Home » Misc » Baby food recipes with yogurt

Baby food recipes with yogurt


Best Yogurt for Baby 2022 - best brands, benefits + recipes

by Michele Olivier on June 9, 2020 (updated May 23, 2022)

Jump to RecipeJump to Video

4.92 stars (12 ratings)

A comprehensive guide on the Best Yogurt for Babies and Toddlers? Yes, please! Find out when you can start serving yogurt, which brands are the best, the ingredient list breakdown, and how to serve yogurt to your baby. And as a bonus, you’ll also learn 9 delicious ways to flavor plain yogurt! Great for 6+ months regardless of whether you are doing baby food purees or baby-led weaning.

Medically reviewed by Jamie Johnson, Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN), and Lauren Braaten, Pediatric Occupational Therapist (OT).

Yogurt for Babies + Toddlers

Wondering what the best yogurt for your baby is and at what age you can serve it? Confused with all of the options in the grocery store?

I did all the research and made this in-depth guide just for you! 😘

In this post we will cover what to look for in yogurt for baby, a round-up of our favorite brands, the difference between Greek and plain yogurt, a list of dairy-free options, when you can safely introduce yogurt to your baby, how to serve to them as a solid food for baby-led weaning, plus 9 great ways to flavor plain yogurt for your baby and toddler, and so much more!

Phew, that sounds like a ton of info 😰, but I promise I made it as concise and complete as possible… cuz I know you have better things to do than spending hours reading about yogurt.

Yogurt for Baby Video

Watch this video to find out more information and how to easily flavor plain yogurt for your baby and toddler.

What to Look for in a Yogurt for Baby

When shopping for yogurt for your baby, the ingredient list should be pretty short:

  • made with whole milk
  • plain or no added sugar
  • has a variety of live active cultures
  • organic, if possible
Whole Milk (Full-Fat)

Whole milk is important for babies because they need healthy fats to develop muscles and bones. Milk is also one of the most important nutrients for brain development. Babies and toddlers need about 31-35 grams of fat a day (30-40% of total calories), depending on activity level, and most of it comes from healthy fats.

Live Active Cultures

Cultures commonly used in yogurts are L. bulgaricus, S. thermophilus, L. acidophilus, Bifidus, L. casei, and L. rhamnosus. These live active cultures do two things: They make the milk turn into yogurt during the fermentation process, and they also provide the gut with probiotics. Probiotics, or good bacteria, are the good guys helping your baby maintain a healthy gut.

Plain or Unsweetened

Always opt for plain or unsweetened yogurt for your baby and toddlers. Sweetened yogurt can have up to 4 teaspoons of added cane sugar in it, which is way too much for babies and toddlers. You can find 9 fun ways to naturally flavor yogurt below.

Organic (if possible)

Yogurt made from organic milk will be free of synthetic pesticides, artificial hormones, antibiotics, and GMOs, which may be potentially harmful to your baby. Generally, the price difference between organic yogurt vs. standard yogurt isn’t huge — you’ll get an average of $0.14 for an ounce of standard yogurt vs. $0.17 for an ounce of organic yogurt. With all that said, you need to do what’s right for your family and budget.

Favorite Brands

Here are some of my favorite brands of yogurt that you can easily find at almost any supermarket. All yogurts taste slightly different, so if your baby doesn’t like one yogurt, you can easily switch to another brand.

Organic Varieties
  • Nancy’s, Organic Plain Whole Milk Yogurt
  • Straus Family Creamery, Plain Yogurt
  • Maple Hill Creamery, Organic Cream on Top Yogurt
  • Stonyfield Organic, Whole Milk Plain Yogurt
  • Wallaby Organic, Whole Milk Greek Yogurt

Other Varieties
  • Siggi’s Whole-Milk Icelandic Yogurt, Plain
  • Redwood Hill Goat Milk Yogurt, Plain
  • Chobani Whole Milk Greek Yogurt

Greek vs. Plain yogurt

Both Greek and standard yogurts are excellent options for your baby and toddlers.

Greek yogurt is strained three times, so it has more protein and a thicker consistency. It also has a more sour taste, which can sometimes be a bit much for some babies or toddlers.

