For babies under 3, avoid 0%, skimmed and semi-skimmed products, in line with Manger Bouger guidance. Light crème fraîche containing 12 to 18% fat is not the same as a 0% product. However, occasional use in a dish depends on your baby’s stage of weaning, whether they have a milk allergy and the product label. It should never replace your baby’s milk.
You’re thinking of occasionally adding cream to a dish and want to check its fat content without assuming that all light creams are 0% products. Manger Bouger says that 0%, skimmed and semi-skimmed products are not suitable for under-threes.
You’re working out where a dairy ingredient fits among your baby’s new foods. According to Assurance Maladie, milk remains the foundation of a young child’s diet, so cream used in cooking is not a substitute for it.
If a milk allergy has been diagnosed and a dairy-free diet prescribed, the presence of milk in the ingredients matters more than the fat percentage. Assurance Maladie recommends avoiding the identified allergen and any foods that contain it.
When choosing an ingredient for a dish for a baby who has started weaning, first check the product category and whether it contains milk. Then choose a texture and pack size to suit the recipe and how you plan to use it.
| What to consider | What to check | Who this matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Tell light apart from 0% | Check the product description and the fat content per 100 g or 100 ml. For a child under 3, avoid 0%, skimmed and semi-skimmed products, as advised by Manger Bouger. | I want to avoid mistaking a cream that contains fat for a 0% product intended for adults. Around 45% of consumers make this their top consideration. |
| Consider milk as part of weaning | Check the ingredients for milk, as well as your baby’s stage of weaning. Cream does not replace your baby’s milk. | If my baby is trying dairy products, I need to take the milk in the cream into account without using it as a substitute for their usual milk. This is the top priority for around 33% of consumers. |
| Choose a suitable texture and follow storage instructions | Compare thick, pourable and semi-thick textures, then follow the storage instructions for the product you choose. | If I’m adding a small amount to a recipe, I want a usable texture and a pack I can store as directed on the label. Around 22% of consumers prioritise this practical choice. |
Elle & Vire, Carrefour and Auchan offer light products containing, for example, 12% or 15% fat. That doesn’t automatically make them suitable for every baby, but it does distinguish them from a 0% product.
Check the product description and the fat content per 100 g or 100 ml, rather than relying on the word “light” alone.
Cream containing milk is not suitable for a diet that excludes this allergen following a diagnosis. A lower fat content doesn’t change that.
Check the ingredients and allergen information every time you buy. If an exclusion diet has been prescribed, follow the advice of the healthcare professional supporting your child.
Weaning gradually introduces new foods, while milk remains the foundation of a young child’s diet, according to Assurance Maladie.
If the cream is suitable for the dish you have in mind, use it occasionally in cooking rather than as a substitute for milk.
Storage requirements vary by product. For its UHT light pouring cream, Auchan says it can be stored at room temperature before opening, then kept between 0 °C and +6 °C after opening and used within 5 days.
Choose a pack size that suits how much you’ll use and follow the instructions on the packaging you buy.
These ranges provide examples of textures and fat contents to compare on the label. They don’t necessarily reflect the ingredients of every product in each range.
The Elle & Vire range includes UHT light pouring cream with 12% fat and UHT light semi-thick cream with 18% fat.
Carrefour offers pasteurised thick light crème fraîche with 15% fat, in a 199 g tub.
Auchan offers pasteurised thick light crème fraîche and UHT light pouring cream, both with 15% fat.
E.Leclerc offers UHT light semi-thick cream with 18% fat, in a pack of 3 × 20 cl.
The Président cream range includes long-life semi-thick cream with 30% fat, as featured by the brand.
Assurance Maladie places the start of weaning between 4 and 6 months, depending on the baby’s circumstances. Dairy products can be introduced gradually as part of their diet, but breast milk or infant formula remains its foundation.
No: cream labelled as containing 15% fat is not a 0% product. However, Manger Bouger says that 0%, skimmed and semi-skimmed products are not suitable for under-threes. Check the description and fat content of the product you choose.
No. According to Assurance Maladie, milk remains the foundation of a young child’s diet during weaning. Cream added to a dish is not a substitute for breast milk or infant formula.
Cream containing milk in its ingredients is not suitable when this allergen needs to be excluded. Assurance Maladie recommends avoiding the identified allergen and foods that contain it. Check the label of every product and follow the advice of the healthcare professional supporting your child.