One of the most exciting times for any new parent is when their baby jumps from indulging in breast milk to solids and formula. Of course, during this time, you might also wonder if it is okay for your baby to have yogurt. It is best to consult the pediatrician in this matter, and they will let you know when introducing yogurt.
However, you can still follow general rules to introduce yogurt to your baby. Here is everything you must know about when babies can eat yogurt.
Key Notes
- Babies can begin eating yogurt between nine and ten months
- Yogurt is a convenient source of protein and has probiotics
- You need to consider a few factors, such as digestion, before introducing yogurt
- Introduce cherry yogurt, banana and apple yogurt, and more
When Can A Baby Begin Eating Yogurt?
Most experts will suggest that you should begin introducing yogurt to your baby’s diet between the age of nine and ten months. During this time, the babies begin to eat solid foods, which is why you can introduce yogurt as you would introduce any other new food.
However, there are a few considerations to keep in mind when introducing yogurt to the diet.
This includes:
1. Digestion
Introducing any milk product takes time because yogurt undergoes a procedure that breaks the milk protein. The culturing process ensures that it is easy for the baby to digest the good. Of course, it also becomes a great source of vitamin D and calcium.
2. Supplements
It is important that you don’t give yogurt as a meal but as a supplement. It will act as a supplement in addition to formula and breast milk. Despite introducing yogurt, you still need to feed your baby enough breast milk and formula.
3. Nutrition
You must not replace breast milk or formula with any other type of milk. That is because it can create a risk of anemia. We recommend that you keep feeding your baby with formula and breast milk while introducing other things as supplements.
Why Yogurt Is Beneficial For Babies
There are many benefits of including yogurt in your baby’s diet.
The first benefit is that it has many probiotics that will not colonize the intestine of the baby.
Besides that, it will guarantee the fine-tuning of the immune system so that the body can begin recognizing the difference between harmful and friendly bacteria.
Another thing to keep in mind is that yogurt contains less lactose than whole milk. Because of this, their tummies will not be upset as they have the enzyme that will break down the lactose.
Finally, yogurt is a great source of protein for any baby, as it is easily available.
Four Delicious Yogurt Recipes For Your Baby
Now that you know when you can introduce yogurt to your baby’s diet, you might be wondering about all the different recipes you can use. After all, your baby needs to like the yogurt to eat it without fuss.
Here are the top yogurt recipes you can try for your baby:
1. Cherry Yogurt
Cherry has a delicious flavor, and it can make yogurt fantastic to eat. For this recipe, you will need the following:
- Half a cup of cherries
- 2/3rd cup of yogurt
Creating this yogurt recipe is easy. All you have to do is take all the seeds out of the cherries. After that, you need to puree the cherries and then sieve them to remove all the skin.
Combine what is left with the yogurt and serve it to your baby. They will love the flavor of cherry and yogurt in no time.
2. Mango And Strawberry Yogurt
Strawberries and mango have a great flavor that you can introduce with the yogurt. It will enhance the flavor profile of your baby as they try new foods. Here is what you will need for the mango and strawberry yogurt:
- Half a cup of yogurt
- 1/3rd cup of chopped and peeled mango
- Four chopped strawberries
You must lightly steam the fruits till they soften a little bit. After that, blend all the fruits in a blender so that they can become as soft as possible. Finally, mix the blended fruits with the yogurt and serve it to your baby.
3. Apple And Sweet Potato Yogurt
Apples and sweet potatoes have many great nutrients that will help offer your child the vitamins it needs. Here is what you will require for the apple and sweet potato yogurt:
- Organic apple peeled and cut into small pieces
- Half a baked sweet potato cut into small pieces
- Organic yogurt
Use a food processor to combine the sweet potato and apples. Be sure to blend them until you notice a smooth and silky texture. After that, add the yogurt to the processor and blend it for a few minutes.
Once you are done, be sure to serve it to your baby. This yogurt recipe is filled with many antioxidants and vitamin C that enhance the immune system and health of your baby.
4. Apple And Banana Yogurt
Finally, we have an apple and banana yogurt recipe that your kid will enjoy. Here is what you will need for this recipe:
- Two tablespoons of Greek yogurt
- Two tablespoons of apple sauce
- Half a ripe banana
Begin by mashing a banana so that it can become soft and edible for the baby. However, you can also puree the banana if that is what you prefer. After that, you can add yogurt and applesauce to the banana.
Be sure to mix it all well and then serve it to your baby. The recipe is delicious and has many vitamins that will boost your baby’s health.
Final Words
That was your complete guide to when babies can eat yogurt, its benefits, and the top four delicious yogurt recipes you can incorporate into their diet. Keep in mind that you still need to stick to breastfeeding or formula for their nutritional needs. Introducing any other food is a supplement to their diet.
