 Top left (clockwise) via Instagram: @n_and_cs_mom, @livvy_k.a, @rachelpolish, @jackie_bosco Confused about cups?You're not alone! One of the most common questions on our Facebook group and Instagram is "How do I introduce a cup?" We know you have questions about cups given your child's specific age and stage, so we want to break it down step-by-step so you know exactly how to introduce various cups and what cups are appropriate for your child's age. Note: the images in this post were used with permission from parents in Feeding Littles Group. Thank you to everyone who contributed images - we wish we could use them all!  @jenniferedlin The big questions.Before we get to teaching specific cups and how to progress to more advanced skills, we wanted to answer some important questions. Q: When should I introduce a cup? A: Around 6 months, when your baby starts food (Baby-led Weaning or Traditional Weaning/spoon feeding). Q: What type of cup should I use first? A: An open cup (see schematic and videos below). Q: What are your favorite straw cups and water bottles? A: In each section below after the video, look for the links to individual sections of our Amazon Store for specific cup buying recommendations. Q: What should I put in the cup? A: Water or breast milk/formula. Q: What about juice? A: We only recommend juice for constipation (prune, pear, peach juice diluted with water). Otherwise, juice isn't necessary for babies and young children - fruit is a much better option! Q: How much water can a 6 month old have? A: No more than 1-2 oz - we don't want it to displace baby's milk feeds. Q: Why should I offer some water at 6 months? Aren't breast milk and formula perfectly hydrating? A: Yes, they are! However, water in a cup has a few important functions:
Q: How much water can my baby drink? A: In general, we recommend no more than 1-2 oz around 6 months and 3-4 oz max around 9 months. Around 12+ months baby can have as much water as they want but will likely still be drinking breast milk, milk and/or formula along with it (see last question about milk needs, below). Many pediatricians consider a water maximum (after 6 months) as number of ounces equaling baby's age in months; thus, no more than 7 oz of water for 7 months. For most babies this would be far too much water for them to also drink enough of their milk, but it's a nice maximum guideline if baby is sick or for some reason isn't drinking their milk. Q: When should I ditch the bottle? A: Start working on transitioning off the bottle around 11-12 months. It may take many months for your toddler to stop using the bottle entirely and transition to cups, but the biggest issue with prolonged bottle use is the potential effects on your toddler's teeth. If using a bottle before nap or bedtime, try to brush your toddler's teeth before they go to sleep. Q: How much fluid do toddlers and older kid need? A: Toddlers and kids need more fluid than you think! Below are averages recommendations of total fluid per day. Read more specifics about your child's needs - and how to calculate them if you'd like - here.
Q: How much breast milk or formula should my baby (under 12 months) drink? A: Babies will vary wildly in how much their bodies need for adequate growth and development. Some babies drink 26 oz a day, while others need over 40 oz. Most babies need at least 24 ounces of breast milk or formula until they're closer to one. This equates to 6-12+ breast feeds depending on baby's milk transfer. Talk to your doctor, dietitian or IBCLC if you're concerned about how much milk your baby is drinking. Q: How much milk should my toddler or child drink? A: This is a tricky question and depends on your child's overall diet. If you have our Toddler Course, head to Step 16: Calcium, Milk and Beverages. We plan to write a post about milk in the future and won't go into many details here, but if your child is drinking cow's milk or an alternative milk, general guidance recommends no more than 16-24 ounces per day to allow your toddler or child to also eat enough food and not fill up too much on milk. Drinking too much cow's milk can increase a child's risk for iron deficiency anemia as well. Many moms continue to breastfeed far into toddlerhood, and some families choose not to use any milk after infancy. Feeding Littles firmly believes that there's no one right solution for every child - some kids thrive on cow's milk while others breastfeed far into toddlerhood. Some kids eat high-calcium, high-fat foods and get all of their calories from solid foods and no milk. Every child is different and will vary. If you have any questions about how to meet your child's needs, please talk with your pediatrician. Q: What about smoothies? A: Smoothies are OK as of 6 months in small amounts, as long as they don't contain artificial sweeteners or herbs (found in protein powders). Most straw cups made for thin liquids are too narrow for smoothies and the thicker smoothie consistency gets stuck. Check out our smoothie cup video and product recommendations at the end of this list! How do I introduce cups to my baby?We recommend a specific order of cup introduction to help your baby progress through specific oral-motor skills. Above all else, make sure to start with an open cup first. It really helps your baby learn how to take a small bolus of liquid in her mouth and swallow. We recommend avoiding hard spout sippy cups - the rationale is described in the final video.  