Colby
A mild, cheddar-style cheese that melts easily. Grated, melted or sliced thin.
Checked against official guidance on October 18, 2026 · How we review
Quick answer
Babies can eat colby from around 6 months, once they show signs of being ready for solids. Prepare it as shown below.
How to serve colby by age
6 months+
Grated and melted into food
Cut off any wax, then stir finely grated, pasteurized Colby into warm mashed potato, vegetables or pasta until it melts, or, once your baby has had wheat, melt a very thin layer onto toast fingers. Check the bread label for honey, which isn't safe before 12 months. Use only a little. Never serve cubes, chunks or thick slices.
- Size
- Finely grated cheese melted into a dish, or melted onto soft toast fingers about the size of an adult finger, roughly 6–8 cm long and 2 cm wide (2½–3 × ¾ in).
- Check before serving
- Check the cheese has melted completely, with no firm lumps or rubbery strings, and let it cool before serving.
US and UK advice differ here. The AAP suggests mashed food or soft pieces no larger than ½ inch; the NHS suggests soft finger-sized pieces your baby can hold in their fist. Both agree the food must squash easily.
9 months+
Shreds or small thin pieces
Offer pinches of grated Colby, or small pieces cut from a thin slice, for pincer-grasp practice. Melted Colby in pasta also works, or in an omelet once egg has been introduced on its own, cut into pieces no bigger than about 1 cm (just under ½ inch).
- Size
- Pieces no bigger than about 1 cm (just under ½ inch), cut from thin slices, or loose shreds.
- Check before serving
- Each piece should be thin enough to bend and squash flat between your thumb and finger. Never cubes or chunks.
12 months+
Thin slices, shredded or melted
Serve grated Colby on pasta or vegetables, thin slices cut into small pieces or narrow strips, or cheese melted into family dishes. Keep avoiding cubes and chunks, including the cubes and sticks of Colby Jack sold for snacking.
- Size
- Thin pieces about 1 cm (just under ½ inch), or shredded.
- Check before serving
- Still check that pieces are thin and squash easily.
18 months+
Thin slices, shredded or in dishes
Offer Colby the way your family eats it, as long as it's thin, shredded or melted: in sandwiches cut into small pieces, melted on toast, or grated over soft vegetables. The CDC lists large chunks of cheese as a choking hazard, so keep slices thin.
- Size
- Thin, bite-sized pieces about 1 cm (just under ½ inch), or shredded.
- Check before serving
- Still check that pieces are thin, not cubes or chunks.
Always have your child sit upright in a high chair or at the table, and stay with them the whole time they eat. Keep to the size and texture for their stage. Every baby develops on their own timeline.
How to prepare colby
- 1
Check the label: choose Colby made from pasteurized milk, especially from markets, delis and farm shops.
- 2
Cut off any wax or hard rind. Grate it finely, or cut it into very thin slices.
- 3
Melt it into warm food, or onto toast fingers once wheat has been introduced on its own, and let it cool. Or cut thin slices into pieces that suit your baby's age.
- 4
First time? Pick a day your baby is well, at home, when you can watch them for a couple of hours afterward.
How much to offer
Start with a small amount: a pinch of grated cheese melted into food. If there's no reaction, offer more next time. Colby contains salt, so keep portions small and don't add salt to the rest of the meal. Your baby decides how much to eat: stop when they turn away or close their mouth.
Common mistakes
Serving cubes, chunks or snack sticks
Large chunks of cheese are on the CDC choking hazard list. Ready-cut cheese cubes count as chunks. Grate it, slice it thin, or melt it.
Using a lot
Colby has about 604 mg of sodium per 100 g (about 1.5 g of salt), right at the NHS line for a high-salt food. Babies under 1 should have less than 1 g of salt a day, and children aged 1 to 3 no more than 2 g (NHS), so a little for flavor is enough.
Not checking it's pasteurized
Some cheeses are made from raw milk. The NHS says it's better to avoid unpasteurised cheese for babies because of the risk of listeria, though it can be used in a cooked recipe. Check the label says pasteurized.
Serving it hot from the oven
Melted cheese can burn a baby's mouth. Let it cool and test it before serving.
Where US and UK guidance differ on colby
United States(AAP and CDC)Your setting
The CDC lists dairy products made from pasteurized milk among safer choices for children under 5, and dairy products made from raw milk as riskier. The CDC lists large chunks of cheese as a choking hazard.
United Kingdom(NHS)Your setting
The NHS says babies can have pasteurised full-fat cheese from 6 months, choosing lower-salt options. It says many cheeses are made from unpasteurised milk and it's better to avoid these because of listeria, though they can be used in a cooked recipe. The NHS suggests sticks of hard cheese as a finger food; we suggest grated, melted or very thin slices instead. We follow the pasteurized-only advice for everyone.
