When Can Babies Eat Yogurt Melts? (With Nutritional & Safety Info)

Yogurt melts are both delicious and healthy. These mouth-watering snacks are loaded with calcium, probiotics, and healthy fats that can help your kid grow and develop. However, the real question is, at what age can babies eat yogurt melts?

Well, you can give yogurt melts to your kid as soon as they reach their weaning milestone. The weaning phase is probably the most important milestone for both parents and kids. At this stage, your baby starts to consume solid foods, allowing you to offer your favorite dishes to your kid.

Most babies reach their weaning milestone at the age of 7 or 8 months. So, you can give them finger foods, including yogurt melts, without worrying about health problems. However, at this stage, you have to be extra careful and prevent your kid from consuming excessive sugar and products that can lead to choking. 

There is no doubt the weaning milestone brings a lot of new questions for parents. To help you out, this article will offer answers to all your questions that are related to yogurt melts and your little one.

What age can you give your baby Yogurt Melts?

Offering your infant their first solid food is both scary and exciting! During the weaning milestone, you get to experience your little one exploring new textures tastes and making funny facing. However, you also need to be extra careful in this phase.

Yogurt melts are probably the first snacks most parents choose when their baby is ready to consume finger food. They are mouth-watering and healthy, but when should you give yogurt melts to your kid?

First of all, remember, no two toddlers are the same. If one kid is growing at a normal rate, the other one might take some extra time. Generally speaking, it is recommended to wait for up to 6 months before you offer solid food to your little one. That being said, 7-9 months is surely a safe time to give your baby finger foods, including yogurt melts.

Once your baby begins to sit independently and practices the “Chewing” motion, it’s time to offer them baby cereals, vegetables, fruits, and other foods. However, you should consult with your pediatrician before altering your kid’s diet.

According to many doctors, you should not offer your kid foods that have the potential risk of allergies, such as fish, peanuts, and dairy, before they get 4-6 months old. Therefore, you should at least wait until your baby shows signs that they are ready to eat finger food.

When can baby try solid foods?

According to AAP, parents should wait until their little ones get 4-6 months old before offering them solid food. Generally speaking, solid foods include fruit puree, cereals, and vegetables.

Here are some of the useful signs that indicate your baby is ready to eat solid food:

• Baby’s Growth – If your baby is twice his birth weight, he is ready for some solid foods.
• Self–Feeding – Self-feeding is an important indicator that your little one is ready to eat solid food. Once you give your kid some cereal, if they spit it out, they might need some extra time.
• Practice “Chewing” Motion – Most babies will start to practice their chewing motion at the weaning milestone. They will either try to chew on soft toys or on nothing at all. 
• Head Control – Another great indicator that your baby is ready to eat solid food is that they are showing great head control. They can keep their head up when seated in an infant seat or a highchair.

Besides these, some additional indicators ensure your little one is in the weaning stage, such as sitting independently or moving their toys towards their mouth.

Once you are sure your baby is in the weaning milestone, it’s best you offer them traditional baby foods, like puree and cereal. Afterward, you can move toward finger foods, such as soft fruits, yogurt melts, and puffs.

Most babies can eat finger foods at the age of 7-8 months. However, it’s always best to consult with your pediatrician before altering your kid’s diet. Here are some of the most popular finger foods for your little one:

• Scrambled eggs
• Cooked potatoes
• Cooked, soft meat
• Diced, cooked pasta
• Cooked vegetables
• Soft fruits
• Unsweetened, dry puffs, and cereals
• Yogurt melts (dehydrated or frozen)
• Soft cheeses

At this age, there are some foods you should avoid offering your kid, such as:

• Chunks of cheese
• Untoasted bread
• Marshmallows
• Hard fruits or raw vegetables
• Candy
• Popcorn and nuts
• Raisins
• Hot dogs
• Berries and grapes

Allergy-Inducing Foods and Dairy Products:

The biggest problem with the weaning milestone is that you have to be careful about food allergies. As your little one is trying new products, there is a possibility they might have allergies to several products.

