When and How to Introduce Yogurt to Your Baby

When you start your little one on solids, yogurt is a great choice. However, when’s the right time to introduce it, and considering that dairy is a common allergen, how can you do it safely?

Let’s walk you through the when, how, and why of introducing yogurt to your baby.

You won’t have to wait long to introduce your child to the wonders of yogurt. Most babies can start eating it around the same time they begin eating other solid foods, typically from 4 months to 6 months of age.

This breakfast staple has lots of proven benefits: 1

• Nutrient-rich: Yogurt is loaded with calcium, potassium, and protein, and it’s also often fortified with Vitamin D. 2
• Probiotics: Many yogurts contain beneficial bacteria called probiotics that help with digestion and contribute to good gut health.
• Easy to eat: The creamy texture makes yogurt easy for babies to swallow, especially while they’re getting used to eating solids.
• Versatile: Yogurt can be mixed with a variety of fruits and vegetables, so it‘s a great way to introduce new flavors and textures within a familiar dish.

If you’re trying baby-led weaning, your baby can practice his pincer grasp with a dollop of yogurt. Just make sure you wait until he’s at least 6 months old before introducing it to make sure he has the motor skills to eat it safely. 3

Why can you introduce yogurt before cow’s milk?

You’ve probably heard that you shouldn’t feed your baby cow’s milk before he’s 12 months old. Even though cow’s milk is loaded with protein and other nutrients that older children need to grow, the balance of those nutrients is out of whack for your young baby’s digestive system. 4

Once your baby is at least a year old, he should be able to handle cow’s milk. Until then, yogurt has manageable levels of protein and calcium (plus those probiotics that aid his digestion).

Does yogurt increase or decrease the risk of allergies?

Since dairy is a widespread food allergy, you might worry that feeding your baby yogurt will increase his chance of becoming allergic to milk.

As a matter of fact, the opposite may be true. Some research suggests that introducing dairy products like yogurt early on can actually make your baby less likely to develop a dairy allergy. 5

However, it’s always a good idea to get the green light from your pediatrician before introducing any new foods. In particular, if you have a family history of allergies or your baby has had an allergic reaction to other forms of dairy, you need to clear it with your doctor first.

Scanning the yogurt aisle can be overwhelming, but when it comes to your baby, keep it simple. Here’s what to look for:

• Plain and unsweetened: Avoid yogurt with added sugars or artificial sweeteners. The dietary guidelines set by the Department of Agriculture and the Department of Health and Human Services discourage giving your baby added sugar before he’s 2. 6
• No honey: Babies can’t have honey before 12 months, as it can cause infant botulism, a serious form of food poisoning. Don’t buy yogurt with honey or add any yourself.
• Whole milk: Babies need the healthy fats found in whole milk yogurt for proper brain development. Your baby’s needs may change as he grows older, but stick to full-fat yogurt for his first year. 7
• Pasteurized: Most commercially sold yogurts in the US are pasteurized. The pasteurization process eliminates harmful bacteria from the milk your yogurt is made from. If you find unpasteurized yogurt, skip it.
• Live and active cultures: Look for the phrase “live and active cultures” on the label. Unlike “made with active cultures,” live and active indicates it still has those beneficial probiotics. Some yogurts may also have a Live & Active Cultures seal from the International Dairy Foods Association which certifies that they contain a minimum amount of cultures.

You can also buy organic yogurt if that’s important to you, but that’s not as important as these other aspects. Even yogurt that isn’t certified organic can be a healthy choice for your baby.

Which variety of yogurt is best for your baby?

Besides choosing yogurt for its nutritional content, you might wonder which variety of yogurt is the best for your baby. Here’s a quick breakdown:

• Regular yogurt: You can’t go wrong with the simple flavor, smooth texture, and nutritional value of regular yogurt.
• Greek yogurt: Because it’s strained, Greek yogurt is thicker and has double the protein (but less calcium) than regular yogurt. 8 Your baby may turn his nose up at Greek yogurt’s tangier taste, but if he’s willing to give it a go, it’s fine to feed it to him.
• Labneh: This Middle Eastern yogurt has a consistency similar to that of its Greek counterpart. For babies under 12 months, just make sure it’s not too thick or cheese-like.
• Baby-specific yogurt: While this sounds perfect, yogurt marketed for babies often has added sugars or other ingredients your little one just doesn’t need.

Introduce yogurt to your baby the same as you would introduce any other food.

