Kids love yogurt, but sometimes they want sugary options. Learn how to choose the healthiest yogurt for kids and for your family. 

One of the most frequent questions I get in my work as a pediatric nutritionist is about yogurt. Specifically, parents want to know how to the best kids yogurt for their child.

If you’ve been in the dairy section lately, you know there are a lot of options to sift through. 

From Skyr (an Icelandic type of yogurt) and Greek yogurt, both high protein yogurt types, to low sugar yogurt fortified with brain nutrients like DHA, and good ole fashioned plain yogurt, it’s overwhelming to make a decision that’s right for your child. 

And this doesn’t even account for the plant-based yogurts and other non-dairy milk based yogurts in the grocery store!

No worries. We are going to sort through it all and create what I like to call ‘the hierarchy of yogurt.’

A Word on Non-Dairy Yogurt Brands

There are a lot of non-dairy yogurt options in the yogurt aisle today. From soy to oat and coconut, and everything in between, non-dairy yogurts have a different nutritional profile. Some have a lower protein and fat content. Most brands will be fortified with calcium, vitamin D, and other nutrients, and contain additives like thickeners to match what dairy yogurt offers.

If your family is following a plant-based diet, or is allergic to milk, or simply enjoys the flavor, choosing a plant-based yogurt makes a lot of sense. For this article, I’ll be focused on yogurt in general, and cow’s milk types of yogurt specifically.

What are the Benefits of Yogurt for Children?

Yogurt has several benefits to your child’s health. Researchers believe the compounds found in cultured dairy foods actually reduce inflammation and blood pressure and act as an antioxidant, fighting against cell damage in the body. There are several other health benefits for your child, including gut health, bone development, and satiety (or fullness). 

Bone Development and Health

As a calcium rich food, yogurt helps kids build healthy, strong bones, which is especially important for children who are building their bone density during childhood. 

Yogurt and Gut Health

Some yogurts contain live active cultures which help establish and maintain a healthy gut microbiome. Live cultures are living organisms, that when added to milk, change it into yogurt during the fermentation process. 

Some yogurts are heat-treated after fermentation. Heat treatment destroys most of the live organisms and the benefits on gut health. Look for “live active cultures” on the nutrition label to make sure your child gets a healthy yogurt product.

For optimizing your child’s gut health, check out the other fermented foods children can enjoy. 

Dairy Products and Satiety

Recent research has shown that whole milk is satiating, mostly due to the presence of protein and fat. These nutrients in food help children feel fuller after eating, and better regulate their appetite. Yogurt products made with full fat milk may also convey a similar sense of fullness for children.

Other Potential Benefits of Yogurt

Newer yogurt products are entering the marketplace, including those fortified with brain nutrients such as DHA, ALA, and choline, designed to enhance brain development and functioning. 

Nutrition in Yogurt 

The flavor and texture of yogurt matters most to kids. Sweet, smooth, creamy yogurt is appealing, but this may come with added sugars (or artificial sweeteners, also called non-nutritive sweeteners) and thickeners. But, as a pediatric dietitian, some of the healthiest yogurt for kids will offer a good source of calcium and protein. Vitamin D is a bonus!

Calcium in Yogurt

A cup of dairy yogurt has roughly 200 mg (in Greek style) to 300 mg of calcium per cup, and perhaps even higher.

The Nutrition Facts Panel details the Daily Value (DV), which is reported as a percentage and reflects how much a food contributes to daily nutritional needs. A yogurt with 5% DV of calcium or below is “low” in calcium, and a product with 20% DV or higher is a “good” source of calcium. 

To get the total amount (milligrams) of calcium, multiply by 10. For example, 45% DV of calcium would be 450 milligrams of calcium.

How Much Calcium Does a Child Need?

Growing children need calcium from a variety of foods to harden and strengthen their bones. 

These are the daily calcium needs of kids:

(*AI (Adequate Intake) = the recommended average daily intake based on data assumed to be adequate for this age group.)

