Do y0u have a toddler eating loads of yogurt? You’re in good company. Recently, a mom asked me the following: I have an 11 month old daughter who loves yogurt. She would eat it all day long. My question is: how much yogurt is too much?
Yogurt is a great food for most babies and toddlers! A 2-4 oz serving of whole milk yogurt at mealtimes or snack times is perfect! It is packed with calcium and also has a good amount of calories. Also, since most babies and toddlers are not great meat eaters, yogurt can be good protein source. Unfortunately, most of the yogurt marketed for kids is packed with sugar. The kids’ section of the yogurt aisle at the grocery store is filled with yogurt with sprinkles, cookie bits and M&M’s. A good option for an 11 month old is full-fat, plain, greek-style or strained yogurt. If you buy sweetened yogurt or a baby yogurt, look for a yogurt that has 5 grams of sugar or less per serving. You can sweeten yogurt naturally by mixing mashed banana in or other fruits. Lastly, greek-style yogurt stays on a spoon well, so it is a great food for babies and toddlers to eat to practice self-feeding (even though it can get a bit messy!)
Ask Amanda is a weekly column from Feed to Succeed dietitian Amanda Gordon. Have a question? Email Amanda and let her know or submit an “Ask Amanda” question for a future column.