On the other hand, standard yogurt is not typically strained, so it has less protein and a thinner texture. The flavor of standard yogurt is definitely less tart than any Greek variety.

While we generally think that more protein will be better, for young babies and toddlers with still-developing digestive tracts, more protein might be too much for them. Plus, the slightly acidic flavor can be off-putting to some babies and toddlers.

I recommend starting with the standard yogurt and adding Greek yogurt to the menu once your baby is comfortable with yogurt.

Greek yogurt is great:
  • for some babies and toddlers
  • mixed into purees for babies
  • mixed into applesauce for toddlers
  • spooned into reusable pouches (makes them thicker, so they don’t drip as much)
  • for yogurt parfaits
  • for baking
Standard yogurt is great:
  • for all babies and toddlers without a dairy allergy
  • for smoothies
  • mixed into purees for babies
  • mixed into applesauce for toddlers
  • for baking
  • picky eaters

Dairy-Free Options

Plant-based yogurts have grown in popularity in the last couple of years, and I am a huge supporter of serving them to babies, regardless if the baby has a dairy allergy or not. Serving almond, oat, and coconut yogurts to babies will help them gain a wide range of nutrients as well as expand their taste buds. Just like whole milk yogurts, you are looking for dairy-free yogurts that are full of healthy fats (no skim or fat-free) and unsweetened. However, dairy-free yogurts may not provide some of the essential nutrients that dairy varieties provide, like protein and calcium, so make sure your baby is getting those nutrients elsewhere, or the yogurt is fortified. 

Favorite dairy-free brands
  • Forager Project, Organic Dairy-Free Unsweetened Plain Cashewmilk Yogurt Alternative
  • Kite Hill Yogurt, Unsweetened
  • Nancy’s Oatmilk Non-Dairy Yogurt Plain
  • So Delicious Coconutmilk Yogurt Alternative, Unsweetened Plain

Frequently Asked Questions

When can you introduce yogurt to baby?

You can introduce yogurt to your baby anywhere between 4-8 months of age. Since yogurt is nutrient-dense, I recommend serving it to your baby as one of their first foods but consult your pediatrician if there is someone in the family with a dairy allergy. You may be advised to wait until your baby is closer to 6 months. You can introduce plain yogurt to your baby as is, or you can mix a small teaspoon of yogurt with a baby food puree that your baby is already familiar with.


Can yogurt be baby’s first food?

Dairy yogurt is a common allergen and it is recommended to wait to introduce the top eight allergen foods to your baby once a few other well-tolerated foods have been introduced, especially if your baby is at high risk for food allergies.


Is yogurt a common allergen for baby?

Yes, yogurt made from cow’s milk is one of the most common food allergens, so, as with any food, start with a small portion and be aware of any signs that might be an allergic reaction after introducing it. You may want to talk with your pediatrician about how to safely introduce dairy yogurt if your baby has severe eczema or other food allergies.


Does yogurt cause constipation for babies?

Yogurt may cause constipation in some babies that are sensitive to dairy.

Yogurt for Baby-Led Weaning

Yogurt is still an excellent first food for baby-led weaning. You can simply load up a spoon (this or this one are two of my favorites) and hand the spoon with the yogurt to your baby for them to feed themselves. As they get older, you can place the yogurt into a bowl or sectioned plate and hand your baby the spoon to load and feed themselves.

Feeding Tips

  • Make sure your baby is showing readiness signs for eating – good control of their head and trunk, sitting with minimal assistance, bringing hands or toys to their mouth, and appearing interested in your food when you’re eating.
  • Follow your baby’s lead – when feeding purees from a spoon, sometimes there’s a tendency to keep offering bites past the point of your baby being full. Always follow baby’s cues for when they are done eating. Turning away from the spoon, closing her mouth, or pushing food away are all signs that baby is finished with the meal.
  • Pre-loading a spoon is a great way to help your baby be more successful in the early stages of self-feeding. Simply dip a spoon like the NumNum GOOtensil or ChooMee Starter Spoon into a slightly thicker puree, such as oatmeal, Greek yogurt or mashed avocado so that it sticks to the utensil and allow baby to grab the spoon.
  • Throwing spoons is a common phase that all babies go through at one point or another. One of the best ways to handle spoon throwing is to ignore it and keep feeding baby as usual (with an extra spoon you already have at the table). If baby ends up also throwing back up spoons #2 AND #3, simply encourage your baby to eat with their hands until they appear to be finished with the meal.