Yogurt is also a source of vitamins B6 and B12, riboflavin, potassium and magnesium, which helps with growth, development, and overall health.

For more on calcium and how to make sure your child is eating enough, check out my E-book, The Calcium Handbook for Kids.

Yogurt Has a Good Source of Protein

Dairy yogurts, in general, offer a good source of protein. In regular dairy yogurt, you can expect to find about 8 grams of protein per cup. This is the equivalent of what you’d find in a glass of milk. 

You can find higher protein content in Greek yogurt and Skyr (Icelandic) types of yogurt. They offer anywhere from 1 ½ to 2 times the amount of protein of regular yogurt.

Fat Content 

The fat content in a kids yogurt is the same as adult varieties of yogurt. You’ll find non-fat or fat free options as well as full fat and plain whole milk yogurt options. 

The presence of fat may also contribute to fullness after eating. This is due to the slowing effect it has on digestion. Fat takes longer to digest (similar to fiber), keeping your child fuller, longer. Fat also helps the body absorb fat-soluble vitamins like vitamins A and D. 

Fat also adds creaminess and a pleasant texture.

Types of Yogurt for Kids

The range of yogurt options is broad. Let’s break down the various types of yogurt, and build them from the healthiest yogurt for kids to the least healthy types.

Plain Yogurt

The basic yogurt is a plain version, with nothing added to it. 

It’s made from plain cow’s milk with active, live cultures added. The bacteria convert lactose (milk sugar) to lactic acid which thickens the milk and gives it a tangy taste.

Variations: You can purchase nearly every variety of yogurt, from regular to Greek and non-fat to full fat, in a plain unsweetened yogurt. 

Flavored Yogurt

Flavored yogurt is a plain yogurt with added flavors and sugar, typically. 

Common varieties include vanilla, banana, and strawberry flavor. Flavored yogurts may be blended, eliminating chunks or seeds, making it very smooth. 

Aim for Less Sugar in a Yogurt for Kids 

Read the labels on flavored yogurt as the sugar content varies considerably and some varieties contain too much sugar, especially for young children. 

One British Medical Journal study showed the sugar content (per cup) in yogurt for children had quite a range:

• Plain/Greek yogurt: 5.0 g (ranging from 1.6-9.5 g)
• Children’s yogurt:10.8 g (ranging from 4.8-14.5 g)
• Flavored yogurt:12.0 g (ranging from 0.1-18.8)
• Fruit yogurt: 11.9 g (ranging from 4.6-21.3)
• Organic yogurt: 13.1 g (ranging from 3.8-16.9)

They found that less than 9% of children’s yogurts qualified as a low sugar product.

Fruited Yogurt

Yogurt with fruit on the bottom has a jam-like fruit puree in the bottom of the container. The idea is to stir it into the plain yogurt.

These types can be quite tasty and sweet. 

However, some kids won’t bother to stir and may get turned off by the sourness of plain yogurt if they aren’t used to it. Other kids don’t like the bits and pieces the fruit provides. 

The biggest concern about fruit-on-the-bottom yogurt is the amount of sugar content. 

Yogurt with Stir-Ins

Some yogurts come with sprinkles, candies, cookie crumbles, nuts, and granola additions. These are packaged atop or alongside the yogurt.

Obviously, these add-ins carry extra sugar and calories. The nutritional profile can look more like an ice cream cone than a nutritious cup of yogurt!

The Best Yogurt for Kids

It’s not difficult to figure out which yogurts are best from a nutritional standpoint. Ranked in order, by health and nutritional quality, the best to worst are: 

1. Plain yogurt
2. Flavored yogurt
3. Fruit on the Bottom yogurt
4. Yogurt with Stir-ins

What about Frozen Yogurt?

Often, frozen yogurt is touted as a better alternative to ice cream. But let’s be clear: yogurt that is frozen is NOT frozen yogurt. 

Frozen yogurt has sugar, flavors, and other additives like stabilizers to produce the flavor and consistency of a frozen dessert. Generally, it’s made of milk, yogurt cultures, and cane sugar. 

