Cream Cheese

Cream cheese may be introduced as soon as baby is ready to start solids, which is generally around 6 months of age.

Cream cheese got its name from the time-honored practice of skimming rich fat—the cream—from the top of milk, then letting it ripen. Humans have been making cheese this way around the Mediterranean Sea since the 7th century B.C., and when Europeans colonized the Americas, they brought dairy processing traditions like this one with them.

Yes. Cream cheese is rich in fat, which is a concentrated source of energy to fuel baby’s rapid growth and development. Specifically, cream cheese offers lots of saturated fat, which is one of the most abundant types of fat in breast milk. In recent years, saturated fat has been scrutinized for its association with heart disease in adults, but research shows that it has its place as a part of a balanced diet, and that it may have a more neutral impact on the heart than previously thought. Cream cheese is also rich in vitamin A, as well as carotenoids such as beta carotene. These nutrients work together to support brain development, skin health, immunity, and growth and development.

Yes. Cream cheese is typically made from cow’s milk, which is a 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. If baby is allergic to dairy, know that it is an allergy that 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 doctors.

Milk is a known 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. Left untreated, the reaction can result in significant dehydration. Thankfully, like other forms of milk allergy, FPIES which presents early in life is generally outgrown by the time the child has reached 3-5 years of age.

For those with older children who are lactose intolerant (keep in mind this is uncommon for infants and toddlers), some good news: compared with milk and certain other dairy products, cream cheese may be better tolerated by those with lactose intolerance. Note that if your child is lactose-intolerant, it’s important to find calcium-rich foods to consume regularly to ensure a balanced diet and support bone health. Search for naturally low-lactose cheeses and dairy products labeled “lactose-free.”

If you suspect baby may be allergic to milk, consult an allergist before introducing dairy products like cheese. Based on 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 dairy 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 servings.

It can be, if spread thickly or served in globs. To reduce the risk, prepare and serve cream 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.

In North America, cream cheese and neufchatel cheese are almost the same. They are both made of pasteurized cow’s milk with stabilizers to keep the cheese intact. They are creamy and spreadable at room temperature. They taste fresh with a mild tang, and because their texture is comparable, they can be used interchangeably in many recipes. Their main difference is the amount of milk fat. By American law, neufchatel must contain between 20 and 33% fat compared to at least 33% for cream cheese. American-style neufchatel is not the same as Neufchâtel, the soft cheese with a bloomy rind from the Normandy region of France.