9 Great Ways to Flavor Plain Yogurt

Here are 9 delicious and fun ways to flavor plain yogurt for both babies and toddlers:

Peanut, Almond, or Seed Butter

Adding nut or seed butter into the yogurt does not only enrich the yogurt with a fun, nutty taste, but it is also a way to gently expose your baby to nuts (read more here about introducing nuts to your baby). You can add a drizzle of maple syrup or honey for a sweeter meal for toddlers over the age of one.

Veggie or Fruit Puree

You can stir in any homemade or store-bought puree into yogurt, which means you literally have endless options on how to flavor plain yogurt. Don’t be afraid to play around and find out what flavor combo your baby likes best!

Applesauce

You can use unsweetened applesauce or an apple puree to give plain yogurt a sweet, fruity taste without adding sugar or honey. Both of my kids love this option.

Mashed Banana and a Pinch of Cinnamon

This one is SO good; it could pass as a dessert. Simply mash some ripe banana, add a pinch of cinnamon, and mix a little yogurt for a luscious option.

Mashed Berries

I have found that using thawed frozen berries gives the yogurt a sweet taste without the extra sugar. I usually thaw my berries and then smash them on a cutting board with the back of a fork before adding them to yogurt. You can use any frozen fruit you have on hand — strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, peaches, cherries, kiwi, pineapple, raspberries, etc.

Cacao Powder

This one is pleasantly and irresistibly delicious. You can even add a drizzle of maple syrup or honey for toddlers over the age of one, and call it a dessert. Note that Cacao powder is different than cocoa powder. Cacao powder isn’t as refined and is considered a superfood. It is high in antioxidants and flavonoids, which makes it an excellent choice for boosting brain functions. Cacao is also higher in protein, fiber, magnesium, and iron than plain unsweetened cocoa powder. However, if cacao isn’t an option, cocoa will also work; just make sure it’s unsweetened.

Avocado

Adding avocado is a fun, appetizing way to amp up the flavor of plain yogurt. You can also serve this combo on a piece of toast sticks.

Oat Baby Cereal

This is an ideal option for babies that love oat cereal. Adding plain whole milk to yogurts makes the cereal even more nutritious with essential fats and nutrients. I also recommend adding a pinch of cinnamon or cloves to make the dish taste more distinct.

Orange Juice and Vanilla

Using freshly squeezed oranges will boost the vitamin C and add a citrus twist to the yogurt. Vanilla extract brings out the flavor of orange juice, but it is optional.

DID YOU TRY ANY OF THESE FUN YOGURT FLAVORS?
 I’D LOVE TO KNOW HOW IT TURNED OUT! LEAVE A COMMENT AND A ⭐️ RATING BELOW 👇
Peanut Butter
  • 1 tsp peanut, almond or seed butter
  • 2 ounces plain whole milk yogurt
Fruit or Veggie Puree
  • 1-2 ounces veggie or fruit puree, homemade or store-bought
  • 2 ounces plain whole milk yogurt
Applesauce
  • 2 tbsp applesauce or apple puree, unsweetened
  • 2 ounces plain whole milk yogurt
Banana + Cinnamon
  • 2 tbsp mashed banana
  • pinch of cinnamon
  • 2 ounces plain whole milk yogurt
Berries
  • mashed berries, frozen and thawed berries are sweeter
  • 2 ounces plain whole milk yogurt
Chocolate
  • 1 tsp cacao powder
  • 2 ounces plain whole milk yogurt
Avocado
  • 1-2 tbsp mashed avocado
  • 2 ounces plain whole milk yogurt
Baby Cereal
  • 2 tbsp baby cereal of choice
  • 2 ounces plain whole milk yogurt
Orange + Vanilla
  • 1 tbsp orange juice
  • 1/8 tsp vanilla extract
  • 2 ounces plain whole milk yogurt

  • In a small bowl, mix together the ingredients you wish to flavor the yogurt with until smooth.

