Baby and toddler recipes
🧀 Lumpy cauliflower and cheddar mash
Soft cauliflower mashed with a little grated cheddar into a cosy, textured mash, perfect for moving baby on from smooth purées. A small amount of pasteurised cheddar adds calcium and introduces dairy.
Makes about 4 baby portions
Ingredients
- quarter of a head (about 150g) Cauliflower (cut into small florets)
- 15g (about 1 heaped tbsp grated) Cheddar (pasteurised, full fat)
- a small knob Butter (unsalted)
- 1 to 2 tbsp Cow's milk (whole milk)
Method
- Steam the cauliflower for 10 to 12 minutes until very soft.
- Tip into a bowl and mash roughly with a fork or potato masher, leaving some soft lumps.
- Stir in the cheese, butter and milk while hot so the cheese melts.
- Cool to warm and serve on a spoon.
Serving it to your baby
At 7 months, aim for soft lumps that squash easily between your fingers. For a younger baby just starting out, blend it smooth. Older babies can have whole steamed florets as finger food with the cheese sauce for dipping.
For the rest of the family
Scale it up into a cauliflower cheese for the family, baking the adult dish with extra cheese and a crispy breadcrumb top.
Storing and reheating
Cool quickly (within an hour), then keep in a covered container in the fridge for up to 2 days, or freeze in ice cube trays for up to 3 months. Defrost in the fridge overnight, reheat until steaming hot all the way through, stir, then cool to warm before serving. Never reheat more than once.
Weaning with OBubba
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Questions parents ask
Is cheese too salty for babies?
Cheese does contain salt, so keep amounts small. A tablespoon of grated full-fat pasteurised cheddar in a meal is fine for a baby. Choose milder, lower-salt cheeses where you can.
When should baby move to lumpy food?
Around 7 months is a good time to start adding soft lumps, and many babies manage them well earlier. Moving on in good time helps chewing skills and speech muscles develop.
OBubba gives general information based on UK guidance. It is not medical advice and does not diagnose anything. Every baby is different. If your baby has a known allergy, severe eczema or a medical condition, speak to your doctor or health visitor before starting solids. Learn baby first aid, and in an emergency call your local emergency number (999 in the UK).