What Kind Of Cheese Is Babybel? Delicious Cheese Snack Facts For Kids

Oluwatosin Michael
Oct 13, 2023 By Oluwatosin Michael
Originally Published on Oct 22, 2021
Babybel cheese in red wax on black background.
?
Age: 3-18
Read time: 4.3 Min

Babybel is a brand of cheese products established in 1865 in France by The Bel Group.

Mini Babybel, from France, is especially famous for selling bite-sized servings of snack friendly cheeses. Their products can help you to reach your daily recommended calcium intake.

The cheese which is used in these products is an original Dutch cheese, known as Edam Cheese. which can be paired with fruits and crackers.

Edam Cheese is traditionally covered in a red wax coating (paraffin), which helps to keep to preserve its freshness. This cheese is popular because of its long shelf-life, and it hardly ever spoils.

That’s why this cheese was extremely popular for centuries before the invention of the refrigerator, as it was easy to carry around while traveling, even while at sea.

The Mini Babybel cheese company sells this French cheese in small portions of a few grams in different flavors. They are prepared in the same traditional way in which it has been made for centuries.

The only difference is that the company uses vegetarian rennet instead of animal rennet, which makes the cheese vegetarian. The product comes in many different flavors apart from Edam cheese, which includes another traditional Dutch cheese called Gouda and some others like Cheddar, Gruyere and Mozzarella.

These versions are available in different countries. Each piece of this French cheese comes in different colors of packaging and the traditional coating made of red wax.

If you enjoy reading all about Babybel cheese from France, you may also want to know how is margarine made and how is popcorn made. 

Why are Babybel wrapped in wax?

As mentioned before, Babybel cheese products from the Bel Group come in different colored packaging, along with a cellophane bag, for every type of product.

For example, the original Edam cheese comes in a red wax coating, while the Gouda cheese comes in brown wax coating and Cheddar in black. This coating not only helps to differentiate the products, but also helps to keep the cheeses tasting fresh and protected from harmful bacteria and mold.

Furthermore, the wax coating on the cheese also functions as a rind (or crust) which is essential for some cheeses as it protects them from getting hard due to age.

What kind of cheese is Babybel originally made of?

Babybel was first started in 1895 by the Bel Group in France by Jules Bel. Since then, the Mini Babybel company has produced Edam cheese, an original Dutch cheese, in bite-sized servings as an original product.

As per information from the company, the ingredients of this cheese include pasteurized cow milk, vegetarian rennet, lactic ferments, and salt. This semi-hard cheese is not processed, instead, it is a natural cheese, meaning it is made using a traditional cheese-making process.

Babybel cheese in red wex isolated on white background.

Is Babybel cheese healthy?

Cheese is an essential part of our daily diet which is rich in proteins and calcium. It is generally eaten with meals, as a snack, paired with wines or fruits, or just spread on a cracker or biscuit.

Babybel cheese comes in bite-sized servings, which help with our daily calcium intake by providing the perfect amount of cheese for a person to eat per day. Furthermore, Mini Babybel cheese does not contain any harmful preservatives, flavoring, or food colors.

It can be carried anywhere for lunch and is recommended for children because of its rich protein and calcium content.

As a result, Babybel cheese is a healthy ingredient to add to your daily meals. If you are particularly health-conscious, you can find another version of the cheese called Mini Babybel Light, which has a lower calorie and fat content than other variants.

What kind of cheese is Babybel similar to?

Babybel cheese is similar to a traditional Dutch white cheese called Edam cheese, although many people claim that mini Babybel cheese tastes creamier and more delicious and less sharp than the traditional version.

Apart from the original version, Babybel also makes cheeses like Gouda, White Cheddar, Emmental, Gruyere, Mozzarella, and goat cheese, which are available depending on the region where you live.

There are several different ways to use the Babybel cheese that is sold in the market, although eating it as it is is not a bad option. Aside from doing that, Mini Babybel cheese goes well with fruits like apples and pears, or some crackers.

It can also be used on pizzas and burgers according to your taste, as the cheese melts quickly but is hard enough not to become runny. That means it’ll stay on your food perfectly without running around and falling off.

And yes, even if it may look delicious or tempting, the wax coating is definitely not an edible part of the product!

However, even if you somehow manage to eat it, it's not harmful, as the wax is food grade and edible. It may just not be particularly tasty!

Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly facts for everyone to enjoy! If you liked our suggestions for what kind of cheese is Babybel?

delicious cheese snack facts for kids, then why not take a look at where does grass seed come from? and how do you get seeds from grass?, or why do we have day and night? fa

We Want Your Photos!
We Want Your Photos!

We Want Your Photos!

Do you have a photo you are happy to share that would improve this article?
Email your photos

More for You

See All

Written by Oluwatosin Michael

Bachelor of Science specializing in Microbiology

Oluwatosin Michael picture

Oluwatosin MichaelBachelor of Science specializing in Microbiology

With a Bachelor's in Microbiology from the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Ogun State, Oluwatosin has honed his skills as an SEO content writer, editor, and growth manager. He has written articles, conducted extensive research, and optimized content for search engines. His expertise extends to leading link-building efforts and revising onboarding strategies. 

Read full bio >