Age: 6 months and up

Yield: 2-3 ounces for each flavor

Storage: store in air-tight container in the fridge for up 3 days. 

Bumkins Baby Bowl

Tripp Trapp High Chair

EZPZ

Bumkins Sleeved Bib

NumNum Pre-Spoon GOOtensils

Did you make this recipe?

Tag @babyfoode on Instagram and hashtag it #babyfoode!

Pin Recipe Email a Friend

19 Baby Yogurt Recipes To Whip Up For The Tiny Tot

  1. Home
  2. Food

Buy Now

Whether it’s a scoop in the morning or a bit on the side at dinner, these 19 baby yogurt recipes are really easily to whip up! Your tiny tot will love all of these fun combinations and will be filling their bellies up with good, nutritious ingredients. Take a peek!

1. Simple Fruit Yogurt

Food 52 starts us off with a simple fruit yogurt recipe that we can keep stashed away to use often. Check it out after the jump!

2. Apple & Sweet Potato Yogurt

Gene Mommy when with a smooth apple and sweet potato combo that the kiddos will gobble right up. It’s the perfect kind of afternoon treat.

3. Cantaloupe, Banana & Chia Seed Yogurt

Over at Baby Foode you’ll find some funky combinations that are fun and tasty for your baby to try. Just check out this cantaloupe, banana and chia seed creation for example!

4.

Pumpkin & Prunes Yogurt

Pumpkin and prune yogurt will keep things running smoothly and taste yummy too! Hop on over to Baby Foode and check out the details now.

5. Overnight Oats with Yogurt

360 Family Nutrition went with the overnight oats route. Satisfying tummies and adding extra nutrients, we love mixing our yogurt with our oats!

6. Drinkable Yogurt

Courtney’s Sweets has a fun little recipe for  a drinkable yogurt drink that babies and toddlers would have some fun with. Breakfast or snack time just got a bit easier.

7. Cherry & Mint Greek Yogurt

Baby Foode gives us another unique recipe that’s quite tasty. Introduce your little one to new flavors by giving them some cherry  mint yogurt this afternoon!

8. Yogurt Melts

Smart School House got a little creative with their yogurt recipe. Learn how to make some at-home yogurt melts today!

9. Pear & Banana Yogurt

Pears and bananas make quite the nice pairing. Just add a bit of yogurt into the mix. And thank Little Mashies for the idea!

10. Banana, Blueberry & Avocado Yogurt

Baby Foode hit us with a banana, blueberry and avocado combination! This bowl has so much yumminess and nutrition  packed in every bite!

11. Strawberry Frozen Yogurt

Just A Taste froze their yogurt! For a great treat in the evenings or during those hot summer days, make dessert a bit healthier for baby.

12. Strawberry Banana Yogurt Smoothie

Eating On A Dime made some strawberry banana yogurt smoothies for the little ones. Grab the recipe after the jump.

13. Peanut Butter & Banana Yogurt Pops

Home Cooking Memories made a dessert out of all the good ingredients too! Peanut butter and banana yogurt popsicles sound like a delicious summer treat and great for toddlers too!

14. Berry Yogurt Cake

You can even whip up a cake that includes some yogurt for you little one to dive into. Check it out at Baby Foode.

15. Cherry, Squash & Almond Milk Yogurt

Project Nursery added some veggies into this sweet concoction. Hop on over and grab the recipe for this cherry and squash yogurt.

16. Yogurt Ranch Dip

Baby Foode found a way to get your babes to start eating more veggies. And that’s by serving them up with this yogurt ranch dip.

17. Chocolate Banana Frozen Yogurt Bark

We want to try out this one for our grown-up selves! Learn how to make some banana chocolate yogurt bark over at My Fussy Eater.

18. Avocado & Blueberry Yogurt Smoothie

The Lemon Bowl took avocados and blueberries and turned them into a nutritious smoothie! These are perfect snacks for little ones that aren’t great eaters.

