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From the YummyYucky team, founded by Nancy Nash

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Can Babies Have Lassi? Keep It Unsweetened

A yogurt-based drink from South Asia, thin and tangy. Fine for most babies from around 9 months if you keep it plain, unsweetened, and served in an open cup, not a bottle.

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When to introduce
Around 9 months
Common allergen?
Yes (milk)
Texture
Thin, drinkable liquid
Key nutrients
Protein, calcium, live cultures

Lassi is a blended yogurt drink from South Asia, sometimes plain and salty, sometimes sweet or fruity. Because it is made from yogurt, a plain unsweetened version is fine for most babies from around 9 months. Offer it in small amounts from an open or straw cup rather than a bottle, and skip the sugar and sweet mango versions for now.

⚠️ Lassi is yogurt-based, so it contains milk.1 Offer it plain and unsweetened from an open or straw cup, not as a bottle or a sweet drink. Sweetened and mango lassi are high in sugar and are not a good regular drink for a baby.

Why it matters: A baby's small stomach fills quickly, so sugary drinks like sweetened or mango lassi crowd out breast milk, formula, and iron-rich foods and bathe new teeth in sugar, which is why juice and other sweet drinks also make poor regular substitutes for milk or water.

Prep School: how to prepare lassi for baby-led weaning (BLW) and purées

🍴 Baby-led weaning

9 monthsLassi is a drink, so there is nothing to hold. Blend plain unsweetened yogurt with a little water until pourable and help your baby sip a small amount from an open or straw cup. No added sugar.
12 months+Offer a small cup of plain lassi, optionally with a pinch of cumin for a savory version, as an occasional drink with meals. Keep sweet and mango versions a rare treat.

🥄 Purées

9 monthsBlend plain unsweetened yogurt with a little water until pourable. Offer small spoonfuls, or a small amount in an open cup with your help. No added sugar.
12 months+Serve plain or lightly spiced lassi in a small cup as an occasional drink, still unsweetened, keeping sweet and mango versions to a rare treat.

Is lassi safe? Choking & prep

Lassi is a thin liquid, so it is not a choking risk, but how you serve it matters. Offer it from an open cup or straw cup rather than a bottle, and keep the portions small so it does not crowd out milk feeds or become a habit of drinking large sweet volumes. Make it plain and unsweetened: skip added sugar, honey (never before 12 months), and heavily sweetened mango or fruit-syrup versions. Because lassi is made from yogurt it contains milk, one of the top 9 allergens, so if your baby has not had yogurt or other dairy yet, introduce plain yogurt on its own first and watch for any reaction before offering lassi.1 Keep salted (namkeen) versions very lightly salted or unsalted, since babies under 1 need very little sodium. Lassi is a food and an occasional drink, not a replacement for breast milk or formula, which stay the main drink in the first year.

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Nutrition

Plain lassi is essentially thinned yogurt, so it provides protein, calcium, and the live cultures found in yogurt. A salted, spiced lassi with cumin is a savory, low-sugar option, while sweetened and fruit lassi carry a lot of added sugar. The plain, unsweetened version is the one to reach for.

Goes well with

Rice · Roti · Dal · Khichdi

Storage & freezing

Lassi is best made fresh and served right away. Refrigerate any leftover plain lassi in a covered container and use it within a day, then stir or shake before serving, as it separates. Do not leave it out at room temperature, since it is a dairy drink and spoils quickly.

More dairy foods to explore

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ManchegoAround 6 months
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MascarponeAround 6 months, small amounts stirred in
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Monterey jackFrom around 6 months
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MozzarellaAround 6 months
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MuensterAround 6 months
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Munster cheese6 months+

Introducing this allergen

Related reading

Common questions

When can babies have lassi?

From around 9 months, once your baby has had plain yogurt without a reaction. Keep it plain and unsweetened, and serve it in an open or straw cup rather than a bottle.

Is sweet or mango lassi okay for a baby?

It is best saved for later or kept to a rare treat. Sweetened and mango lassi are high in added sugar, which babies do not need, so plain or lightly cumin-spiced lassi is the better choice.

Can lassi replace a milk feed?

No. Breast milk or formula stays the main drink in the first year. Lassi is a food you offer alongside meals in small amounts, not a substitute for a feed.

My baby has a milk allergy. Can they have lassi?

No. Lassi is made from yogurt, which is dairy, so it contains milk protein. A baby with a cow's milk allergy should avoid it unless your allergist advises otherwise.

Sources

  1. American Academy of Pediatrics (HealthyChildren.org): Starting Solid Foods

Further reading

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Last 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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