Cottage cheese
Soft, mild curds that are easy to scoop, squish and spread.
Checked against official guidance on October 18, 2026 · How we review
Quick answer
Babies can eat cottage cheese from around 6 months, once they show signs of being ready for solids. Prepare it as shown below.
How to serve cottage cheese by age
6 months+
Pre-loaded spoon or spread on soft foods
Mash the curds with a fork and serve on a pre-loaded spoon, stir into mashed vegetables, or spread a thin layer on soft toast fingers once wheat has been introduced on its own. Check the bread label for honey, which isn't safe before 12 months.
- Size
- A teaspoon or so on a pre-loaded spoon, or spread thinly on soft finger foods about the size of an adult finger, roughly 6–8 cm long and 2 cm wide (2½–3 × ¾ in).
- Check before serving
- Squash a curd between your thumb and finger. It should flatten easily.
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+
Small curds, plain or mixed in
Offer small curds for pincer-grasp practice, or mix with soft fruit or vegetables cut to the same size.
- Size
- Curds no bigger than about 1 cm (just under ½ inch).
- Check before serving
- Squash any fruit or vegetable pieces mixed in. They should flatten easily.
12 months+
Spoonfuls or in dishes
Serve cottage cheese with soft fruit, stirred into pasta, or baked into pancakes. Keep portions small because it is salty.
- Size
- Spoonfuls, with any mix-ins cut to about 1 cm (just under ½ inch).
18 months+
Snack, spread or in family meals
Use it as a spread on toast, a dip for soft vegetables, or in family dishes like lasagna.
- Size
- Spoonfuls or spread, with any mix-ins cut to about 1 cm (just under ½ inch).
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 cottage cheese
- 1
Choose a full-fat cottage cheese made from pasteurized milk. Compare labels and pick one with less sodium.
- 2
Spoon a small amount into a bowl. For young babies, mash the curds with a fork.
- 3
Serve on a pre-loaded spoon, or spread thinly on soft finger foods. Rinse any fresh fruit under running water before adding it.
- 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
For the first taste, offer a small amount: a spoonful or two. If there's no reaction, offer more next time. Cottage cheese is saltier than plain yogurt, so keep portions small. Your baby decides how much to eat: stop when they turn away or close their mouth.
Common mistakes
Serving large portions
Cottage cheese is quite salty for babies. Offer small amounts and choose a lower-sodium brand.
Choosing low-fat versions
The NHS advises full-fat dairy for children under 2, who need the extra energy and vitamins.
Picking flavored cottage cheese
Babies don't need added sugar. Buy plain cottage cheese and add your own soft fruit for flavor.
Introducing cottage cheese and egg at the same time
Offer dairy on its own first, so you know what caused any reaction.
Questions parents ask
Can cottage cheese be a choking hazard for babies?
Cottage cheese is soft and a low choking risk. Mix-ins should be soft and cut to a safe size: quarter small round fruit like grapes lengthwise. Stay with your baby while they eat.
Can babies be allergic to cottage cheese?
Milk is one of the most common food allergens in young children. Guidance is to introduce common allergens, including dairy, from around 6 months, one at a time, and keep offering them regularly once your baby has had them without a reaction. Most reactions happen within minutes to 2 hours, but with cow's milk allergy symptoms can take up to 3 days to appear.
Is cottage cheese healthy for babies?
A source of protein: 100 g of cottage cheese has about 11 g of protein and 83 mg of calcium. It also has about 315 mg of sodium per 100 g, which is why small portions work best. It is not a source of iron.
Can babies eat cottage cheese?
Yes, from around 6 months, if it's made from pasteurized milk. The NHS lists cottage cheese among the cheeses babies can have from 6 months.
Is cottage cheese too salty for babies?
It's saltier than plain yogurt, so offer small amounts and compare labels for a lower-sodium brand. Don't add any extra salt.
Small curd or large curd?
Either works. Curds are soft, but you can mash large curds with a fork for young babies.
Can I freeze cottage cheese?
It doesn't freeze well. Buy small tubs and use them within a week of opening.
If your baby refuses cottage cheese
- Many babies need 10 or more tries before they accept a new food. Keep offering it alongside foods they already like.
- Try another form: mashed smooth, mixed with fruit, or baked into pancakes.
- Eat some yourself at the same meal. Babies copy what they see.
- Funny faces don't mean they dislike it. They're getting used to a new taste and texture.
Never force or pressure your baby to eat. Some days they'll eat more, some days less, and that's normal.
Buying and storing cottage cheese
- Keep cottage cheese in the fridge, at 40°F (4°C) or below.
- Once opened, cottage cheese keeps for about 1 week in the fridge. It doesn't freeze well.
- Spoon your baby's portion into a bowl rather than feeding from the tub, and throw away what they leave.
- 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.
Offered cottage cheese?
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Recipes with cottage cheese
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
- AAAAI/ACAAI/CSACI: Consensus on preventing food allergy through nutrition (2021)
- ACAAI: Food protein-induced enterocolitis syndrome (FPIES)
- CDC: Safer food choices for children under 5
- USDA FoodData Central: Cheese, cottage, creamed, large or small curd
- USDA FoodData Central: Yogurt, plain, whole milk
- USDA FSIS: How long can you keep dairy products like yogurt, milk, and cheese in the refrigerator?
- USDA FSIS: Leftovers and food safety
More first foods
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