19. Whipped Squash with Yogurt

You can even pack in the veggies and get your baby to eat them a bit easier with this recipe! Squash and yogurt surprisingly goes quite well together. (via)

Homemade yogurt

(Age: from 10 months)

Sorry for such a long absence of news, dear readers of gotovimdetyam.ru - about healthy baby food. Today, another children's recipe is homemade yogurt. Recently, one of the readers of my site, Anastasia Vasilyeva, asked me to share recipes for making homemade yogurt and cottage cheese. I promised to post. Of course, it did not work out soon, there were problems with the Internet, but I am happy to fulfill my promise. Let's start building up the immunity of our kids together.

There is no doubt that the easiest way to buy children's fermented milk products is in a store. But, unfortunately, while it goes on sale, for example, in our city, at least 6 days pass from the date of manufacture. Accordingly, the benefits of the bacteria that remain in it are sharply reduced. But this is not the main drawback. The main danger, especially in summer, is yogurt poisoning. Therefore, if you still choose to buy, rather than cook yogurt at home, then I don’t even remind you that you strictly follow the expiration date, but be sure to taste it before giving it to your child. If you find it not quite fresh in taste, then do not give it.

To begin with, I will describe our acquaintance with fermented milk products. For my eldest daughter, after nine months, as expected, we were naturally breastfed, I began to introduce fermented milk complementary foods. After consulting with the district pediatrician, we began to introduce kefir for children under one year old. I can’t say that I was dissatisfied with the quality at that time, I looked through the composition well. We didn't have any allergies either. Everything seems to be fine and as usual, but now. Summer came, there was a terrible heat and we were poisoned. Naturally, I carefully look at the production date and shelf life, this habit has been developed since pregnancy by 100 percent. The packaging was also undamaged and sealed. I can not say that this is the fault of the manufacturers, maybe there is a strict quality control in production. But the trouble is that further, until the products fall into our hands, consumers, they go through many intermediaries. Unfortunately, there is no strict control over their actions. After all, no one can say for sure how long such perishable products could stand outside the refrigerator, in some utility room. But in the summer, a few hours in the heat are enough and pathogenic flora will begin to grow in children's yogurt. The content of these harmful bacteria will be enough to poison the baby. Fortunately for us, we managed without a hospital, we coped with vomiting and dehydration at home, under the strict supervision of a pediatrician. This incident introduced me to a wonderful pediatrician, to whom I am very grateful. We have a yogurt maker, since then I have been making yogurt at home for children and adults every day. I already introduced homemade yogurt to my youngest daughter as the first fermented milk food at 10 months.

Before writing you a recipe for making homemade yogurt, as usual, a little about the benefits of yogurt, and decide when a child can be given yogurt. All dairy products are an important component of children's health. Children's yoghurts are a source of protein, calcium and other trace elements (iron, magnesium, zinc, iodine) and vitamins B, A, E and C, have a lower acidity compared to kefir.

First of all, as you know, cow's milk cannot be given to children under one year old, and even older children have a hard time digesting it. But yogurt, like kefir for children, is easily digested and absorbed. This is due to lactic acid bacteria. These bacteria secrete special enzymes that change the structure of the milk protein, and it is easier to break down. There is rarely an allergy to sour-milk, unlike milk.

Secondly, yogurt for children improves the functioning of the digestive tract, intestinal motility, removes cholesterol and saturates the baby's body with calcium.

Thirdly, it increases resistance against diseases, that is, it increases immunity. You probably know that 70% of immunity depends on intestinal health. Therefore, it is very important to monitor the balance of the intestinal microflora of babies. Normal microflora in the fetus is laid in the second half of pregnancy. And then the baby receives various bacteria, including pathogens, during birth and in the first hours of life. That is why the first attachment of the baby to the breast right in the delivery room is so important.

The very first drops of colostrum and breastfeeding are an incentive for the formation of a healthy intestinal microflora. Yes, I also want to clarify that both during pregnancy and during breastfeeding, mommy should monitor the state of her intestinal microflora, be sure to consume fermented milk products, preferably the same home-made yogurt, and a sufficient amount of vegetables and fruits.

