How to Serve Yogurt for Babies

Whole milk yogurt is a great first food for babies who are starting solids, whether you are using a baby led weaning approach or not! Learn why yogurt is so great for babies, the best kind to choose, and how to serve yogurt with baby led weaning.

baby spoonful of yogurt with text overlay.

I'm continuing my series on baby's first foods, and today I'm talking about one food that I keep in the house all the time, not just for littles, but for me, too - yogurt! Greek yogurt is one of my favorite foods to add into babies' meals from the very beginning, and it's so easy to do!

Why Yogurt Is a Great First Food For Babies

Yogurt is super nutrient dense. It's full of critical nutrients for baby's growth and development, like protein, calcium, B12, phosphorus, and riboflavin. Whole milk yogurt is higher in fat and calories, which babies need to meet their energy needs and to help nurture brain development. It's also a good source of probiotics, which are good to start introducing early on to help baby develop a diverse microbiome (aka - a healthy gut!). Super thick Greek yogurt is also a great texture for babies, and it's easy to incorporate into everyday meals! It is an easy way to boost the nutrition content of toast, pancakes, waffles, oatmeal, and more. Plus it's an easy breakfast when you don't want to cook!

I love introducing yogurt early on to possibly help reduce risk of developing a food allergy, too. While most of the research we have on introducing allergens is on eggs and peanuts, most dietitians believe that it's a good idea to go ahead and expose babies to potential allergenic foods to help reduce their risk for allergies to those particular foods. Dairy milk is one such common allergen, so it is a good idea to introduce it into baby's diet early.

Read More: Can Babies Have Cow's Milk?

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Confused about allergens? Introduce all top 9 allergens easily and safely with my step-by-step guide Allergen Introduction Made Easy!

The Best Yogurt For Babies

My favorite yogurt for babies is plain whole milk Greek yogurt. Especially early on, you want yogurt that has no added sugar. I love Greek yogurt because it's higher in protein, and it's nice and thick, so it's great for baby led weaning. I also recommend whole milk yogurt because it's more calorie dense and higher in fat, which babies need when starting solids. The best yogurts for baby are made with just two ingredients - milk and live active cultures. My favorite is FAGE.

collage of three different ways to serve yogurt to babies using baby led weaning.

How To Serve Yogurt To Babies

Pre-load on a soft spoon and place on baby's tray (or spoon feed for traditional weaning)
Just give baby a little bowl (I love these suction ones!) and let him get messy with his hands!
Mixed with peanut butter, almond butter, pureed fruit, or spices (or any of these other sugar-free spreads to sweeten baby's food!) You can also thicken it with unsweetened peanut butter powder.
Spread onto toast fingers, whole grain pancakes, or waffles
Stirred into oatmeal or other porridges
Made into overnight oats or chia pudding
Mixed into canned tuna or shredded chicken for tuna or chicken salad
Made into a dip, such as tzatziki sauce
Frozen into little yogurt 'drops' - just dollop onto parchment, freeze, and store in a freezer bag.
Blended into a smoothie

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FAQ

Is yogurt a common allergen?

Yes. Cow's milk, which makes up yogurt, is one of the top 9 food allergens. It's best to introduce allergens early and keep them in baby's diet often to help reduce the risk of developing an allergy. Need help introducing allergens to your little one? Get my step-by-step guide!

Is yogurt a choking hazard?

No. While technically any food can cause choking, yogurt is a very low-risk food. Still, be sure to supervise closely any time baby is eating!

What age is appropriate for babies to eat yogurt?

As soon as babies a developmentally ready for solids, usually 6 months old, they can have yogurt!

Are flavored yogurts okay for babies? What about yogurt pouches?

I recommend avoiding any flavored yogurts until after baby is 12 months old, preferably until age 2. It's best not to get them used to the hyper-sweet taste of added sugars in flavored yogurts.

Theoretically, yogurt pouches are fine, especially when you're in a pinch, but I haven't seen any that don't have added sugars (see above answer).