First foods database
🧀 Feta for babies: when and how to serve it
Can babies eat feta? Yes, from about 6 months if it is pasteurised, but feta is a salty cheese, so offer small amounts only. Rinsing or soaking it in water first takes some of the salt out.
Good source of: Calcium, Protein, Vitamin B12
How to serve feta by age
6 to 9 months
Soak crumbled pasteurised feta in fresh water for 10 to 15 minutes, drain, then mash a little into vegetables, lentils, couscous or scrambled egg. Use it as a flavour rather than the main event. Try a little crumbled into mashed sweet potato or courgette for a tangy flavour.
9 to 12 months
Crumble small amounts into omelettes, pasta, spinach dishes or roasted vegetables.
12 months and up
Serve feta in family salads, pies like spanakopita and Greek-style dishes, still in modest amounts.
Choking safety
Feta crumbles easily, so it is low choking risk. Avoid large dry chunks that could be pocketed in the cheek. Small soft crumbles are easiest.
Gagging is common and noisy while babies learn to eat. Choking is usually silent. Always stay with your baby while they eat, sitting upright. How to help a choking baby (NHS).
Good to know
- Feta is high in salt: soak it and keep portions small.
- Check it is pasteurised; most supermarket feta is.
Introducing it as an allergen
It contains milk, one of the 14 major allergens. How to introduce milk
Easy ideas
- Spinach and feta omelette
- Watermelon with a few feta crumbs
- Feta and pea couscous
Goes well with
Recipes with feta
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Questions parents ask
Can babies eat feta?
Can babies eat feta? Yes, from about 6 months if it is pasteurised, but feta is a salty cheese, so offer small amounts only. Rinsing or soaking it in water first takes some of the salt out.
Is feta too salty for babies?
It is salty, so small amounts, soaked first, are best.
Is feta made from goat's milk?
Traditional feta is sheep's milk, sometimes with goat's; it still counts as a milk allergen.
Sources
- NHS Start for Life: Weaning
- NHS: Foods to avoid giving babies and young children
- NHS: Food allergies in babies and young children
- NHS: How to stop a child from choking
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).