Step 1: Open cupFirst, let's talk about how to teach your baby to drink from an open cup: Why does Judy recommend open cups first? We see so much more success in straw and other cup drinking when babies master an open cup first! To see our list of favorite open cups, click HERE in our Amazon Store. Step 2: Straw cup @thefierycrash While open cups are wonderful for drinking at home, straw cups are preferred by parents for water drinking while on the go because they're oftentimes leak-proof (or at least leak-resistant). Some people are moving away from disposable straws for environmental reasons, but it's still important to teach straw usage because most kids' cups utilize a reusable straw, and as you'll learn later that we don't want to use hard spout sippy cups for oral development and speech reasons. Straws also strengthen muscles in the mouth that are important for eating and talking. Some babies learn how to use a straw simply by placing one to their lips or by capturing some liquid in a straw with your finger and placing the other end in baby's mouth. Many babies, however, need a little help figuring out the straw. Below Judy will go through how she teaches straw usage with her clients. If your baby figures out a straw cup without issue, you can skip the Mr. Juice Bear/Honey Bear step, but it's very helpful for babies who don't figure out straws right away.  Miss Avery Mae Straw cup video 1: Mr. Juice Bear / Honey Bear Find Mr. Juice Bear and the Honey Bear in our Straw Cup HERE in our Amazon Store. Straw cup video 2: Take N Toss and assisted straw skills Check out the Take N Toss cup HERE in our Amazon Store! Straw cup video 3: Handled straw cups and independent straw cup drinking Check out our favorite handled straw cups in our Amazon Shop HERE! Look for cups with handles first; eventually your child will be able to manage cups without handles. A note about the Zoli Bot cup: some clients have recently noticed that the Bot straw was hard to suck out of. We contacted Zoli and after doing some research, they realized that in switching to a thicker silicone so that babies don't bite through the straw, the flow of the straw is slower. Watch this video to modify the Bot cup straw until a more permanent solution is found. Step 3: Munchkin 360 cup @lydia.r.t After your tot has mastered the open and straw cup, try a Munchkin 360 cup! The 360 cup mimics an open cup but is leak proof and portable (it can be put in a diaper bag). Take a look at the wide selection of Munchkin 360 cups in our Amazon store HERE! We just love this photo from follower @skipsrunsplays - sometimes learning to drink from a cup can be exhausting!  @skipsrunsplays Step 4: Bigger kid cups - water bottles, Contigo, etc. @iamjrhew As your child progresses, he may be ready for a "real" water bottle or "big kid" cup! Learn how to navigate this next phase. Find the Contigo cup and other "bigger kid" (non-handled, larger) straw cups HERE. Larger Munchkin 360 cups without handles can be found HERE. What about smoothie cups?Parents in our Facebook Group always ask about smoothie cups. Check out what Judy recommends, below. Check out our favorite smoothie cups HERE. Why do we avoid sippy cups?Learn why Judy doesn't recommend hard spout sippy cups. With all the cup options available there's no need for traditional sippies! Bloopers....As you can imagine, this post took us a bit of time to create, so we decided to have a little fun with it. Feeding Littles presents: "The Most Important Cups for Your Kitchen." For the record, this was a joke...we do NOT recommend teaching your kiddo to drink from a flask. Or a wine glass. Joke. Seriously. We hope this has helped you decide what cup to use for your kiddo! Cheers!   Photo credit from top left, clockwise: @druckstarr, @shaysmomlife, @ccamila55, @lilmisskekeisen Chipmunk cheeks - is this normal?Has your baby or toddler ever filled her mouth with blueberries - one after the next - without chewing and swallowing? Perhaps she stores them in her cheeks or at the roof of her mouth and you find food a few hours later! Is this normal? Is it behavioral? Is this a sensory processing issue? This question comes up almost daily in my practice as an Occupational Therapist specializing in feeding therapy. In short, food pocketing and stuffing can happen when children are eating too fast and haven't mastered chewing skills, but if pocketing becomes a persistent issue despite using the preventive measures listed in this post, it may be time to seek professional help. To understand why your child may pocket or overfill their mouth, let’s briefly discuss her oral development. Note: the images used in this post were provided by parents in our free Facebook Group and are used with permission. The children in these images aren't pocketing food but rather have adorable, squishy cheeks! Disclosure: some of the links below are affiliate links, which means (at no cost to you) we will make a small commission if you click through and make a purchase.  @rukiperez Mouth development and oral awarenessStarting at birth, we want your baby to learn to soothe herself by placing her own hands into her mouth. By doing this, she learns the landscape of her mouth. This type of self-soothing with hands is comforting to babies and is exactly what we want them to do! Your baby eventually learns how to bring toys further into her mouth and learns to gum and teethe on these safe teething toys. This is a developmental milestone that should be encouraged. She first learns where her mouth is, and then she learns about the boundaries within her mouth, such as the tongue, the hard palate and the back of her mouth. Your baby will also learn to open and close her mouth around toys and her hands, and she soon learns that placing a toy straight back in her mouth may cause her to gag. She also learns when her mouth is too small for a large toy. In the OT world, we call this mouthing and the development of oral play skills. This is exactly what we want to see babies doing before 6 months of age. Mouth stuffing and food Once your child starts feeding herself, which can happen around 6 months if you're doing Baby-led Weaning, she may discover that she can put lots of food in her mouth. Her mouth is now bigger than it once was when she was a young baby, and she may get excited about eating new flavors and textures - so excited that she jams them all in her mouth at once. Perhaps she stores them in her cheeks, chipmunk style. What do you do? In the case of pocketing and mouth stuffing, prevention is the best remedy. Preventing your child from stuffing in the first place is the safest and most effective way to manage chipmunking. How do you prevent mouth stuffing?
 Your child's mouth is already overstuffed with food - now what?While prevention is key with overstuffing, if stuffing happens it's critical to maneuver food out of her mouth safely. 1. Encourage your child to chew, but if she won't ask her to spit out the food, take a sip of water, and start over. 2. Offer her a small bite as her next bite and use the strategies listed above. 3. If your child won't spit out the food, won't chew and swallow, and won't drink any water, you may have to remove the food from her mouth. Be extremely careful, as you may push food further back in her mouth. Use your finger to slide food to the side and forward, not back. This may be a negative experience for your kiddo and should be only used as a last resort. This is not recommended when your baby is gagging while learning to eat and should only be used if you can clearly see the food. When should you seek help? @jennyslens If you regularly find food stored in your child's mouth minutes to hours after a meal, it may be time to seek professional help. While it can be behavioral, food stuffing may also be a red flag that your child is not chewing her food and may not be feeling the food within her mouth. A lack of oral sensation can lead to stuffing because excess food helps your child understand the boundaries of her mouth better. She may seek out crunchy or chewy textures or may crave highly flavored foods (spicy, sour) to "wake up" the oral sensations within her mouth. This behavior is concerning to feeding professionals and may require therapy. Speak with your pediatrician and seek professional help for your child if this is a persistent problem. We recommend scheduling an assessment with a Feeding Specialist (either an Occupational Therapist {OT} or a Speech Language Pathologist {SLP}) who has specialized training in oral/mouth development. If your child is regularly pocketing food, please always do a mouth check before she leaves the table, as this can be a safety and choking concern.  We hope this helps you keep your kiddo's mouth safe and keeps her cheeks available for sweet mama kisses, not food pocketing!   Let's talk about poop.OK, so it's not everyone's favorite topic, but as a dietitian I discuss it - oftentimes in great detail - with almost all of my clients. Constipation is a common problem for many young children, and when kids are constipated (which oftentimes makes them uncomfortable), finding a fix can be frustrating. We will go into more detail about what defines constipation, what can cause or affect it, and what we recommend our clients do with chronically constipated kiddos in a future post. For now, let's talk about one way to remedy it. Enter: the Sweet Berry Constipation Smoothie. You probably know that "p" fruits like prunes, pears, plums and peaches are helpful for constipation. Many of our clients use apple juice or prune juice (4 oz diluted with water) to help things move along. Sometimes, however, kids are sick of juice or won't eat "p" fruits. That's why offering a tasty smoothie - or putting it into a popsicle - can help. Changing your child's diet overall can help with constipation as well. Check out our toddler course for more info on transitioning to a more balanced diet. I'll be honest...it was really hard to create this recipe. I hate prunes. They taste like raisins to me...and you may know what I feel about raisins. I wanted to include prunes and apple juice - which make a very sweet, overwhelming flavor in my opinion - while keeping the smoothie tasty for kids who are resistant to consuming these foods. Enter blueberries and strawberries. Kids love them, they're full of nutrients, most parents have them on hand, and I notice that many of my clients find that blueberries help with constipation (bonus). Strawberries are just dang delicious, so let's throw those in there too. Aside from prunes and apple juice, we also included other ingredients that may help with constipation: Kefir: kefir is a cultured milk drink that contains more live and biodiverse bacteria than traditional yogurt. It also colonizes more effectively in the gastrointestinal tract than yogurt and may help rebalance gut flora if that's what is causing constipation.. It has a sour flavor like unsweetened yogurt. If