Cut or separate the cauliflower into florets (or use frozen ones). You can boil it for 5-10 minutes, or steam it from 10-15 until it’s fully cooked and tender.

Step 2 – Put the warm cauliflower in a blender or a food processor. Add the cheese and some milk to help it blend. If it gets stuck on the walls of the container, add some more milk.

Step 3 – Blend until you get a smooth puree. You can serve whatever you need and freeze the leftovers.

This recipe will provide your baby with healthy veggies topped with nutritious and tasty cheese.

Recipe 3: Baby mac and cheese with carrots (age 10 months+)

Ingredients:

• Pasta of your choice (short shapes or baby pasta), 2-3 handful of pasta
• a small spoon of salt
• 2 tablespoons of butter
• 1 cup of milk
• 2 tablespoons of flour
• 2 tablespoons of ricotta
• 2 tablespoons of parmesan
• 4 tablespoons of ( cheddar, swiss cheese, mozzarella, gouda or any other mild cheese from the safe list, you pick one of these cheeses, it’s best if it’s shredded)
• 1 steamed and chopped carrot.

Instructions:

Step 1 – Bring the water to a boil and add a small spoon of salt. Add pasta and let it cook from 9-12 minutes (check the packaging).

Step 2 – In the meantime, you can prepare the sauce. Use a frying pan and melt 2 tablespoons of butter. Start mixing in the flour and slowly add milk, stirring all the way. You have to keep stirring to form a nice smooth sauce, from flour and milk. Keep stirring for few more minutes, until all the little clumps dissolve. After the sauce is nice and smooth, take it off the stove.

Step 3 – Start gradually mixing in all the cheeses (first ricotta, then parmesan and last the 4 tablespoons of cheese of your choice). When all the cheeses are mixed in add the steamed carrot chunks to give it a nice pop of color, and some added vitamins. Your baby mac and cheese is ready!

This recipe is higher in caloric intake, including butter, different cheeses, and pasta, and it should be enjoyed occasionally.

Recipe 4: Sweet potato, cheese and kale puree (age 8 months+)

Ingredients:

• 1 Sweet potato
• 1 Cup of Kale
• 20-30 grams of cheddar or swiss cheese

Instructions:

Step 1 – Peel the sweet potato and chop it in pieces. Cook the sweet potato for 15-20 minutes until it is cooked and fully tender.

Step 2 – Add the kale in the last 2 minutes. Pour off the water and add the cheese to the sweet potato and kale.

Step 3 – Using a blender or hand mixer, make a smooth puree.

Recipe 5: Risotto, spinach, and cheese (age 6 months+)

Ingredients:

• ½ Cup of risotto rice
• 1 Cup or spinach
• 1/2 chicken bouillon cube (with 2 cups of water)
• 20-30 grams of cheese (of your choice)

Instructions:

Step 1 – Heat the stock to a simmer in a medium saucepan, then lower the heat so that the stock just stays hot.

Step 2 – In a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan, heat the oil and 1 tablespoon of the butter over medium heat.

Step 3 – Add the rice to the pot and stir it briskly with a wooden spoon so that the grains are coated with the oil and melted butter. Sauté for another minute or so, but don’t let the rice turn brown. Cook while stirring until the liquid is fully absorbed.

Step 4 – Add a ladle of hot chicken stock to the rice and stir until the liquid is fully absorbed. Continue adding the stock, a ladle at a time, for 20 to 30 minutes or until the grains are tender but still firm.

Step 5 – Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the spinach to the skillet and cover; allow to cook 5 minutes.

Step 6 – Mix the risotto and spinach and add the cheese on top.

Step 7 – For young babies, put all the ingredients in a blender and make a smooth puree.

Which kitchen tools to use

To prepare these baby food recipes, you will need the following kitchen tools:

• Blender or food processor
• Knife
• Vegetable peeler
• Cutting board
• Fryer pan
• Saucepan
• Food storage containers or an ice cube form

Are these baby food recipes freezable?

You should store your batch of homemade baby food in a refrigerator using an airtight container for up to a period of 72 hours.

You can freeze these baby food recipes into different portions by employing pouring the mixture into ice cubes or in small food storage containers.

Nutritional benefits

Cheese is an excellent dietaHealth Benefits of Cheesery source of calcium, phosphorus, zinc, and protein as well as vitamins A and B12.

Calcium is the most abundant mineral in the body and helps to build and maintain strong bones and teeth. It also conveys messages between the brain and the body and helps blood vessels move blood.

Phosphorous is also in cheese and is the second most abundant mineral in the body. It too helps build and maintain strong bones and teeth. It is necessary for the kidneys to filter waste and helps diminish muscle pain after exercise.

Cheese is a good source of protein too. Protein is a good energy source. It is used to build and repair body tissues. (source)