From the YummyYucky team, founded by Nancy Nash
Can Babies Eat Greek Yogurt? Safe From 6 Months
Also known as Greek yoghurt.
Plain, whole-milk Greek yogurt is a great early food from around 6 months. It is thick, easy to load onto a spoon, and packed with fat and protein for growing babies.
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- When to introduce
- From about 6 months
- Common allergen?
- Milk (a common allergen)
- Texture
- Thick, spoonable, low choking risk
- Key nutrients
- Protein, fat, calcium, some B12
Yes, babies can eat Greek yogurt (also called Greek yoghurt) from around 6 months, as long as it is plain and made with whole milk. Yogurt is one of the friendliest first foods out there: it is soft, thick enough to cling to a spoon or a baby's fist, and it delivers the fat that little brains and bodies crave. The one thing to know upfront is that yogurt is a dairy product, so it counts as a milk exposure, which matters if allergies run in your family. It is worth flagging that yogurt is fine long before plain cow's milk as a drink, which does not come in until 12 months.
Why it matters: Plain whole-milk Greek yogurt is a safe, protein-rich, low-choking-risk first food from about 6 months, but it does count as a milk allergen exposure.
Prep School: how to prepare greek yogurt for baby-led weaning (BLW) and purées
🍴 Baby-led weaning
🥄 Purées
Is greek yogurt safe? Choking & prep
Greek yogurt is a milk product, and milk is one of the most common childhood food allergens1. Choose plain, unsweetened yogurt made from pasteurized milk (commercial yogurt is pasteurized). Current guidance is to introduce common allergens like dairy around 6 months rather than delaying, since waiting does not prevent allergies and early introduction may help. Offer yogurt on a day when baby is well, start with a small amount, and watch for signs of a reaction such as hives, swelling, vomiting, or trouble breathing. If your baby has severe eczema or a known food allergy, talk to your pediatrician before that first taste. Yogurt itself is a very low choking risk thanks to its smooth, thick texture, so the main thing to keep an eye on is the milk exposure, not the swallow.
Log Greek yogurt in YummyYucky to track it as your baby's milk exposure and watch for any reactions over about 3 days.
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Nutrition
Greek yogurt is strained, so it is thicker and higher in protein than regular yogurt, which is great for building babies. Whole-milk versions provide the fat infants need for brain development, plus calcium and a little vitamin B12. Its downside is a lower calcium content per spoonful than regular yogurt (some calcium is lost in the straining), so it is a strong protein and fat source rather than a calcium powerhouse. Always choose plain over flavored, since fruit-on-the-bottom and kids' pouches can carry a surprising amount of added sugar.
Goes well with
Mashed banana · Unsweetened berry puree · A pinch of cinnamon · Soft avocado · Warm oatmeal · Steamed sweet potato
Storage & freezing
Keep Greek yogurt refrigerated and use it by the date on the container. Once opened, it usually keeps about a week if sealed and chilled. Scoop out a serving into a separate dish rather than feeding straight from the tub, since a used spoon dipped back in introduces bacteria. You can freeze it (try yogurt drops or dollops on a tray) for teething relief, though the texture turns grainier once thawed.
More dairy foods to explore
Introducing this allergen
Related reading
- When can babies have yogurt and cheese? →
- How to cut food to prevent choking →
- Signs your baby is ready for solids →
- Baby-led weaning vs. purées →
Common questions
Can a 6, 7, or 8-month-old have Greek yogurt?
Yes at all of these ages. From around 6 months, once solids are underway, plain whole-milk Greek yogurt is a great early food, offered smooth off a spoon or thinned a little if your baby is new to textures. By 7 to 8 months it can be a regular part of meals: pre-load a spoon so your baby can self-feed, or stir it into oatmeal or mashed fruit. Keep it plain and full-fat at every age, and skip the sweetened kids tubes, which add sugar a baby does not need.
Can babies eat Greek yogurt?
Yes. Plain, whole-milk Greek yogurt is safe and nutritious from around 6 months. Choose unsweetened versions and skip low-fat, since babies need the fat.
When can babies have Greek yogurt?
From about 6 months, around the same time you start other solids. Yogurt is fine well before plain cow's milk as a drink, which waits until 12 months.
Is Greek yogurt a choking hazard for babies?
No. Its smooth, thick texture makes it one of the lower-risk first foods. Just avoid adding hard mix-ins like whole nuts, granola clusters, or large chunks of fruit.
Why can babies eat yogurt but not regular cow's milk before 12 months?
Yogurt is cultured and eaten as a food in small amounts, while cow's milk as a main drink can displace breast milk or formula and is hard on a baby's kidneys and iron levels. Yogurt in reasonable amounts is fine from 6 months.
Is Greek yogurt safe if milk allergies run in my family?
Yogurt counts as a milk exposure, so talk to your pediatrician first if there is a strong family history, severe eczema, or a known allergy. Otherwise, introducing dairy around 6 months is the current recommendation.
What kind of Greek yogurt is best for babies?
Plain, whole-milk, unsweetened. Avoid flavored tubs and squeezy pouches marketed to kids, which often hide added sugar.
How much Greek yogurt can a baby eat?
Start with a spoonful or two and follow baby's appetite. A few tablespoons at a sitting is typical once it is an established food. There is no need to force it.
Can I add fruit or honey to my baby's Greek yogurt?
Mashed or pureed fruit is a great mix-in. Never add honey before 12 months, since it carries a risk of infant botulism.
Sources
Further reading
- American Academy of Pediatrics (HealthyChildren.org): Starting Solid Foods
- CDC: Foods and Drinks to Encourage and Limit
Track it in YummyYucky
Log first tries and reactions, with an automatic allergen tracker when a food needs one, all in one place you can share with your pediatrician.
Start tracking for freeLast updated September 2026. Next review December 2026. How we write these: built from current published guidance from the AAP, CDC, FDA/EPA, NIAID, WHO, and other pediatric and public-health authorities, with sources cited on the page. See our editorial and medical policy for how we research, source, and update these, and how we double-check the food advice.
This is general information, not medical advice, and is not individualized for your baby. Always talk to your pediatrician about your baby's diet, introducing allergens, and any reaction. In an emergency, contact emergency services.
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