your child is dairy-free, use an unsweetened Greek dairy-free yogurt like Kite Hill brand. Chia seeds: chia is high in soluble fiber, which helps soften stool. (Insoluble fiber, found in whole grains and vegetables, is important for bulking up stool, but if not consumed with enough soluble fiber a child may still be constipated.) Coconut oil: many parents notice that adding coconut oil to their tot's diet can help ease constipation. It's unclear if the medium-chain fatty acids in coconut oil help get things moving, or if the oil itself has another property that aids digestion. Dates and blueberries: I have noticed that many of my clients find relief from constipation when eating dates (like in the form of Lara bars) and blueberries. Kids also like how these foods taste, and they balance the flavor of the apple juice and prunes. We also added hemp hearts for extra nutrition and strawberries/cinnamon for flavor. Make sure to taste the smoothie as you create it and modify it per your taste. We like the addition of cinnamon in balancing out the apple flavor, but you can omit it if you want to. My kids and I tasted various iterations of this smoothie as we experimented, and let's just say this...even though we don't have "going" issues in our house, this smoothie was effective within a few hours for everyone :) Please note: this is one suggestion for occasional constipation. This recipe does not replace specific medical advice geared toward your individual child. If your child continues to struggle with constipation, please make an appointment with your pediatrician and a pediatric dietitian. Sweet Berry Constipation Smoothie  We hope that this recipe helps get things moving! Good luck!   Megan here. I had so many expectations for parenthood before I became a parent myself. I knew exactly how I wanted my kid to act, sleep, eat, learn and grow. Even though I had no idea what life with a baby was actually like, I pictured my future baby adapting to my life and my schedule with ease. I had high hopes, near impossible expectations for what my life as a mom would be. I quickly learned that babies change everything. Yes, everyone told me that, but until I met my first child I didn’t quite believe them. Suddenly I was home alone with a newborn who refused to drink from a bottle and wouldn’t go to sleep for anyone but me. My friends didn’t understand why I didn’t want to stay out late anymore or couldn’t just get a babysitter for a girls’ trip. Even though I was completely enamored by my sweet baby, I felt permanently tied to her, trapped in babyhood, unable to find any semblance of my former self. I didn’t know how temporary and fleeting this feeling would be, that I would long for newborn snuggles the moment they disappeared, that I would be that crazy lady fawning over babies at the grocery store. Now that my children are 5 and 2, I am rediscovering my freedom and independence within motherhood. I have much more perspective (although I’m still learning every day). I have realized how quickly these precious years disappear. I don’t want to take my girls’ time as children for granted. I want to make sure that not only do I enjoy them in every stage (no matter how hard it may be), but that I also have taught them the most important things about life, the big lessons that they will one day teach their own children. What are these lessons? I think about this often. What do I actually want my children to learn from me? Sure, I want them to be good people, to grow into hard-working, God-loving women who know themselves and trust their intuition, to become the best versions of themselves. I also want to teach them how to cook, how to drive, how to take care of themselves and their homes. But the main stuff, the big stuff...that's what sometimes keeps me up at night. Are they learning enough from me? Am I being the best mom I can be? Then I realize one thing. I was always meant to be my girls' mom. I also know that you, my friend, were destined to be the mother of your child or children, no matter how they came to you. We are perfectly made for the roles we were given, no matter how challenging they seem. We will teach our children what they need to learn by simply being ourselves and sharing our worlds with them. They will be OK. To celebrate Mother’s Day, Judy and I want to share the hopes and dreams we have for our kids. My kids are still little, and Judy’s are young adults (and her daughter just graduated from college this week!). Despite the age difference, our wishes for our kids are so very similar. That’s the thing about motherhood....while we all have different experiences raising very different children, our hearts are in the same place. It’s so easy to get caught up in the busyness of motherhood, the stresses that this season brings, the changes it has forced upon our lives. Sometimes it’s good to step back and remember what’s important and why we do this good, hard, rewarding work. Read on for our lessons, as well as the lessons from some of our sweet followers. We wish you a beautiful, restful Mother’s Day! Judy's life lessons  And just like that you were all grown! From the first time I held you and smelled your amazing hair and head, we were so deeply connected. That first kiss, and your touch against my chest (your body was so small!)