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 and how to serve yogurt with baby led weaning.
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 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.
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 calories 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.
How To Serve Yogurt To Babies
Pre-load on a 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. You can also thicken it with unsweetened peanut butter powder.
Spread onto toast fingers, whole grain pancakes, or waffles
- Stirred into oatmeal
Made into chia pudding or overnight oats
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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