Introducing your baby to a variety of flavours and textures is an exciting milestone in their early development. With the many foods you can offer, cheese sauces hold a unique savour, due to its creamy texture, rich and nutritional benefits.
Making cheese sauces for babies is not only a great way to introduce dairy into their diet, but it also allows you to create delicious, wholesome meals that are both enjoyable and beneficial.
According to the NHS, “Cheese can form part of a healthy, balanced diet for babies and young children, and provides calcium, protein and vitamins like vitamin A. Babies can eat pasteurised full-fat cheese from 6 months old. This includes hard cheeses – such as mild cheddar cheese – cottage cheese and cream cheese. Full-fat cheeses and dairy products, such a yoghurt and fromage frais, are recommended up to the age of 2, as young children need fat and energy to help them grow.”
Babies and young children shouldn't eat:
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Mould-ripened soft cheeses, such as brie or camembert
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Mould-ripened goats' milk soft cheese like chèvre
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Soft blue-veined cheese like roquefort
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Cheese made from unpasteurised milK
"This is because these cheeses carry bacteria called listeria.", says the NHS.
Cheese sauce for babies preparation time:
2 minutes
Serves
2
Ingredients
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15g butter
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15g flour
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150ml milk
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30g gruyere cheese, grated
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20g parmesan cheese, grated (if vegetarian, use an Italian hard cheese alternative)
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3tbsp mascarpone
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50g Annabel Karmel's Mini Pasta Shells
How to make cheese sauce for babies?
This easy three cheese sauce recipe by Annabel Karmel is suitable for babies 9 to 12 months old and packed full of calcium to encourage strong bone growth.
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Cook the pasta according to the instructions on the packet.
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Melt the butter, stir in the flour and cook for 1 minute.
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Gradually add the milk, stirring over a low heat for 5 to 6 minutes.
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Take off the heat, stir in the gruyere and parmesan until melted, then stir in the mascarpone.
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Drain the pasta and toss with the sauce.
Meet the expert:
Weaning expert Annabel Karmel has over 25 years of experience in children's nutrition and is a best-selling author... 45 cookbooks and counting. From healthy eating during pregnancy, to critical nutrients when weaning your little one and how to manage fussy eaters, Annabel has pioneered the way families all over the world feed their babies and children. She even received an MBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours for her outstanding work in the field of child nutrition.
Adejumoke Ilori is a Commercial Content Writer for Mother&Baby. She is a mum to a little girl, and has worked for various digital platform. She has produced content that empowers women from all walks of life by sharing real life stories based on relationships, loving yourself and motherhood.