... there was something no one can ever prepare a mom for. It is absolute paradise. I tried so hard to be present everyday for every milestone and teach you the fundamentals of life and the basics of what it means to love and be loved. Here are my hopes for you dear child. You have been given everything you need within you to succeed. Follow your heart, even if it takes you to the ends of the earth. Just be true to yourself and know who you are. You will make mistakes, and this is how lessons are taught throughout life. Pay attention to that inner voice. That is Grandma Sue and Grandpa Tony and Popy and all our family that have come before you and are willing to guide you. You just need to be quiet, and listen. And trust. Remember, life isn’t perfect, but without the lows, the highs don’t mean a thing. Before you know it, you will be all grown up and may even leave our nest. That is your job, It will be hard for both of us, but when you leave it means I did my job. And then off you will fly. And collect sticks for your own nest. And just like that you are all grown up! Life lessons from our sweet mama followers"I want my littles to know and understand that they are so loved, and to love others in that way. The 1 Corinthians 13 kind of love!!!" - @cleanlittleplates "I want my LO to know that everything I do is for her. I want her to value her family time and always want to spend holidays with her mommy and daddy in the future when she’s on her own. And most importantly I want her to appreciate the things she has and have a heart for people." - @ms.almac "I want my boys to learn the value of a strong work ethic. It's one of my most memorable qualities and I want my boys to be remembered for this too. You will always be successful at whatever you do if you work hard to succeed." - @halfalbanian "The biggest thing I want my daughter to learn is to love herself. I had so many self-esteem issues and I hated my body for most of my life. My inner voice has been mean and cruel. I didn’t take care of myself at all. I want her to learn to take care of the body she was given, to love it and fuel it." - @ashleycodes "My hearts desires is to be a kind example of unconditional love, and to also teach how important it is to have a sense of humor, especially when the going gets ridiculously tough." - @missmelissylou "KINDNESS. Open-mindedness. Sense of humor. Love. Life is a journey: embrace it." - @idiehdesign "I want my son to know how to love others. I want him to know he's privileged (as a white man in America) and use that knowledge to help others. I want him to know I'm not perfect, none of us are, and that working hard to do and be better is the goal not perfection. I want him to be independent, strong, empathetic and compassionate." - @andrea.manka "My daughter and I go through the same “check list” all the time: Are you beautiful? YES! Are you smart? YES! Are you strong? YES! Are you kind? YES! Each one gets a different emphasis from her at different times, but I love them all." - @rnjes "A love for Jesus!" - @laura_armington "I hope to teach my child how to be humble, care for others and use her determination to change the world! She is the most persistent, determined, and stubborn 8 month old I know, but I know she will use all of these qualities to make a large impact on those around her and I hope to teach her how!" - @rachelcmaag Life lessons from Megan I am a sucker for music lyrics and love sharing all types of music genres with my kids. To add to the emotional sob-fest of celebrating Mother's Day, I want to offer my lessons as favorite song lyrics. Click on the lyrics to hear the entire song via Spotify. “Every inch of you is perfect from the bottom to the top.” You are perfect exactly as you are. Every feature of you, inside and out, tells a story about your family, your past, your life until this point. Your curly hair matches your bouncy, silly personality, and your blue eyes look just like your daddy’s. Every cell in your body has a purpose, is important, is worthy, is exactly as it should be. Don’t fall into the traps of perfection, comparison, or self-doubt....because to me you are perfect. “Don’t reach for the moon when you’re going to Mars.” You have more opportunities than any generation of women before you. Don’t take that for granted. You can and you will do hard things. It’s how you get better, how you grow. You will define your own successes as you get older, but whatever you decide to do...put your whole heart into it. You will always be proud of yourself when you try your best. "I hope you're somewhere prayin', prayin' / I hope your soul is changin', changin' / I hope you find your peace / Falling on your knees, prayin'." Sweet child, may you never forget that you are loved by God. It is impossible for us to fully understand this life. Trust that there is something much bigger than you and the pain that you may experience in life. Ask for help. Talk to Him. Always keep your eyes and your heart open for signs that God's presence is with you. You will find a greater peace than you have ever imagined. "All you need is love." Treat everyone you meet with kindness. You never know that path others are taking. Try to put yourself in others' shoes, and show empathy, patience, kindness and grace. Be known for the positivity you put into the world. "Shake it out, shake it out, shake it out / Shake it out, shake it out, ooh woah." Trust yourself. You know the right answer. Don't let stress of school, work, relationships, money, family, friends, anything keep you from living a full life. Take risks and be spontaneous. Life is meant to be enjoyed. Things