Cottage Cheese

Cottage cheese may be introduced to babies as soon as they are ready to start solids, which is generally around 6 months of age. 

Cottage cheese has roots in the lands connecting Africa, Asia, and Europe, where humans learned how to turn milk into curds and whey in ancient times. As Europeans colonized the Americas, they brought cows and dairy traditions with them. Originally known as farmer’s cheese and queso del país on American farms and homesteads, cottage cheese made use of leftover whey after skimming fatty cream from fresh milk to make butter. Warming this skimmed milk made curds that could be eaten fresh, pressed into forms, or seasoned with cream, whole milk, and salt.

Yes. Cottage cheese offers plenty of protein, B vitamins including folate, and other vital nutrients like calcium, selenium, iodine, and zinc. Some varieties (sometimes called “cultured cottage cheese”) even add probiotics, which may support gut health, while offering a fuller-bodied, tangier flavor.

Cottage cheese can be exceedingly high in sodium. If you’d like to reduce baby’s sodium intake, you can choose low-sodium varieties or serve in moderation.

Yes. Cottage cheese is often made from cow’s milk, which is classified as a Global Priority Allergen by the World Health Organization. It is an especially common food allergen in young children, accounting for about one-fifth of all childhood food allergies. Keep in mind that dairy products from other ruminants such as sheep, goat, and buffalo may provoke similar allergic reactions to cow’s milk dairy products. That said, there’s good news: milk allergy often disappears with time. Research shows that the majority of children with cow's milk allergy will outgrow it by age 6, and many babies with milder symptoms of milk protein allergy (which can show up as painless blood in stool) are able to successfully reintroduce cow's milk as early as their first birthday, with the guidance of their appropriate pediatric health professionals.

Milk is a common cause of food protein-induced enterocolitis syndrome, also known as FPIES. FPIES is a delayed allergy to food protein which causes the sudden onset of repetitive vomiting and diarrhea to begin a few hours after ingestion. This is termed acute FPIES. Left untreated, the reaction can result in significant dehydration. When milk is in the diet regularly, FPIES can present as reflux, weight loss, and failure to thrive - this is termed chronic FPIES. Symptoms generally improve with elimination of milk from the baby’s diet. Thankfully, like other forms of milk allergy, FPIES which presents early in life is generally outgrown by the time a child has reached 3-5 years of age.

Lactose intolerance, which is when the body has a hard time processing lactose, the sugar that is naturally present in milk, can sometimes be mistaken for an allergy, as it can result in bloating, gas, diarrhea, nausea, and other discomfort. Be sure to connect with an appropriate pediatric health care professional for any questions about lactose intolerance, and know there are many lactose-free dairy foods available. 

If you suspect baby may be allergic to milk, consult an allergist before introducing dairy products like cheese. Based on a baby’s risk factors and history, your allergist may recommend allergy testing, or may instead advise dairy introduction under medical supervision in the office. If the risk is low, you may be advised to go ahead and introduce cheese in the home setting. As with all common allergens, start by serving a small quantity on its own for the first few servings, and if there is no adverse reaction, gradually increase the quantity over future meals. If you have already introduced milk and ruled out an allergy, pasteurized cheeses can be introduced as desired, without any need to start small and build up over time.

No. Cottage cheese poses a low choking risk though, in theory, an individual can choke on any food. To reduce the risk, prepare and serve cottage cheese in an age-appropriate way. As always, make sure you create a safe eating environment and stay within an arm’s reach of baby during meals. For more information on choking, visit our sections on gagging and choking and familiarize yourself with the list of common choking hazards.

Cottage cheese is a type of farmer's cheese. There are many types of farmer’s cheese in the world, and they often consist of pressed cheese curds made from cow’s milk. After the curds are removed from whey, they are shaped into a form to further drain moisture from the cheese—similar to how paneer, queso blanco, and queso fresco are made. Consequently, farmer’s cheeses tend to be firmer than cottage cheese, whose curds are often moistened with added cream or whole milk. While they differ in texture, farmer’s cheese and cottage cheese share a similar flavor and they often contain lots of added sodium for taste and preservation.