For a child under 3, don’t choose light crème fraîche to routinely reduce the fat in their breakfast or replace their milk. Manger Bouger says that 0%, skimmed and semi-skimmed products are not suitable before the age of 3, and that crème fraîche, which is low in calcium, does not count as a dairy product. Crème fraîche with 15% fat is not necessarily a skimmed product. If you use it in a recipe, treat this as a culinary use, separate from choosing milk that’s suitable for your child’s age.
If you want to reduce the fat in the breakfast of a child under 3, first consider how crème fraîche fits into their meal. Manger Bouger distinguishes 0%, skimmed and semi-skimmed products, which are not suitable at this age, from crème fraîche, which is not a substitute for a dairy product.
You may be considering crème fraîche to add texture to a dish once your child has started eating solid foods, without using it as their breakfast milk or dairy product. It’s then useful to check the ingredient list and whether the product has been pasteurised.
If your child has a cow’s milk protein allergy or follows specific dietary advice, don’t treat standard light crème fraîche as a replacement. Check the label and follow the advice of the healthcare professional looking after your child.
First decide what role the crème fraîche would play in the meal: replacing milk that’s suitable for your child’s age and adding texture to a dish are two different uses. If it’s just a cooking ingredient, compare the specific product and the amount you plan to use.
| Criteria | What to check | Who is this for? |
|---|---|---|
| Age and role in the meal | Check your child’s age and distinguish a cooking ingredient from the milk intended for them. If they have a prescribed diet, follow advice tailored to their needs. | I want to reduce fat, but I don’t want to mistakenly replace my child’s milk with crème fraîche. This would be the priority for around 50% of the consumers concerned. |
| Ingredients and allergens | Check the packaging of the exact product for milk, the full ingredient list and whether it has been pasteurised. | If an allergy or restriction is involved, I need to know exactly what the crème fraîche contains before using it. Around 30% of consumers would make this their main consideration. |
| Texture and pack size | Compare the pack size with the amount needed for your recipe; the fat percentage alone doesn’t tell you everything about the ingredients. | For an occasional family meal, I’m mainly looking for a pack size that matches the amount I’ll use, without treating crème fraîche as the dairy product in the meal. This would be a priority for around 20% of consumers. |
Crème fraîche labelled as having 15% fat is not the same as a 0% or skimmed product. However, this label doesn’t tell you what role it should play in the breakfast of a child under 3.
Start with your child’s age and how you plan to use it, rather than using crème fraîche as a general way to reduce the fat in their meal.
According to Manger Bouger, crème fraîche is high in fat and low in calcium, so it is not counted as a dairy product.
At breakfast, distinguish milk that’s suitable for your child’s age from a small amount of crème fraîche used in a recipe.
Crème fraîche products labelled as having 15% fat can still differ in pack size and ingredients, including the starches or thickeners listed on some retailer product pages.
Compare the labels of the products you’re considering, including the ingredients and the amount you need.
These products show how pack size and ingredients can vary between lighter crème fraîche options. Their inclusion here doesn’t mean they’re intended for the breakfast of a child under 3.
Carrefour’s product page lists Elle & Vire light thick crème fraîche in a 33 cl pouch, intended for uses including sauces, soups and mashed potato.
Carrefour lists its pasteurised light thick crème fraîche in a 199 g tub, with 15% fat.
Auchan lists Pouce light thick crème fraîche in a 50 cl pack, with 15% fat.
E.Leclerc lists Delisse light crème fraîche in a 20 cl pack, with 15% fat.
Aldi lists Milsani light thick crème fraîche with 15% fat in the finished product.
These products are options to consider when choosing milk for a young child, rather than light thick crème fraîche. The selection includes growing-up milks and a milk drink for children. Check the age indicated for each product and its preparation or storage instructions; none is a substitute for crème fraîche in a recipe.
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Worth considering if you’re looking for a growing-up milk to prepare for a child aged 12 months or over, rather than crème fraîche. Check your child’s age and follow the preparation instructions on the product.
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Worth considering for a child whose age falls within the 10 months to 3 years range stated for this milk. It’s a milk that needs to be prepared, not thick crème fraîche; check the instructions on the packaging.
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The liquid format may be worth considering if you’re looking for ready-to-serve milk for a child aged 10 months or over. This pack contains six 1 L cartons and isn’t crème fraîche; check the storage instructions after opening.
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This powdered milk may be worth considering for a child within the 10 months to 3 years age range stated for the product. Check your child’s exact age and the preparation instructions; this isn’t thick crème fraîche.
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This ready-to-serve milk drink may be worth considering for a child aged 12 months or over, as stated for the product. The pack contains six 1 L cartons; check the ingredients and storage instructions. It isn’t a substitute for crème fraîche in a recipe.
No, not as a general rule. Manger Bouger says that 0%, skimmed and semi-skimmed products are not suitable for children under 3. Light crème fraîche with 15% fat isn’t necessarily one of these products, but it doesn’t replace milk that’s suitable for your child’s age.
No, crème fraîche plays a different role in a meal. Manger Bouger doesn’t count it as a dairy product because it’s high in fat and low in calcium. According to Assurance Maladie, milk for young children can be given after the age of 1 and up to the age of 3.
Check the ingredients, whether it contains milk and whether it has been pasteurised on the specific product. The fat percentage alone isn’t enough to compare ingredients: Carrefour, Auchan and E.Leclerc product pages list different ingredients for different products.
Don’t replace your child’s usual diet with standard light crème fraîche without following the advice of the healthcare professional looking after them. The crème fraîche products listed by Carrefour, Auchan and E.Leclerc contain milk or milk cream; always check the label of the specific product.