There are several foods that contain the threat of food allergies, such as fish, dairy, tree nuts, soy and many more. Even though AAP recommends offering your kid a well-balanced meal from the start, you should consult with your pediatrician. 

The best way to reduce the risks of food allergies is by offering a single product at a time. Don’t mix allergy-inducing foods with other products, and pay close attention to the clinical signs of allergies.

Can babies choke on Yogurt Melts?

Yes, yogurt melts do contain risks of choking hazards. Therefore, it’s essential you follow some guidelines before offering your kid yogurt melts, such as:

• Don’t let your kid eat while in a vehicle
• Discourage playing with food or laughing while eating
• Ensure your kid is seated straight
• Make sure food is properly cooked and cut into small pieces

Choking can easily set the eternal bed for your little one. Therefore, you should pay close attention to your kid while they are eating as choking is generally silent.

What are the best Yogurt Melts for babies?

There are several brands that offer yogurt melts with different specifications and price tags. Therefore, you should do your research to buy a product that fits perfectly with your specific dietary preferences.

Here are the top 3 brands that offer yogurt melts for your babies:

• Gerber Yogurt Melts
• Beach Nut Organic Yogurt Melties
• Happy Baby Yogis

What are Yogurt Melts?

We have been talking about when your baby can eat yogurt melts, while the real question is, what actually are yogurt melts?

Yogurt melts are available in different variations and go by numerous names, but the basic formula is the same. This snack consists of frozen or dehydrated yogurt that is portioned into small pieces. This delicious snack is also available as chips, bites, dips, and melts.

Yogurt Melts ingredients

Ingredient’s list of yogurt melts varies from brand to brand. However, the most common ingredients of this snack include sweeteners, fruits, and, of course, yogurt. If you are buying yogurt melts from the market, they might contain artificial flavors, sugar, and preservatives. 

Are Yogurt Melts unhealthy?

Just like regular yogurt, these snacks are considered healthy. However, if you are wondering about store-bought snacks, they might not be as healthy as homemade ones. For instance, sugar is certainly not a healthy ingredient for kids. So, if your selected product contains added sugar, it might be fairly unhealthy.

Homemade Yogurt Melts (DIY recipes!)

As a responsible parent, you should always stick with healthy finger foods for your little one. Compared to store-bought yogurt melts, homemade ones are always healthier and full of nutrients.

In this part of the article, you will learn how to create your own yogurt melts at home:

How to make Yogurt chips that don’t melt

Yogurt bites are certainly an excellent choice for toddlers and babies familiar with the chewing motions. You can also offer these snacks to your teething baby as a treat.

Generally speaking, the best yogurt chips are always frozen so that they don’t become messy. Therefore, if you want to create yogurt melts that don’t melt away, you should try a baked or dehydrated recipe.  

Dairy-free Yogurt Melts

Yes, you can also make dairy-free yogis. For this approach, you will need plant-based milk, such as soymilk, coconut milk or almond milk. All you need is 2 ingredients, freeze-dried, pureed fruits, and coconut milk for this recipe. 

Instructions:

• Use a blender to convert frozen fruits into powder
• Mix both powder and yogurt
• Put the mixture into a clean piping bag
• Create small yogurt dots
• Freeze the dots into a freezer
• Store them and enjoy before they melt! 

Frozen Yogurt Melts

You can make frozen yogurt melts with different ingredients, and there are hundreds of tasty recipes available on the internet. You can either use a recipe uploaded by Fit Mommy Strong or by the Baby Foode. Both of these recipes require two ingredients and are quite easy to make.

Baked Yogurt Melts recipe

Yogurt melts don’t have an impressive shelf life. However, if you want to create a more shelf-stable snack, you can make your homemade dried, baked yogurt bites.