Because it is close contact with the mother from birth that contributes to the settlement of the baby's body with the mother's microflora, this is the importance of the state of the mother's microflora. With a healthy gut microflora, good (good) bacteria prevail over bad ones and we feel great. But, as a result of various factors, such as antibiotics, hormones, malnutrition, both for mother and baby (for example, foods “not for age”, early complementary foods) lead to the growth of bad bacteria, the child may develop dysbacteriosis. Naturally, immunity decreases. It is believed that the intestinal microflora is restored on its own, but sometimes help is needed. In this case, you do not need to wait and hope that the disease will pass by itself. Be sure to contact your pediatrician and follow his recommendations. But to prevent this condition, prepare yogurt at home, or homemade kefir for children on sourdough. They have a probiotic effect, that is, in addition to the usual lactic acid bacteria, they contain probiotics - living microorganisms (mainly bifidobacteria and lactobacilli).

Normal intestinal microflora is its beneficial bacteria - probiotics - bifidobacteria and lactobacilli. By using yogurt homemade , rich in living beneficial bacteria, we populate the intestines, of course, with alien microflora. But these beneficial bacteria are like siblings to our own beneficial bacteria. When our own bacteria find it difficult to cope with the bad ones, they provide all possible assistance in the fight. Of course, not all bacteria from homemade yogurts reach the intestines, many die in the stomach, due to its acidic environment. But those of them (and there are quite a few of them) who reach it will temporarily take root in the intestines and will suppress and expel pathogenic microbes. And they will also produce lactic acid, which contributes to the formation of a healthy intestinal microflora, that is, favorable conditions are created for the development of "beneficial" microorganisms.

The main thing is that in order to keep the microflora in a normal state, such live yoghurt must be consumed constantly. I want to touch on the topic of prebiotics a little more. Since I wrote a lot about the intestinal microflora, I would like to clarify that for the growth of our own beneficial bacteria, it is necessary to include vegetables, fruits and cereals in the diet. Which are rich in prebiotics (food plant fibers that are not digested by the stomach and reach the intestines intact). These prebiotics feed our beneficial bacteria.

Making homemade yogurt

Next, I will write the recommendations that my pediatrician gave me. You can draw your own conclusions, but it's still better to consult your doctor.

The first thing to consider is which milk to use. I always use pasteurized in soft packs, the shelf life of which is minimal (up to five days), of course I always boil it. See the composition of milk, it must be written simply, made from milk (whole, skimmed). There should not be an inscription from reconstituted milk - that is, from dry milk. Now, as for fat content. I cook with milk with a maximum fat content of 2.5%, but it is better to cook with 1.5%. There are two reasons for this, firstly, the high fat content of milk for homemade yogurt is a burden on the baby's pancreas. Secondly, the higher the fat content of milk, the less lactose sugar it contains, which bacteria feed on. And, therefore, there will be less beneficial bacteria in home-made yogurt. But also the taste, I personally like the one made from 2.5% the most. Made from selected and from 3.2%, for my taste worse, greasy.

As for the sterilized one, maybe it's more convenient, you don't need to boil it, but personally I distrust it (it is processed at very high temperatures) and don't use it. Homemade milk from a trusted cow is great, but very fatty, so not suitable for small children.

The second point is how we will ferment our milk. You can, of course, use children's yoghurts as a starter, or kefir for children, for example Agusha without fruit additives (use 200 grams per 1 liter of milk, and the technology will be described below). But fermenting with store-bought sour cream, kefir, yogurt does not make much sense, because the concentration of beneficial bacteria in the finished product will be quite low, and there is still a risk of breeding harmful bacteria. After all, it was with such a store product that we were poisoned, as I wrote about earlier. Of course, there will be practically no preservatives and dyes, but the best option is to buy a starter containing bacteria for homemade yogurt. We have tried a fairly large number of starters during this time. I don't want this to sound like an ad. We started with bifivit and simbiter. Our pediatrician recommended them for up to a year. But, once again, I do not want to advertise, you need to consult with your pediatrician, as he knows the characteristics of your child well. Then there were narine, vitalact, evitalia and others. We have already used them after a year. Basically, I buy starter cultures at the pharmacy. See the instructions for it to be used for home fermentation of milk.