always look better in the morning - "it's always darkest before the dawn." Shake it out, girl! (This song was my birth power anthem with Hannah. It always reminds me of strength and letting go. We are so much stronger than we believe!) "Go after your dreams, crazy as they may seem / Go chase all the stars in the sky / Baby I'll be paving the runway / 'Cause I know that one day you're gonna fly." I love that Judy and I finish with analogies about flying, but it's really true...my job is to help you fly, my darling child. No, I don't want to see you go. Yes, I wish I could cuddle you in the safe, comfortable nest forever. But how will I know how high, how far you can fly if I don't let you go? How will I know the beautiful color of your wings, the uniqueness of your feathers, if I don't let you stretch them out in all their glory? Sweet baby of mine, please never forget that I am always, always here for you, no matter what happens in your life. I am always a safe place, a shoulder upon which to rest your head, an ear that will listen. I promise to respect your thoughts and to create your own path - yes, independent of my own - and I hope and pray that you will never forget how much you are fiercely, irrevocably, forever loved.   Have you noticed that your kiddo gravitates toward crackers, veggie straws, and all foods crunchy? Why does he love these crunchy foods, and how can we use his preference for crunch to improve his eating over time? Judy here - I want to share a bit of my feeding therapy world with you. Consider the crunch and texture of foods like croutons and cereal. What about this texture makes it irresistible? Your toddler may find that crunch gives them the jaw resistance that teaches their mouths where the food is located. He learns that when he feels this crunch, it feels good inside his mouth, and because of this he learns to seek out crunchy foods more often. Not only does it teach his mouth where the food is located and awareness of what is happening between his teeth (or gums), but it also may feel great to a teething toddler. As your baby and toddler experiences this jaw resistance that they practice in early chewing and biting, he seeks to repeat this feeling because it gives him positive sensory feedback. Whenever our sensory system experiences positive feedback, something our body enjoys, we want to repeat it! Over time, young children develop a sensory preference for this crunchy texture. Think about the other types of sensory feedback your child receives when he hears the sound of his teeth crunching a veggie straw. His proprioceptive system is also hard at work - this system is the "GPS" of his body, the "positional sense" that allows him to know where his body parts are located as he moves and how much pressure or force his body needs to use to perform different tasks. Well, the proprioceptive sense is receiving input from the up and down movement of his mouth and the pressure needed to chew the crunchy food. His sense of taste also notices the saltiness and palatability that many crunchy foods have. Want to learn more about sensory processing? Check out this interesting article! Biting, gnawing and hard chewing with resistance are a preferred exercise for babies. Not only does it help soothe teething spots, but it also gives them great sensory input through their gums. It is normal for your baby and young child to prefer things with crunch because it feels good! To think of it another way, consider the foods you choose when you are craving something. Do you crave sweet? Salty? Crunchy? Smooth? Now, ask yourself this: "Why did I choose this food, and does it satisfy something sensory for me?" Does it help you self-regulate? Does it calm you, or wake you up? Many of us use chewing gum or chewy/crunchy food to help ourselves focus or manage stress. Your sensory system guides your food choices more than you may realize. Habits in our mouths start early in life, and we learn to choose these specific foods for the same reason your child prefers them, too. Not surprisingly, as an OT specializing in feeding I get this question often: “My child loves only crunchy foods. How do I progress him off crunchy foods?” This is a little question with a big answer. If your child seems to prefer crunchy, follow the tips below, based on his age. Babies 6 - 9 months:
Older babies and toddlers/children (10+ months):
As always, try to not make a big deal out of what your child is or isn’t eating. Instead, have fun with food, cook and shop together, and enjoy the art of play in all aspects of parenting as best you can. Still need help? Our Toddler Course lays out a specific step-by-step plan for reversing or preventing picky eating utilizing feeding therapy and nutrition therapy strategies. Let us help your family make mealtime fun again!    Head to the end of this post to download our Yogurt Buying Guide Quick Reference sheet and our full four-page Yogurt Breakdown table that compares dozens of dairy-based and non-dairy yogurts by store availability, price, and nutritional content. Confused by yogurt?You're not alone. One of the most popular questions in our free Facebook Group and on our Instagram account is "What kind of yogurt should I buy for my baby or child?" If you go to almost any US grocery store you could spend hours in the yogurt aisle comparing different brands, yogurt styles (Greek versus traditional versus European?), flavors and container sizes. Oh, and some of them are much more expensive than others. We're here to help clear up some confusion. In general, we recommend looking for two key qualities when buying yogurt for babies and young children:
This post will focus only on unsweetened yogurt, as that's what we first recommend. After the Nutrition Facts panel label change requirements occur this summer we hope to release a sweetened yogurt post as well, as we know many of our clients like to use sweetened yogurt too. First, let's talk about some common issues and misconceptions surrounding yogurt. #1. Why yogurt?As a dietitian I like yogurt for many reasons. It's one of the few cultured, or probiotic-filled foods that many kids regularly eat, and it is a palatable and easy way for kiddos to get calcium, protein, and calories into their diet. Yogurt has been associated with a variety of health benefits, including improvement to digestion and immune system and prevention of bone loss. Physicians regularly recommend probiotics for digestive conditions like diarrhea, constipation, and GI infections, as well as during and after antibiotic use or during yeast infections. We recommend yogurt for babies 6+ months in our BLW online course and older children in our toddler online course. Yogurt is made when bacteria cultures are applied to milk or a milk alternative. These beneficial bacteria convert the milk into lactic acid, which changes the consistency and thickness of the milk. Most yogurts are made from cow's milk, but we have also found yogurt options from sheep/goat's milk and yogurts made from non-dairy sources. Our Yogurt Breakdown at the end of this post will help you find specific brands and stores who carry them. Even if your kiddo doesn't tolerate fluid cow's milk, she may be able to eat yogurt made from cow's milk. Otherwise, goat's or sheep's milk may be an option, as may non-dairy yogurts. The beneficial bacteria and fermentation process can greatly aid in tolerance of yogurt versus straight cow's milk. I see this all the time with clients young and old - many can't drink fluid cow's milk but do just fine with yogurt. #2. Live and active cultures...?The most beneficial yogurt is made from live and active bacteria cultures and is not heat treated after the fermentation process (the milk is, however, pasteurized before fermentation to remove potential pathogenic bacteria). To help consumers find which yogurts contain these live and active cultures, the National Yogurt Association has created a Live and Active Cultures seal.  However, this labeling program is voluntary, and many yogurts contain live and active cultures (with the required 100 million cultures per gram required for the seal) without participating in this labeling program. Above all else, look at the ingredient list for presence of these bacteria and words like "contains live and active cultures." Read more about this labeling program here. #3. Why is yogurt so high in sugar?Note: before discussing sugar, I want to caveat one thing - we are all about balance and realism around food here at Feeding Littles. We don't think sugar is inherently "evil" and feel that there's some room for it in the diet. Worrying too much about sugar may actually increase your tot's likelihood to obsess over it and binge on it when it's finally available. However, since some kiddos start with unsweetened yogurt as babies and get used to that taste, there's no harm in continuing to offer unsweetened or minimally sweetened yogurts (aka sweetened at home with fruit puree, maple syrup, honey {for kids over 1}, etc.), as these can be very tasty and satisfying to many children. We recommend unsweetened yogurt from the start for this reason. Parents are oftentimes very confused by how much "sugar" is in yogurt. In fact, all dairy products - and breast milk - contain sugar in the form of lactose and other saccharides, or carbohydrates. (Words ending in "-ose" like lactose, sucrose and fructose indicate that the molecule is a type of sugar.) These sugars are inherent in milk products. Even lactose-free yogurt, where the lactose is specifically removed, contains other inherent sugars/carbohydrates. All animal milk-based yogurt will contain sugar - lactose and other saccharides - even if they're unsweetened. Thus, unless you're getting unsweetened yogurt made from coconut or almond (which many times don't contain much protein either, with a few exceptions), you will see "sugar" labeled on the Nutrition Facts panel. To further complicate the issue, if the yogurt contains added fruit (which has fructose), the sugar value on the label will be even higher. However, this sugar is from fruit, not added table sugar or other sweetener. Until the labeling laws change in summer 2018 to include an "Added Sugars" line on the Nutrition Facts panel, it is hard to tell how much sugar is added to sweetened yogurts without comparing sweetened and unsweetened yogurts of the same brand/type/serving size and seeing the difference between sugar values. For example, if a whole milk strawberry yogurt from X brand has 20 g sugar per serving and the plain whole milk yogurt from the same brand has 12 g sugar, there are 8 g sugar added to the sweetened version. This would be equivalent to 2 teaspoons added sugar. Below, the left Nutrition Facts panel is a vanilla and the right is plain, both Stonyfield Whole Milk Greek yogurts. Notice that the vanilla has 18 g sugar while the plain has 6 g. The difference is 12 grams, or 3 teaspoons added sugar.
