Yogurt for Baby
Last updated October 2026
Plain full-fat pasteurized yogurt without added sugar can be offered when a baby starts solids, usually around six months. It is a complementary food, not a replacement for breast milk or first infant formula.
Quick answer
NHS guidance allows pasteurized full-fat plain yogurt from around six months while continuing milk feeds; cow's milk is not the main drink until about twelve months.
Simple ways to offer plain yogurt
Choose plain, unsweetened, pasteurized full-fat yogurt and start with a little on a spoon or preloaded spoon, responding to the baby's cues. Read the actual tub: fruit-flavoured and 'baby' versions can contain added sugar, while strained or Greek-style yogurts differ in thickness and nutrition. Yogurt is a complementary food, not a replacement for usual breast milk or infant formula.
Mix into mashed ripe banana or soft cooked fruit or suitable porridge when ingredients have been introduced. A thick yogurt does not make whole round fruit safe without separate preparation.
Use plain yogurt in a savory dip with soft vegetables; check the allergens in any mixed meal and avoid added salt or sugar.
Do not offer hard frozen yogurt drops or ice clusters to a new eater; store and serve yogurt according to package instructions.
When can babies start yogurt?
Cow's milk is a common food allergen. Introduce milk-containing food in small amounts and watch for reactions. Follow a clinician's plan, not a home trial, for a diagnosed milk allergy or past concerning reaction.
Read labels for pasteurization, added sugar and dairy ingredients, and follow the refrigerated storage and use-by instructions.
Choose an unsweetened product rather than trusting 'baby yogurt' branding, and offer a little on a spoon or stirred into soft mashed fruit or porridge. Do not add honey under 12 months.
Yogurt still contains cow's milk proteins. Fermentation or a lactose-free label does not make dairy yogurt suitable for a baby with diagnosed cow's-milk protein allergy.
See our first foods for baby guide for more ideas.
Milk allergy, sugar and hygiene
Choose pasteurized, unsweetened full-fat yogurt, not raw-milk products.
Cow's milk proteins remain present in fermented and lactose-free dairy yogurt; follow an allergy specialist's plan if milk allergy is diagnosed.
Do not add honey before 12 months because of infant botulism risk.
Yogurt is food, not an infant-formula or breast-milk replacement.
Avoid overclaiming probiotic effects, and check nutrition on plant-based alternatives.
Keep refrigerated and supervise upright feeding.
Yogurt recipes for babies
View all recipes
Banana Greek Yogurt
Berry Greek Yogurt
Yogurt & Baby Biscuits
Fruit Wedges & Yogurt Dip
Banana Greek Yogurt Bowl
Carrot + Millet + Yogurt Cream Bowl
See all yogurt recipes for babies. Explore baby breakfast recipes, baby-led weaning recipes and first foods for baby for more ideas.
Related Guides
Frequently Asked Questions
Can babies have Greek yogurt instead of regular yogurt?
Plain pasteurized full-fat Greek-style yogurt can be offered when dairy is suitable, but check sugar, ingredients and how thick the actual product is. Straining changes texture and nutrition; it does not remove milk allergy proteins or turn yogurt into infant formula.
Sources & References
This guide is informed by current guidelines from leading health organizations:
- ●AAP - Starting Solid Foods AAP
- ●NHS - Your Baby's First Solid Foods NHS
- ●NHS - Drinks and Cups for Babies NHS
- ●NHS Best Start in Life - Introducing foods that could trigger an allergic reaction NHS
- ●NHS - Preparing Food Safely for Babies NHS
- ●NHS - Foods to Avoid Giving Babies NHS
- ●CDC — Choking Hazards (reviewed March 2026) CDC
- ●CDC - When, What, and How to Introduce Solid Foods CDC