Since it is recommended to alternate fermented milk products, we change the starter every three months. Depending on the type of starter, we get either homemade kefir or yogurt for children.

The third point is how we will ferment milk. You can ferment in a thermos, in the oven. But personally, I cook homemade yogurt in a yogurt maker, I like to use the benefits of civilization. And this device saves me a lot of time. It keeps the right temperature accurately. I like that you can easily make yogurt at home and it is already poured into individual jars. I do not like to wrap in a blanket and put to the battery. This choice is made by everyone. I will describe how to make yogurt in a yogurt maker. A little more to explain how to make homemade yogurt without it.

The main conclusion to which I would like to draw your attention once again. Until six months, no complementary foods, only breastfeeding. Moms need to monitor their intestines and also use homemade yogurt every day. And for kids, regular consumption of fermented milk products, but always by age. So, yogurt for children, like other fermented milk products, is very useful. But do not forget that everything needs a measure. Up to a year, you should not offer more than 100 grams per day. For children under three years old, the norm is 200 grams. And when can a child give yogurt. It can be given as the first fermented milk supplement. But it all depends on the type of starter you will be using. What starter cultures by age for my children I used, I already wrote above. And your task is to decide on your choice, find out in the pharmacy what starter cultures are in your city and, of course, consult your pediatrician.

Various homemade yoghurt recipes are offered on the Internet. Here is my.

You will need to make homemade yoghurt:

1. 1 liter of pasteurized milk;

2. leaven.

Homemade yogurt recipe:

1. Each starter usually comes with a cooking instruction. It is almost the same, the temperature and ripening time may vary slightly. In order to make yogurt at home and it always turns out delicious, you need experience. But it is quickly acquired, after several preparations. Let's start making homemade yogurt. First you need to take care of the purity of milk. It is necessary to boil milk, because unboiled pasteurized milk can contain E. coli, salmonella, and other pathogens. Therefore, we boil so that only beneficial bacteria multiply in our country. So, we bring the milk to a boil and make the quietest fire, so that it does not run away, boil it for 5 minutes.

2. While it boils, we will take care of the sterility of the dishes. If you are cooking for yourself, then you can simply pour jars and a tablespoon with boiling water. And if for children, it is better to sterilize. Decide for yourself. I sterilize in a double boiler for 10 minutes, very convenient. You can also sterilize in the microwave, after pouring water into jars, also 5-10 minutes.

3. Now our milk has boiled, remove it from the fire. We need to cool it to a temperature of 37 - 40 degrees. To make it cool faster, I pour cold water into a large pot and put a pot of boiled milk in it. Just be careful not to get water in it. I always determine the desired temperature without a thermometer. This is not very hot milk, you can freely hold your finger without burning yourself. In principle, we all bathe our children in water with a temperature of about 37 degrees, so I hope all mothers will determine it without difficulty.

4. Let's continue making yogurt at home. The next step is to introduce sourdough into the milk. We take a bottle of sourdough, if necessary, use a knife to remove the protective iron cover. Pour a little milk into the bottle, somewhere up to 2/3, close it with a lid or a rubber stopper and shake it thoroughly until completely dissolved. We add the dissolved starter to the milk, and again mix everything thoroughly.

5. Now it remains to pour everything into jars. I often use a strainer for this. This is necessary in order to get the result yogurt homemade without any lumps, delicate, homogeneous texture. Because if you do not remove the foam from the milk, then unpleasant lumps may be present in it, but this is not always the case. Strainer, too, be sure to pour over boiling water.

6. Well, the final stage. The easiest and most convenient option is to put our jars without closing the lids in the yogurt maker. Then we cover the yogurt maker with a lid and turn it on. We mark the time from 8 to 12 hours. It depends on the starter.

