Is cheese healthy for babies and small children?
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Our advice is not to give babies and young children up to 4 years old hard cheese. This applies to slices from the cheese slicer and ready-to-use slices for the sandwich. Why? It contains too much salt for babies and young children. Their kidneys cannot process that yet. It may seem like strict advice, but "hard" cheese (such as Gouda or Edam) is not that healthy for young children. It contains a lot of salt compared to other spreads. Salt can be harmful to children under the age of 4.
Cheese advice
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Until the age of four, we therefore advise not to add slices of cheese or cheese spread with a lot of salt to the sandwich. Also a cube of cheese as a snack or cheese in a treat for young children is better not to do.
Alternatives
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Fortunately, there are types of cheese that are healthier for your child: mozzarella, dairy spread, cottage cheese and cottage cheese, for example. It contains less salt. Try out if your child likes it. And if not, try not to give up too soon. A child can learn to eat a taste. It can take 10-15 times for him to like something. Other healthy spreads for your child.
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11 minMain dishpeanut oil, tofu stir-fry cubes finely seasoned, stir fry sauce sweet and sour, thick noodles, carrot julienne, beetroot julienne, yellow bell pepper, watercress,rainbow salad with tofu -
45 minMain dishRed cabbage, mild olive oil, quinoa plus, forest outing, lemon, sesame oil, soy sauce less salt, Bio Today tahini white in pot, tap water,grilled red cabbage with quinoa salad -
30 minDessertBrie, Roquefort, port salut, gruyere, Camembert, walnut, garlic, thyme, honey, grape, baguette, Red onion, red grape, raisins, Red wine, Red wine vinegar, Brown sugar,generous cheese plate with onion marmalade -
30 minDessertFull Milk, whipped cream, macaroon, custard powder, vanilla sugar, sugar, protein, amaretto, almond liqueur, basic recipe cooking pears,macaroon pastry with casserole
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Per serving, the levels may not seem to differ that much, but if you add up everything your child gets in one day, it's quite a lot. Every healthier choice is one!
Look at the label
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If you want to know what salt is in the cheese you always buy, look at the label. The salt content per 100 grams is often stated on the packaging. As a rule of thumb, you can keep it: if there is less than 1 gram of salt per 100 grams in the cheese, it is a better choice for young children. Sometimes there is no label on cheese, such as at the cheese farmer or freshly cut cheese in the supermarket. In that case, you can ask how much salt is in it. Or ask for cheese with less salt.
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Too much salt is harmful to young children The kidneys of babies and children cannot handle much salt yet. When you consume a lot of salt, the kidneys have to work extra hard to remove it from your body through the urine. Working hard can damage your kidneys. What does salt do in the body?
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5 minDrink without alcoholbananas, cool fresh apple-pear raspberry juice, Soy drink vanilla,soy fruit shake -
20 minMain dishsauerkraut, sticking potato, liquid baking product, half-to-half minced, Spice meatballs, pineapple, olive oil, liquid baking product,gratin sauerkraut dish with minced meat -
40 minMain dishlemongrass, fresh ginger, Red peppers, onions, tomato cubes, fresh cod fillet, coriander, oil, ground turmeric (koenjit), coconut milk, salt,fish in creamy coconut sauce -
15 minSide dishsweet potato, soft goat cheese, egg, spring / forest onion,stuffed sweet potato with egg
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All the unprocessed meat in the Wheel of Five is suitable for your baby, toddler or toddler. That is, for example, chicken fillet or turkey fillet. Processed meat, such as luncheon meat, cooked ham, bacon and sliced sausage, is not included in the Wheel of Five. It is better not to give this to young children, as it often contains a lot of salt. For children under the age of 4: Avoid giving meats that contain a lot of vitamin A, such as (spread) liver sausage or pâté. Too much vitamin A can be harmful to young children. Do not feed raw meat, such as filet americain, roast beef, or some types of sausage, such as beef sausage and carpaccio. It can harbor harmful bacteria and young children are more susceptible to foodborne infections. Do you want to give your child a vegetarian diet more often? That is fine. Read how to replace healthy meat for your child.
Cheese made from raw milk
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Cheese made from raw milk can contain various bacteria, such as campylobacter, listeria, salmonella and E. coli. You can get a food infection from that. For young children it is extra important not to drink raw milk and not to eat products that contain raw milk. They often have a reduced resistance and are more susceptible to foodborne infections. They don't always get better on their own after a food infection. A food infection is therefore more dangerous for young children. Some (soft) cheeses are made from raw milk. If it is made from raw milk, the label will say "made from raw milk" or "au lait cru".
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Cheese made from raw milk can contain various bacteria, such as campylobacter, listeria, salmonella and E. coli. You can get a food infection from that. For young children it is extra important not to drink raw milk and not to eat products containing raw milk. They often have a reduced resistance and are more susceptible to foodborne infections. They don't always get better on their own after a food infection. A food infection is therefore more dangerous for young children. Some (soft) cheeses are made from raw milk. If it is made from raw milk, the label will say "made from raw milk" or "au lait cru".