Edam
Mild and smooth under its red wax. Grated, melted or sliced thin.
Checked against official guidance on October 18, 2026 · How we review
Quick answer
Babies can eat edam from around 6 months, once they show signs of being ready for solids. Prepare it as shown below.
How to serve edam by age
6 months+
Grated and melted into food
Cut off the wax and any rind, then stir finely grated, pasteurized Edam 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. Edam is quite salty, so 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 Edam, or small pieces cut from a thin slice, for pincer-grasp practice. Melted Edam in pasta, 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), also works.
- 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 Edam on pasta or vegetables, thin slices cut into small pieces or narrow strips, or cheese melted into family dishes. Keep avoiding cubes, chunks and small whole wax-coated cheeses.
- 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 Edam 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 edam
- 1
Check the label: choose Edam made from pasteurized milk, especially from markets, delis and farm shops.
- 2
Cut off all the wax and any 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. Edam is saltier than many cheeses, 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 small whole cheeses
Large chunks of cheese are on the CDC choking hazard list. Grate it, slice it thin, or melt it. Small wax-coated rounds count as chunks: unwrap, slice thin, then cut small.
Leaving the wax on
The red or yellow wax can't be chewed. Cut all of it off before grating or slicing, and keep wax wrappers away from your child.
Using a lot
Edam has about 973 mg of sodium per 100 g (about 2.4 g of salt), above the NHS line for a high-salt food (more than 1.5 g of salt per 100 g). 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.
Where US and UK guidance differ on edam
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. It doesn't name Edam. 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 edam be a choking hazard for babies?
Large chunks of cheese, especially string cheese, are on the CDC's choking hazard list. Grate Edam, cut it into very thin slices, or melt it into food, and never give small wax-coated cheeses whole. Stay with your child during meals.
Can babies be allergic to edam?
Edam 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 Edam 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 edam healthy for babies?
Rich in calcium and protein: 100 g of Edam has about 731 mg of calcium and 25 g of protein. It is salty, with about 973 mg of sodium per 100 g (about 2.4 g of salt), so 10 g of Edam has about 0.24 g of salt. The NHS counts more than 1.5 g of salt per 100 g as high. It is not a source of iron.
Can babies eat Edam?
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. Cut off the wax first. The NHS says babies can have pasteurised full-fat cheese from 6 months.
Is Edam too salty for babies?
It's saltier than many cheeses: about 2.4 g of salt per 100 g, above 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, but don't add salt to the rest of the meal, and choose lower-salt cheeses for everyday use.
Can toddlers eat small wax-coated cheeses?
Yes, once you've taken all the wax off and cut the cheese up. A whole small round is a chunk of cheese, which the CDC lists as a choking hazard. Slice it thin, then cut it into small pieces or strips.
Can babies eat Edam every day?
Small amounts are fine as part of a varied diet, but because it's salty, we suggest rotating it with other dairy foods, like plain yogurt.
If your baby refuses edam
- 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 edam
- Keep Edam 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 Edam, such as pasta bakes, keep for 3 to 4 days in a covered container in the fridge.
- Pasta bakes and sauces with Edam 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 edam is in your baby's diet, keep offering it regularly.
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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, edam
- USDA FSIS: Leftovers and food safety
- FoodSafety.gov: Cold food storage chart
More first foods
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