Swiss Cheese

Dairy

Age Suggestion

6 months

Iron-Rich

Common Allergen

Yes

a block of Swiss cheese that will be cut for babies starting solids with baby-led weaning

When can babies have swiss cheese?

Swiss cheese may be introduced as soon as baby is ready to start solids, which is generally around 6 months of age. Choose pasteurized swiss to minimize the risk of foodborne illness.

In the United States, “swiss cheese” often refers to any cheese with holes, though in Switzerland, this cheese is named after the alpine region from which it came, Emmental. Swiss cheese and emmentaler cheese are both firm and tend to contain less sodium than other cheeses, a characteristic that grew out of necessity as emmentaler was traditionally made in the Alps, where salt was in limited supply. These characteristics create the right conditions for helpful bacteria to thrive and produce carbon dioxide, which creates distinctive holes in the final product. Swiss immigrants brought their techniques to North America, and as the alpine cheese grew in popularity, it took the name of their nationality rather than the region in which it originated.

How do you serve swiss cheese to babies?

Every baby develops on their own timeline, and the suggestions on how to cut or prepare particular foods are generalizations for a broad audience.

a Solid Starts infographic with the header How to Cut Swiss Cheese for Babies: thin slice for or scant amount melted for babies 6 months+, bite-sized pieces cut from a thin slice for babies 9 months+

6 months old +:

Offer pasteurized swiss cheese cut into long, flat slices to reduce the choking risk and make it easier for baby to self-feed. If you want to use swiss cheese in melted form, opt for shredded swiss cheese and sprinkle sparingly, as large globs of melted cheese can be difficult for young babies to chew and manage in the mouth. Avoid offering any kind of cheese in cubes and large chunks.

9 months old +:

At this age, babies develop the pincer grasp (where the thumb and forefinger meet), which enables them to pick up smaller pieces of food. When you see signs of this development, you can move down in size, either to grated swiss cheese or bite-sized pieces cut from a flat slice (continue to avoid cube shapes). Offer the cheese on its own, so baby can experience the flavor, or as part of a meal.

12 months old +:

Offer long, flat slices so that the toddler can practice tearing and taking bites, or serve bite-sized pieces cut from a flat slice or shredded cheese. At this age, you can also melt the cheese over bread, tortillas, pasta, beans, or vegetables. Just make sure the cheese isn’t too hot, but also hasn’t cooled so much that it re-hardens or gets clumpy.

24 months old +:

Serve swiss cheese in thin slices or bite-sized pieces, as well as melted over bread, tortillas, pasta, beans, or vegetables.

At this age, many toddlers may be ready to eat cubes of swiss cheese. Before serving cubes of swiss cheese, look for signs of mature eating skills, such as taking small bites with their teeth, moving food to the side of the mouth when chewing, chewing thoroughly before swallowing, and not stuffing food in their mouths. Even when the child is exhibiting these skills, we recommend coaching the child. Only serve cheese cubes when a child is seated in an upright seat, actively engaged in mealtime, and not distracted. Demonstrate chewing a piece of cheese yourself by placing it in between your front teeth, biting down, moving the food to the side, and then chewing with your mouth open. Once you have chewed the cheese well, open your mouth to show the child how it’s broken down. Say “I moved it to my big strong teeth to chew it. It needs a lot of chewing.” Then, offer one cube of cheese for the child to eat. If they do not attempt to chew, hold off on attempting again for a few weeks. Remember, these skills take time, and it’s best to meet the individual child where they are at.

a hand holding a thin slice of swiss cheese for babies 6 months+ — A thin slice of swiss cheese for babies 6 months +

a hand holding four bite-sized pieces of swiss cheese for babies 9 months+ — Bite-sized pieces of swiss cheese cut from a flat slice for babies 9 months +

Videos

Alex, 6 months, eats a strip of swiss cheese.

Ripley, 9 months, eats swiss cheese for the first time

Cooper, 13 months, eats thin slices of swiss cheese.

Is swiss cheese a choking hazard for babies?

Yes. Cheeses like swiss are firm and can get globby and hard to manage in the mouth, qualities that increase the risk of choking. To reduce the risk, prepare and serve swiss cheese in an age-appropriate way as described in the How to Serve section. As always, make sure you create a safe eating environment and stay within an arm’s reach of baby during meals.

Learn the signs of choking and gagging and more about choking first aid in our free guides, Infant Rescue and Toddler Rescue.

Is swiss cheese a common allergen?

Yes. Swiss cheese is often made from cow’s milk, which is classified as a common 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.

Is swiss cheese healthy for babies?

Yes. Swiss cheese is rich in protein, fat, calcium, selenium, zinc, and vitamins A 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 swiss to minimize the risk of foodborne illness.

How much cheese can babies eat?

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.