Cream cheese

Cream cheese can start when your baby is ready for solids, around 6 months.

Cream cheese is a soft cheese made from the rich cream on top of milk.

Nutrition

Fat makes up much of cream cheese. Fat is a dense energy source for fast growth. It is high in saturated fat, one of the most abundant fats in breast milk. Saturated fat has been studied for its link to heart disease in adults. Research shows it has a place in a balanced diet and may affect the heart more neutrally than once thought. Vitamin A and carotenoids such as beta carotene are in it too. They support brain development, skin, immune defense and growth.

Honey

Do not combine cream cheese with honey. There is a risk of infant botulism. Honey is not given before 12 months.

How it differs from neufchâtel

Cream cheese and neufchâtel are nearly identical in North America. Each has a fresh taste with a mild tang. Their textures are close, so recipes treat them as interchangeable. Pasteurized cow's milk and stabilizers go into both. At room temperature both are smooth and easy to spread. The difference is milk fat. By US law, neufchâtel has 20 to 33 percent fat and cream cheese at least 33 percent. The French cheese called neufchâtel is a different product. It is a soft, bloomy-rind cheese made from unpasteurized milk.

Thick layers or globs make it a choking risk. Prepare it for your child's age. Stay within arm's reach at meals.

Most cream cheese comes from cow's milk, which ranks among the usual food allergens for small children. About one in five childhood food allergies is to milk. Sheep, goat and buffalo milk can trigger similar reactions. Milk allergy often fades with time. Most children with cow's milk allergy outgrow it by age 6. Many babies with mild milk protein allergy (such as painless blood in stool) can restart milk around the first birthday with a doctor's guidance.

FPIES

Milk can set off food protein-induced enterocolitis syndrome (FPIES), a delayed type of allergy. A few hours after eating, it causes sudden, repeated vomiting and diarrhea. Untreated, it leads to serious fluid loss. FPIES that starts early is often outgrown by age 3 to 5.

Lactose intolerance

Lactose intolerance is uncommon in babies and toddlers. Cream cheese may sit better than milk and some other dairy. If your child has lactose intolerance, calcium should come from other foods. Look for naturally low-lactose or lactose-free products.

If you suspect milk allergy, talk to an allergist before offering cheese. The allergist may suggest testing or may ask you to give dairy in the clinic under supervision. When risk is judged low, starting at home may be advised. Begin with a small amount for the first servings and raise it slowly if there is no reaction.