Don’t buy crème fraîche, in any pack size, to prepare or add to a bedtime bottle: Ameli recommends using infant formula until the age of one, while Anses distinguishes infant formula from cooking products. After their first birthday, children still need to drink milk, according to Manger Bouger. So only choose a large pack of crème fraîche for family recipes, based on how you plan to use it and the storage instructions once opened.
If you’re thinking of adding cream to make the bottle more filling, the better option to consider is milk that’s suitable for your child’s age. Ameli and Anses also provide guidance on preparing and storing bottles.
As children start eating a wider variety of foods, you may have new questions about how much milk they need. Manger Bouger reminds parents that children still need to drink milk after their first birthday; cream used in a recipe is not a substitute.
If the cream is only for family meals, compare its texture, fat content and pack size, and check the storage instructions once opened. These considerations apply to recipes, not to what goes in the bottle.
First, keep the choice of milk for the bottle separate from the choice of cream for cooking. With cream, pack size only matters if you can use it in your planned recipes while following the storage instructions once opened.
| What you need | What to check before buying | Who it concerns |
|---|---|---|
| What goes in the bottle | Check your child’s age and choose the right milk for them; don’t add crème fraîche to the bottle. | If I’m preparing a bedtime bottle, I want to avoid mistaking cooking cream for my child’s milk. Around 50% of the consumers concerned would put this need first. |
| Milk after the age of one | Consider the milk your child usually drinks and its place in their diet before making a change; Manger Bouger highlights growing-up milk and UHT whole cow’s milk among the options. | As my child grows and shares more family meals, I want to know what milk to give them without replacing it with cream. This would be the priority for around 30% of the consumers concerned. |
| Cream for recipes | Choose a texture that suits your planned recipes, then check the pack size and storage instructions once opened. | When I’m cooking several meals, I want a pack my household can use in line with the instructions on the packaging. Around 20% of the consumers concerned would prioritise this choice. |
Its texture or fat content doesn’t make cooking cream a type of infant formula. Ameli recommends using infant formula until the age of one.
Don’t choose cream to prepare or enrich a bottle. If your child has a particular need, such as an allergy, was born prematurely or has feeding difficulties, speak to a healthcare professional before changing their milk.
Once the cream has been opened, the printed use-by date is no longer enough to tell you how long it can be kept, as the Ministry of the Economy points out. The instructions for the specific product after opening become essential.
Plan your recipes before buying and check the instructions on the packaging. If you’ll only use it occasionally, consider a smaller pack.
Some of a large pack may go to waste if it isn’t used within the stated time after opening.
Elle & Vire’s 50 cl full-fat cream is a liquid UHT product with 35% fat, while Carrefour Classic's 50 cl full-fat crème fraîche is thick and contains 30% fat. So the same pack size doesn’t necessarily mean the same type of cream.
For family recipes, start with the texture you need, then compare the fat content and pack size. Neither of these creams is intended to replace the milk in a bottle.
These examples are creams for recipes; their inclusion here isn’t a recommendation for use in a bottle.
Président offers a range that includes thick crème fraîche with 25% fat, in a 30 cl pouch.
The 50 cl product shown by Elle & Vire is a full-fat liquid UHT cream with 35% fat.
Carrefour offers full-fat thick crème fraîche in a 50 cl tub, with 30% fat.
No. Cooking crème fraîche isn’t a substitute for milk intended for a bottle and shouldn’t be added to one. For an infant, choose milk that’s suitable for their age; Ameli recommends using infant formula until the age of one.
No. Cream used in cooking doesn’t replace milk to drink. Manger Bouger reminds parents that children still need milk after their first birthday. Depending on their diet, options to consider include growing-up milk and UHT whole cow’s milk.
A 50 cl pack may suit family recipes if you plan to use it in line with the storage instructions once opened. Check the texture too: the 50 cl Elle & Vire cream described here is liquid, while the 50 cl Carrefour Classic' product is thick.
No. The Ministry of the Economy explains that the printed use-by date no longer applies in the same way once the product has been opened. After that, follow the storage time and conditions on the packaging.