Dairy Food Library
When can babies have fontina cheese?
Can babies have fontina cheese?
Babies can have pasteurized fontina cheese from about 6 months in small amounts. Fontina is a semi-soft cheese that melts well, but cubes and thick melted globs can be a choking risk, so serve it thinly sliced, shredded or melted into other foods. Fontina is made from milk and counts as a dairy allergen.
How to serve fontina cheese by age
Shapes and textures change as your baby’s grasp and chewing grow.
6 months
Stir a little shredded pasteurized fontina into warm mashed vegetables or potato so it melts in completely, and offer it on a spoon. Do not offer firm cheese on its own or thick melted globs at this age.
7–8 months
Offer thin slices of pasteurized fontina, about the size of two adult fingers, which babies can hold and gum. You can also melt shredded fontina thinly over soft toast strips or stir it into lumpier mashed vegetables or soft scrambled egg.
9–12 months
Shred fontina or cut it into thin, small pieces for pincer-grasp practice, or melt a little into pasta, omelets or quesadilla strips. Let melted cheese cool so it is warm, not hot or stringy.
12 months +
Toddlers can have thin slices, shreds or small pieces of fontina with meals, and melted fontina on sandwiches or pasta. Keep avoiding large cubes and thick, gooey globs of melted cheese until your child chews well.
Why it’s good
Fontina gives babies protein, fat, calcium, phosphorus, vitamin B12 and vitamin A for growth and bone health. Fontina is moderately salty, so it works best as a small part of a meal. Fontina is not a good source of iron, so pair it with iron-rich foods like beans, meat or fortified cereal.
Safety notes
- Choose fontina made with pasteurized milk. Some imported fontina is made from raw milk, which can carry Listeria and other harmful bacteria.
- Avoid cubes of fontina, which can lodge in the airway. Slice it thin, shred it or melt it.
- Melted fontina can form thick, stretchy globs that are hard to swallow. Spread it thin and let it cool before serving.
- Fontina contains salt. Keep portions small and choose lower-sodium foods for the rest of the meal.
- Store fontina wrapped in the fridge and discard it if it develops mold, a slimy feel or an ammonia smell.
Introduce fontina on its own, then keep it in
Fontina is made from cow's milk, and dairy is one of the Top 9 allergens, so introduce a small amount and watch for hives, vomiting, swelling or wheezing. Once fontina or other dairy is tolerated, keep it in the diet regularly to help maintain tolerance.
Fontina cheese for babies: questions parents ask
Quick answers about fontina cheese for babies and toddlers.
When can babies have fontina cheese?
Babies can have fontina cheese from about 6 months, as long as it is pasteurized and served in a safe shape. At 6 months, melt a little shredded fontina into mashed vegetables, then offer thin slices or a thin melted layer on toast from 7–8 months.
Can babies have fontina cheese?
Yes, babies can eat pasteurized fontina cheese in small amounts from 6 months. Fontina should be melted into purees at first, then served thinly sliced or shredded, never in cubes.
Is fontina cheese a choking hazard for babies?
Fontina cheese can be a choking hazard, especially as cubes or thick melted globs. Serving fontina in thin slices, shreds or spread thinly when melted lowers the risk, and you should always stay with your baby during meals.
Is fontina cheese a common allergen?
Yes, fontina cheese is a common allergen because it is made from cow's milk. Dairy is one of the Top 9 allergens, so start with a small amount and watch for signs of a reaction.
How do I serve fontina cheese to a 6 month old?
To serve fontina cheese to a 6 month old, stir a little shredded fontina into warm mashed vegetables or potato so it melts in smoothly, and offer it on a spoon. Thin, finger-length slices to gnaw on and toast strips with a thin melted layer can follow at 7–8 months.
Is fontina cheese pasteurized?
Most fontina sold in US supermarkets is made from pasteurized milk, but some traditional imported fontina is made from raw milk. Check the label for the word pasteurized before serving fontina to babies or toddlers.
Is fontina cheese high in sodium?
Fontina cheese has a moderate amount of sodium, less than feta or parmesan but more than fresh mozzarella or ricotta. Small amounts of fontina a few times a week fit well in a baby's diet.
When can kids have cheese fondue?
Kids can try cheese fondue once they can safely handle melted cheese, usually as toddlers, as long as it is made without wine, kirsch or any other alcohol, for example pasteurized cheese melted with a little milk. Let fondue cool well, dip soft foods and keep cheese portions thin to avoid burns and thick globs.
Can fontina cheese cause constipation in babies?
Large amounts of cheese, including fontina, can contribute to firmer stools in some babies because cheese has no fiber. Serve fontina with fruits, vegetables and whole grains and offer water with meals.
The takeaway
- Babies can have pasteurized fontina cheese from about 6 months in small amounts.
- Stir a little shredded pasteurized fontina into warm mashed vegetables or potato so it melts in completely, and offer it on a spoon.
- Choking risk is medium. Dairy is one of the Top 9 allergens: offer a small amount first, watch for a reaction, then keep it in the diet regularly.
Read next
Sources
This guide follows current advice from these organizations.
- Starting Solid Foods American Academy of Pediatrics (HealthyChildren.org)
- When, What, and How to Introduce Solid Foods Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
- Choking Hazards Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
- Choking Prevention American Academy of Pediatrics (HealthyChildren.org)
- Preventing Listeria Infection Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
- The Effects of Early Nutritional Interventions on the Development of Atopic Disease in Infants and Children Greer FR, Sicherer SH, Burks AW; American Academy of Pediatrics. Pediatrics. 2019;143(4):e20190281
Track every new food in your baby’s passport
Track the first 100 foods and the Top 9 allergens. 7 days free.
More dairy foods for babies
Updated November 2026. Reviewed by our dietitians. Based on AAP, CDC and NIAID guidance. Written for healthy, full-term babies; not a substitute for your pediatrician. If your baby was born early, has a medical condition, feeding difficulties or a known allergy, check with them first (medical disclaimer). Always stay with your baby while they eat.