Feta Cheese

Feta cheese may be introduced as soon as baby is ready to start solids, which is generally around 6 months of age. While feta cheese can be high in sodium, a taste here and there as part of a varied diet is not a cause for concern. Choose pasteurized feta cheese to minimize the risk of foodborne illness.

Feta is a soft white cheese made of curds from sheep’s milk and sometimes goat’s milk that are formed into a block and aged in brine. Feta has Protected Designation of Origin, a marketing term that’s regulated by the European Union to protect the terroir of foods that are produced, processed, and prepared in a specific region using traditional methods. That means that, technically speaking, only feta cheese from certain areas of Greece can be labeled as such.

Learn more about choosing cheese to share with babies.

Feta cheese is rich in protein, fat, calcium, selenium, zinc, and vitamins A, B6, and B12. Together, these nutrients work together to provide the building blocks for growth, development, and brain function. They also help support bone density, taste perception, vision, energy, and immunity. Choose pasteurized feta cheese to minimize the risk of foodborne illness.

While feta cheese is typically high in sodium, the amount of sodium that babies eat tends to be low as they learn the skills to feed themselves, and some sodium is important for supporting baby’s electrolyte balance, hydration, and movement. While many health organizations recommend holding or reducing salt in food shared with baby, recent reviews of literature suggest that this may not be necessary. Furthermore, sharing family meals, even if they contain salt, has its benefits: baby has opportunities to explore a wider variety of food, share their family food culture, and practice eating a variety of textures.

★Tip: If you would like to reduce feta’s sodium content, drain the brine from the feta and immerse the cheese in fresh water. Remove the cheese from the water when ready to serve.

Yes. Feta cheese is commonly made from sheep, goat, and/or cow’s milk, and cow’s milk 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. Note: Aged cheeses generally contain histamines, which may cause rashes in children who are sensitive to them.

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. 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, many cheeses may be better tolerated by those with lactose intolerance, particularly aged cheeses, which have lower lactose content. 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.

Yes. Feta cheese can be chalky in texture and difficult for babies to swallow, qualities that can increase the risk of choking. To reduce the risk, prepare and serve feta 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.

There is not a limit; if desired, you could serve pasteurized cheeses every day, but try not to worry about the exact amounts baby is consuming. During any given meal, a baby may eat lots of the cheese, or they may eat very little. Both scenarios are fine when cheese is part of a variety of foods in the diet.

None! Put solid food directly on baby’s tray, plate, or bowl, then let baby explore with their hands. If you like, keep a baby spoon or fork nearby to help familiarize the child with utensils, but the skills to use them are not expected until early toddlerhood.