The type of milk used (i.e., low fat milk) will influence the amount of fat and calories a frozen yogurt contains. For example, whole milk frozen yogurt will have more fat, and calories, than a frozen yogurt made with non-fat milk.

Some frozen yogurts contain helpful bacteria and ease digestion for those who are sensitive to lactose.

Forms of Kids Yogurt

Today, you can get yogurt in a variety of different forms. These are the most popular forms for children: 

• Traditional cup – The portion sizes for yogurt cups vary from 4 to 8 ounces and just about every size in between. Greek yogurt is often found in a 5 ounce portion, while traditional yogurt is found in 4 and 8 ounce cups. Variations: a tub or pint of yogurt (from 16 to 32 ounces).

• Yogurt sticks – these are 2 ounce portions of yogurt packaged in a long, thin tube. Refrigerate or freeze for a frozen confection.

• Yogurt-based Drinks – Drinkable yogurts, or “smoothies,” are packaged in 4 ounce and up to 12 ounce containers.

• Yogurt Bars – Refrigerated Greek yogurt bars are packaged in 1.75 ounce portions and offer about 8 grams of protein – a delicious snack!

How to Make the Best Choice 

Here are some questions to ask yourself to help you decide which type of yogurt to choose for your child:

1. What nutritional qualities are you looking for?

            Fat Content: whole milk yogurt, low fat yogurt, non-fat yogurt

            Protein Content: regular yogurt, Greek yogurt, Skyr, other high protein yogurts

            Sugar Content: no added sugar, low sugar yogurt, sugar added yogurt

            Fortified with added nutrients or presence of live cultures

2. What texture does your child enjoy?

•  Smooth
• Lumpy 
• Crunchy
• Frozen

3. What form of yogurt do you want?

• Cup
• Bottle
• Stick

For me and my kids, I go for nutritional quality first, then form and function. Yet, I really want my kids to enjoy yogurt.

I often purchase both plain and flavored (vanilla or strawberry) and mix them together. Other times I will use plain yogurt and add honey, fresh or frozen berries, and granola. 

I use yogurt in smoothies, and plain Greek yogurt as a substitute for sour cream.

Frequently Asked Questions 

Here are some of the most common questions I get about yogurt:

Does yogurt have lactose? 

Yogurt is considered a low lactose food. Fermentation with lactic acid converts some of the lactose (milk sugar) into glucose and galactose, breaking it down before your body has to. Many individuals with lactose intolerance can enjoy yogurt. 

Be sure to start with small amounts if you are lactose intolerant, and see how much you can tolerate without symptoms. Greek yogurt is also a low lactose food.

What are the carbs in yogurt? 

The carbohydrate source in yogurt comes from lactose, or the natural source of sugar found in milk. Generally, a cup of plain yogurt has about 12 grams of carbohydrate and a cup of plain, non-fat Greek yogurt has about 9 grams per cup.

The carb content of yogurt increase when additions like fruit, sugar, and stir-ins are present.

Can you freeze yogurt?

Absolutely. The easiest yogurt to freeze are the “sticks.” If you want to freeze yogurt for smoothies, use an ice cube tray. Some parents freeze “dots” or “circles” of yogurt for a healthy baby or toddler snacks.

Should kids eat yogurt every day?

Eating yogurt every day is a good way to make sure your child is getting some calcium in their diet and tending to their healthy gut.

What is the #1 baby yogurt?

In my opinion, Stonyfield Farm Organic YoBaby Whole Milk Yogurt, Plain is a good option for babies and toddlers. I wrote an entire article on this topic. Read: 10 Best Yogurts for Babies.

Resources

• Head over to my shop and check out our workshops, classes and read guidebooks to help you feed and raise a good eater.
• Check out my latest book! Kids Thrive at Every Size: How to Nourish Your Big, Small, or In-Between Child for a Lifetime of Health and Happiness.

This post was originally written in September 2019 | Updated in December 2024.