• Start at home: Introduce yogurt in the controlled environment of your home, not a restaurant or at daycare. It can be harder to prevent cross-contamination of foods in those places (which can make it hard to pinpoint the culprit if your baby has an allergic reaction).
• Small portions: Offer him a small amount of plain yogurt to start with, either on a spoon or directly on his tray. Let him experience the flavor and texture on his own. As messy as this is, exploration is an important step in your baby learning to like a new food.
• One food at a time: Introduce one new food at a time, then wait a few days before introducing another. Again, this makes it easier to identify allergic reactions and other digestive issues.
• Watch for allergy symptoms: Look for signs of an allergic reaction (more on this below) and monitor your baby’s bowel movements for signs of food sensitivity.

Serving suggestions for different ages

Halfway through his first year, your baby will start working on his chewing and swallowing skills. How much yogurt you should offer to him will depend on his age: 1

• 6 months old: Offer a small amount of plain yogurt on a spoon or let him explore it with his fingers.
• 9 months old: Now that your baby can eat more and handle thicker textures, try mixing yogurt with pureed or finely mashed fruits or vegetables.
• 12 months old and up: You can introduce more complex yogurt-based dishes at this point, like soft finger foods dipped in Greek yogurt. Once your baby has mastered self-feeding, let him use a spoon to eat yogurt directly from the bowl.

Yogurt recipes and ideas

Once your baby is comfortable with plain yogurt, you can start to mix things up! As always, start slow and introduce new foods or combinations one at a time. Here are a few ideas:

• Fruit and veggie purees: Give plain yogurt some flavor with some applesauce or pureed sweet potato, avocados, or berries.
• Smoothies: Loosen up a yogurt-and-fruit bowl by adding water and blending it into a refreshing smoothie.
• Yogurt melts: Mix yogurt with pureed fruit, pipe it onto parchment paper in small dots, and then freeze it.
• Savory yogurt dip: Add dill, garlic, lemon, and olive oil for a tasty dip with cooked veggies or other soft foods.

Since your baby hasn’t been introduced to most foods yet, adding something new to his diet is always a little risky. Here’s what you should be aware of when it comes to yogurt:

Potential dairy allergies

Cow’s milk is a very common food allergen, and if your baby has a milk allergy, he’ll probably react to yogurt.

An allergic reaction can happen immediately or several hours after eating. During and after meals, watch for these signs:

• Hives
• Rashes
• Swelling of the face
• Vomiting
• Diarrhea
• Coughing or wheezing

If you suspect your baby is having an allergic reaction, stop giving him yogurt and consult your pediatrician. For severe reactions, seek immediate medical attention.

Lactose intolerance

If your baby’s stomach is upset by dairy products, but you’ve confirmed with your pediatrician that he’s not allergic, he may be lactose intolerant.

Lactose intolerance, which is caused by difficulty digesting lactose, is rare in babies. Even so, keep an eye out for these symptoms after feeding your little one yogurt: 9

• Gas
• Diarrhea
• Bloating
• Fussiness, which can be a sign of gas pain

Since yogurt has less lactose than milk, many people with lactose intolerance can still eat it. It may be worth a shot to give yogurt a try, even if your baby is sensitive to other dairy products.

Choking hazards

Plain yogurt without chunks usually isn’t a choking hazard, but you should offer an age-appropriate amount that your baby can handle.

When you add toppings or mix pieces into your yogurt, ensure those additions are fully cooked until soft and cut into small, consistent pieces.

Always supervise your baby while eating to prevent choking. Remember to only feed him while he’s sitting upright and never when he’s lying down.

You should also be cautious about feeding him while he’s playing or sitting in his car seat—he won’t necessarily be at risk of choking during those activities, but if he moves around too much or the ride is bumpy, he could choke, or a spoon could cause injury.

Infant botulism

As mentioned, as tempting as it can be to sweeten your baby’s yogurt with a bit of honey, this may actually put him at risk for infant botulism.

Symptoms of infant botulism include: 10

• Constipation
• Slow breathing
• Lethargy
• Very loose and relaxed muscles
• No gag reflex
• Unusually weak crying

If your baby has any of these symptoms, seek emergency treatment immediately.

Yogurt is an easy way to add protein to your baby’s diet, and it can be his first foray into the world of “adult food.” With so many benefits, you might find you start eating more yogurt, too!

Just remember to start your little one off with small amounts of yogurt and watch for signs of an allergic reaction or lactose intolerance. Keep some paper towels on hand for when that yogurt ends up all over your baby’s feeding chair (and probably all over you, too).