When can babies eat swiss cheese?

From around 6 months, once your baby is ready for solids, served in a safe shape and texture for their age.

Swiss cheese

Mild, nutty and lower in salt than many cheeses. Grated, melted or sliced thin.

Checked against official guidance on October 18, 2026 · How we review

Quick answer

Babies can eat swiss cheese from around 6 months, once they show signs of being ready for solids. Prepare it as shown below.

From 6 monthsMedium choking risk as servedAllergen: Milk

How to serve swiss cheese by age

6 months+

Grated and melted into food

Stir finely grated, pasteurized Swiss cheese 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.

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 swiss cheese

1
Check the label: choose Swiss cheese made from pasteurized milk.
2
Cut off any hard rind or wax. 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. Swiss cheese is lower in salt than many cheeses, but it still has some, so keep portions small. Your baby decides how much to eat: stop when they turn away or close their mouth.

Common mistakes

Serving cubes or chunks

Large chunks of cheese are on the CDC choking hazard list. Grate it, slice it thin, or melt it.

Not checking it's pasteurized

Hard cheeses such as Gruyère can be made from pasteurized or unpasteurized 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.

Introducing dairy and wheat on the same day

Offer cheese on its own first, so you know what caused any reaction. Melt it onto toast once each has been tried on its own.

Where US and UK guidance differ on swiss cheese

United States(AAP and CDC)Your setting

The CDC lists hard cheese such as Swiss, Gruyère and Emmental 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 swiss cheese be a choking hazard for babies?

Large chunks of cheese, especially string cheese, are on the CDC's choking hazard list. Grate Swiss cheese, cut it into very thin slices, or melt it into food. Stay with your child during meals.

Can babies be allergic to swiss cheese?

Swiss cheese is a milk product, and cow's milk is 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 Swiss cheese 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 swiss cheese healthy for babies?

Rich in calcium and protein: 100 g of Swiss cheese has about 890 mg of calcium and 27 g of protein. It is one of the lower-salt cheeses, with about 187 mg of sodium per 100 g, compared with about 650 mg in cheddar. It is not a source of iron.

Can babies eat Swiss 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.

Is Swiss cheese a good low-salt cheese for babies?

It's one of the lower-salt choices: about 187 mg of sodium per 100 g, less than a third of cheddar. Brands vary, so compare labels, and still keep portions small.

Are Emmental and Gruyère OK for babies?

Yes, if the label says they're made from pasteurized milk. Some are made from raw milk, so check the label. Grate them or slice them thin, as for any hard cheese.

Can babies eat Swiss cheese every day?

Yes, in small amounts as part of a varied diet. Offer other dairy foods, like plain yogurt, too.

If your baby refuses swiss 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: 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 swiss cheese

Keep cheese in the fridge, at 40°F (4°C) or below.
Hard cheese such as Swiss keeps for 6 months unopened and 3 to 4 weeks after opening. It can be frozen for 6 months.
Wrap cut cheese well, and use it by the date on the pack.
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 swiss cheese?

Add it to your first 100 foods.

Helpful guides

Sources

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