If you don't have a yogurt maker, then you can make homemade yogurt in a thermos. To do this, we omit point 5 and pour milk with sourdough into a thermos. Plunge the thermos with boiling water first. The cooking time in this case may increase slightly. If you don’t have a thermos, you can still use the oven cooking option. For example, in my oven, you can set the desired temperature of 37-40 degrees and it must also withstand it. I will not describe in detail, if you have questions, write in the comments.

At the end of the specified time, we take out our jars from the yogurt maker, close them with lids, which were also previously doused with boiling water. And put in the refrigerator for two hours, you can set the date of manufacture on the lids. We put it in the refrigerator to stop the growth of bacteria.

Well, our homemade yoghurt is ready. Look at the picture for the texture. It turns out thick, if you turn the jar upside down, nothing pours out.

If you get liquid homemade yoghurt, then you did not finish it in the yogurt maker, and if the separated whey is a little visible, then you overexposed it. It's okay, it can only affect the taste. With experience, you will determine the exact cooking time for each starter. If you need, ask me, I will write in the comments.

Before giving a jar to a child, just take it out of the refrigerator and put it in lukewarm water for five minutes, but not hot. It is better if the water cools down, change it back to warm.

So, as you can see, one liter of milk yields 5 jars of homemade yogurt. It can also be used as a starter. That is, we cook in the same way as I described, only instead of sourdough starter, add 2-3 tablespoons of homemade yogurt to 1 liter of milk. Homemade yogurt prepared in this way can no longer serve as a starter again.

I would also like to note that children under one year old should not ferment homemade yogurt. Therefore, we give homemade yogurt for children under one year of age where exactly the yogurt starter purchased at the pharmacy was used. But children older than a year can already be fermented once.

Now, about the shelf life of yogurt. For children up to a year, you can give it for two days. Children from one year old can be given up to three days. Adults can consume within five days. In this case, homemade yogurt will bring maximum benefit. As a starter, it can be used for five days.

I'll tell you what happens in our family. I cook it every day. First, I prepare 5 jars of homemade yogurt from pharmacy sourdough. I give two of them to my daughters, the other three I use as a starter. But I already cook from 1.4 liters of milk, add three tablespoons of homemade yogurt as a starter (this is half a jar), I get 7 jars. We already use this homemade yogurt in the following way: I give my eldest daughter two jars in the morning and at night, while I give my youngest one one, from the rest of the jars I make children's cottage cheese for my daughters. I'll post the recipe next time. So I cook for four more days. It turns out that during these four days I manage to ferment six times, since my husband and I also love homemade yogurt very much. I got used to it since pregnancy, but my husband had big problems with the digestive tract, he didn’t want to eat it before. After I began to use it regularly, too, gradually everything improved. Now he even began to take to the service, if he does not have time to have breakfast at home.

I know that many of you have thought how long and hard it is to prepare everything. But actually it is not. The whole process takes a little more than half an hour, and your participation takes about five minutes. In parallel, I always cook something, or do something in the kitchen. Maybe at first it seems like a long time, but when you cook every day, everything is worked out to automatism, and you don’t even notice this cooking process: boiled, cooled, poured into jars. All.

Since I already wrote that we have two children, my husband and I also love homemade yoghurts, I also make children's cottage cheese and sour cream for my daughters, 7 jars that are included in the yogurt maker kit are not enough. Therefore, I use 200 ml baby puree jars with lids to make yogurt at home.

And there are a lot of advantages to cooking homemade yogurt compared to store-bought. The most important thing, especially for baby food, is that it does not contain thickeners, stabilizers, dyes, flavors, preservatives and other food additives. Our kids eat fresh food. Let me remind you once again about the need to sterilize dishes and milk, then our yogurt for children does not have any extraneous microflora, but contains high concentrations of bacteria that are beneficial to humans, which heal our body. I advise you to definitely cook yogurt at home, and if you are already cooking, then I look forward to your comments. I hope that I described everything well, if something is not clear to you, be sure to write questions in the comments, I will answer with pleasure.

Bon appetit and good health!

Subscribe to the news feed of my website (via RSS) or (Email) if you don't want to miss my new interesting children's recipes.

Yogurt for children: what yogurt can be given to children, homemade recipes from sourdough

05/14/2020 Reading time: 2 min