A newborn baby is introduced to breast milk for the first six months. After this, we find that breast milk alone becomes an insufficient source of the nutritional value as the baby becomes more active and is fast growing. What about paneer? when to start giving it to the baby?
The mother needs to introduce healthy foods into their baby’s diet. This is the time when solids are introduced in small amounts. Also, this is the time when you can introduce dairy products like yogurt, paneer, and cheese to your little one. But make sure they are not allergic to milk in any form.
In This Article
- When Can I Give Paneer to My Baby?
- How Can Paneer be Given to My Baby?
- How to Prepare Paneer at Home?
- Nutritional Value of Paneer
- Benefits of Including Paneer in Your Baby’s Diet
- When Can I Give Cheese to My Baby?
- What Kind of Cheese Can Babies Eat?
- How Can Cheese be Given to Babies?
- What is Cottage Cheese?
- In What Ways Can Cottage Cheese be Given to Babies?
- FAQ’s
When Can I Give Paneer to My Baby?
Paneer is a kind of fresh cheese, which is very commonly used in South Asian cuisines, especially in Indian cuisines. According to the World Health Organization, paneer can be introduced into a baby’s diet as early as six months.
You can start with a small cube of paneer. This quantity should be good enough for a six to eight month old baby. As the baby starts accepting paneer, you can slowly increase the quantity to 2 to 3 cubes three to four times a week.
How Can Paneer be Given to My Baby?
It is advisable to give freshly made homemade paneer to your baby. You can cut the paneer into small cubes and lightly sauté it in ghee. You can even further cut these cubes into bite size pieces which your baby can comfortably consume. For more paneer recipes read here.
How to Prepare Paneer at Home?
Ingredients:
- Full cream milk- 1 liter
- Curd – half cup or 2 tbsp of lemon juice
Method:
- Boil fresh full cream milk in a bowl on a low flame for 5 minutes. When the milk is about to boil, add half cup of curd or 2 tbsp of lemon juice and stir continuously. The milk will start to curdle instantly. You can switch off the flame now and strain the paneer from its whey. You can now tie up this paneer in a muslin cloth and hang it over your kitchen sink for excess water to drain.
- Once the water is drained completely, place the paneer on a flat platform. You can give this paneer to your baby immediately or refrigerate it to be used the next day.
Nutritional Value of Paneer
Nutritional Benefits of Paneer Per 100 gm
1. Calories -72
2. Proteins-13g
3. Water-93.5g
4. Cholesterol-4mg
5. Carbohydrates-3.4g
6. Dietary Fiber-131mg
7. Sugar-3.3g
8. Total Fat-1.4g
9. Saturated Fat-0.8g
10. Monosaturated Fat-311mg
11. Polysaturated Fat-41mg
12. Vitamins
- NiacinB3-143mcg
- Vitamin B6-71mcg
- Thiamin-B1-21mcg
- Vitamin B12-0.7mcg
- Vitamin A-64IU
- RiboflavinB2-181mcg
- Vitamin C-0.9mg
- Vitamin E-13mcg
- Choline-20mg
- VitaminK-0.7mcg
So from the above chart we can conclude that paneer is a storehouse of essential nutrients required for a growing child.
Benefits of Including Paneer in Your Baby’s Diet
Here we have listed for you the benefits of paneer for your baby:
- It is very good for the growth and development of healthy bones.
- Paneer prevents malnutrition.
- Due to many essential vitamins present in it, paneer helps to strengthen the immune system of your baby.
- Due to the high level of Vitamin B present in it, it helps to improve the formation of bone cartilages.
- The high protein content and the fat present provide the essential nourishment required by your baby in their growing years.
- Paneer has very low lactose content.
- It is abundantly rich in magnesium, potassium, calcium and proteins.
- Improves the biological functions of your baby in his growing years.
- It is a rich source of Vitamin B, Omega 3 fatty acids, omega 6 fatty acids and antioxidants that help in keeping your baby’s hair and skin healthy.
When Can I Give Cheese to My Baby?
Cheese is obtained from milk that is produced in a variety of flavors, textures and forms by thickening the milk protein casein. It comprises proteins and fats from the milk. Cheese is in fact valued for its long life, portability, and high content of calcium, fat, protein and phosphorus. Cheese can be introduced to your baby once they turnonce turnsonce they turn 8 months old.
What Kind of Cheese Can Babies Eat?
If you wish to introduce cheese to your baby, you can choose any one of the following:
- Goat Cheese
- Mozzarella Cheese
- Cream Cheese which is made from cream instead of milk
- Crème Fraiche
Avoid giving your baby any kind of cheese that has mold, like the blue cheeses.
How Can Cheese be Given to Babies?
Here are some ways to introduce cheese to babies:
- When a baby is fed with cheese, it is always recommended to choose the shredded variety so that while feeding the baby, the risk of choking is avoided.
- Another way to give cheese to your little older baby is to melt cheese and spread it on a soft piece of bread.
- It is advisable to start giving lighter tasting cheese to your baby initially.
What is Cottage Cheese?
Cottage Cheese is formed when a mixture of cheese curds and whey, which are ingredients formed from curdling milk, are drained instead of pressing and refrigerating them. When they are pressed the result is paneer.
Cottage Cheese is a rich source of calcium and protein. It has an abundance of fats, Vitamin D, phosphorus, and selenium. Cottage cheese can be combined with various food ingredients to make it easier for the baby to consume.
In What Ways Can Cottage Cheese be Given to Babies?
Here are a few ways in which cottage cheese can be given to babies:
- Combine with any fruit puree.
- Mix it to your baby’s stewed or grated apple.
- Fruits like avocado and banana can be finely mashed together and mixed with cottage cheese to make it more tasty and nutritious.
- Fresh berries can be mashed and powdered flax can be added along with cottage cheese.
- Finely boiled potatoes can be mashed and mixed with cottage cheese and given to your little one.
- It can also be mixed with freshly prepared carrot juice.
- A small quantity of sweet potato can be mashed along with cottage cheese and a pinch of cinnamon can make this a tasty combination for your baby.
However, if the baby has any kind of milk allergy or is lactose intolerant, it is highly advisable to avoid all kinds of dairy products till your baby is an year old. It is also recommended to speak with your pediatrician before introducing any new food to your baby.
FAQ’s
1. Can I Give my 15 Month Old Paneer Everyday?
Including paneer in your baby’s regular diet can be good for them. However, giving it every day might be too much. It can also bore them easily.
2. Can I Give Cheese Slices to my 9 Month Old as a Snack?
Yes you can, occasionally. We would recommend you to wait a little longer before you can give them raw cheese regularly. You can add cheese in various food preparations on a regular basis.
3. What Type of Cheese Should I Avoid Giving my Baby?
Always opt for well processed cheese. You can even cook cheese with various dishes. Avoid blue cheese and other soft varieties. These cheese might carry listeria.
4. Can I Give my Baby Store Bought Paneer?
Yes you can. As long as it is a reputed brand and you have not experienced any after effects, you can give it to your baby. If it is feasible, opt for a homemade or organic variety.