We cover US and UK guidance in detail. Elsewhere, check your national health service's advice too.
Questions parents ask
Can colby be a choking hazard for babies?
Large chunks of cheese, especially string cheese, are on the CDC's choking hazard list. Grate Colby, cut it into very thin slices, or melt it into food. Stay with your child during meals.
Can babies be allergic to colby?
Colby is made from cow's milk, one of the most common food allergens. Milk products like cheese and yogurt can be introduced from around 6 months, a small amount at a time. Once your baby has had them without a reaction, keep them in your baby's usual diet. Most reactions start within minutes to 2 hours, but with cow's milk allergy, symptoms can take up to 3 days to appear. If your baby has a diagnosed milk allergy, don't offer Colby unless their doctor says it's OK. If your baby has eczema or another food allergy, or there's a family history of food allergies, eczema, asthma or hay fever, the NHS says to talk to your GP or health visitor first.
Is colby healthy for babies?
Rich in calcium and protein: 100 g of Colby has about 685 mg of calcium and 24 g of protein. It contains salt, with about 604 mg of sodium per 100 g (about 1.5 g of salt), so 10 g of Colby has about 0.15 g of salt. The NHS counts more than 1.5 g of salt per 100 g as high, so it sits right at that line. It is not a source of iron.
Can babies eat Colby cheese?
Yes, from around 6 months, if it's made from pasteurized milk and served in a safe form: finely grated and melted, or very thin slices cut to size. The NHS says babies can have pasteurised full-fat cheese from 6 months.
Is Colby too salty for babies?
It has some salt: about 604 mg of sodium (about 1.5 g of salt) per 100 g, right at the NHS high-salt line. The NHS says babies under 1 should have less than 1 g of salt a day, and 1 to 3 year olds no more than 2 g. A pinch melted into food fits, and the NHS suggests choosing lower-salt cheese, so compare labels.
Is Colby Jack OK for babies?
Yes, if it's pasteurized. Colby Jack is Colby mixed with Monterey Jack, so serve it the same way: grated, melted or in very thin slices, never as cubes or sticks.
Can babies eat Colby every day?
Yes, in small amounts as part of a varied diet. Because it contains salt, keep portions small and offer other dairy foods, like plain yogurt, too.
If your baby refuses colby
- Many babies need 10 or more tries before they accept a new food. Keep offering it alongside foods they already like.
- Try another form: grated into pasta, melted onto toast, or in an omelet.
- Try a different mild cheese. Flavors and textures vary a lot.
- Eat some yourself at the same meal. Babies copy what they see.
Never force or pressure your baby to eat. Some days they'll eat more, some days less, and that's normal.
Buying and storing colby
- Keep Colby in the fridge, at 40°F (4°C) or below. Wrap cut cheese well, and use it by the date on the pack. Once opened, follow the label's advice on how long it keeps.
- Cooked dishes with Colby, such as pasta bakes, keep for 3 to 4 days in a covered container in the fridge.
- They can be frozen for 2 to 3 months. Reheat them only once, to 165°F (74°C), until steaming hot, then let them cool before serving.
- Throw away any food left out at room temperature for more than 2 hours (1 hour if it's hotter than 90°F / 32°C).
When to talk to your doctor
Contact your pediatrician, GP or health visitor if:
- Your baby has had any reaction to dairy, even a mild one. Stop offering it until you've talked to your pediatrician.
- Your baby vomits a few hours after eating dairy. This can be FPIES, a delayed type of food allergy that milk can trigger. If they vomited once or twice and seem alert and like themselves, call your pediatrician or GP. If they vomit again and again, or are pale, floppy, very sleepy or hard to wake, call your emergency number.
- You notice mild signs of an allergic reaction after eating, such as a few hives or a little vomiting. See signs of a reaction.
- You're worried about how much your baby eats, their growth, or they refuse most solid food for weeks.
Call 911999your local emergency number (such as 112 in Europe or 000 in Australia) now if your baby has trouble breathing, wheezing, can't cough or cry, has lips, mouth, tongue or throat that suddenly swell, or becomes pale, bluish, floppy or unresponsive. Also call if hives come with repeated vomiting.
Last offered today. Once colby is in your baby's diet, keep offering it regularly.
Add a note (likes, dislikes, any reaction)
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Helpful guides
Sources
- NHS: Foods to avoid giving babies and young children
- NHS: Your baby's first solid foods
- NHS: Food allergies in babies and young children
- NHS: Salt in your diet
- NHS: Food labels
- NHS Best Start in Life: Storing and reheating food
- CDC: Choking hazards
- CDC: Safer food choices for children under 5
- ACAAI: Food protein-induced enterocolitis syndrome (FPIES)
- USDA FoodData Central: Cheese, colby
- USDA FSIS: Leftovers and food safety
- USDA FSIS: Freezing and food safety
More first foods
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