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, how to serve it, and recipe ideas.

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! 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. It's also a great texture for babies, and it's easy to incorporate into everyday meals! Yogurt is super simple for increasing the nutrition 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 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. The best yogurts for baby are made with just two ingredients - milk and live active cultures.

How To Serve Yogurt To Babies

On a pre-loaded spoon (or spoon feed for traditional weaning) Just give baby a little bowl and let him get messy with his hands! Mixed with peanut butter, almond butter, or pureed fruit

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' Blended into a smoothie