You will also see sugar or other sweeteners on the ingredient list of sweetened yogurt. When in doubt, to avoid added sugar in yogurt, choose plain yogurts. Anything flavored will, for the most part, be sweetened, including vanilla and strawberry yogurts. Unsweetened yogurt will be more tart than sweetened yogurt, but you may be able to doctor it up with fruit, vanilla extract, cinnamon etc. for more flavor. For simplicity's sake, we've kept this entire post and downloadables included in this post all about unsweetened yogurt. Remember that unsweetened yogurt is appropriate for all ages and can be substituted for sour cream in many recipes, so it's a nice addition to your kitchen. You can always flavor it for yourself if your kiddo eats plain but you like sweetened/flavored. #4. But I thought low-fat dairy was better...The low-fat craze of the 90s has trained us to think that low-fat and fat-free foods are still ideal. However, science suggests otherwise. According to recent research, full-fat dairy is associated with better weight regulation, a lower risk of diabetes, healthier HDL cholesterol levels, GI health (due to a specific fatty acid called butyric acid), and overall lower sugar intake. Furthermore, data about dairy intake now suggests that full-fat dairy doesn't increase the risk of heart disease. To me it makes more sense to eat the food in its whole form, more closely to how it was created - fat and all. Many of my clients feel much more satisfied and less blood sugar "crash-y" after eating full fat yogurt and cheese. Just a few years ago it was nearly impossible to find whole milk yogurt at a grocery store, let alone whole milk plain yogurt. Fortunately manufacturers are noticing that consumers are no longer fearing fat and want more whole milk options, and as you can see from the Yogurt Breakdown below, there are now many, many types of whole fat unsweetened yogurt. Since we recommend whole milk yogurt for babies (6+ months), toddlers, children and adults barring specific health or medical issues, we have only included full-fat options in this guide. #5. To Greek or not to Greek?Greek yogurt is all the rage because of it's higher protein content and thick consistency. We love Greek yogurt for babies and toddlers because it sticks better to loaded NumNum GOOtensils or loaded spoons and is easier to pick up with their hands. The Greek yogurt we eat in the US is usually called "strained yogurt" in the rest of the world because it's yogurt that's strained an additional time to remove more whey, liquid and milk sugars. What's left is a thicker, higher-protein, lower naturally-occurring sugar yogurt. However, since the term "Greek yogurt" isn't regulated, some manufacturers skip this straining step and use thickeners like corn starch to make their yogurt seem like Greek yogurt. Read labels to watch for these thickeners. (Note: many non-dairy yogurts are made with thickeners to mimic the consistency of cow's milk yogurt because this consistency is hard to achieve with non-dairy milks.) In general, Greek yogurt will have more protein and less milk sugar and will have a thicker, creamier texture. However, it requires 4 oz of milk to create 1 oz of yogurt, and the creation of Greek yogurt results in excess whey as a byproduct (which can be hard to dispose of), so we recommend buying both Greek and "traditional" yogurt. You may have also seen Icelandic, European, French and Australian yogurt on the shelves. In general, the process to create this yogurt is the same - fermentation by bacteria, then straining. Usually they differ in how much they're strained and in their thickness/nutrient content. #6. Do I need to buy organic yogurt?There is a lot of debate surrounding organic and conventionally-raised animals, and thus any product made by them. The USDA requires that certified organic dairy comes from cows who have not been treated with antibiotics, have not been given growth or reproductive hormones, and have received at least 30% of their diet from pasture. The rest of their feed must be organic. Organic milk products may have more omega-3 fatty acids, but the science is still out as to whether organic is better. Many parents choose organic because of the potential risks currently unknown in consuming conventional milk products over many years/decades, and some parents choose organic because of environmental implications of conventional farming. However, organic products usually carry a much steeper price tag. In the end, the choice is yours. I buy organic yogurt when our budget permits and don't worry when it's not available or we can't afford it. #7. What about baby yogurt?You do not have to buy baby yogurt if you don't want to. Baby or toddler yogurt is usually whole milk sweetened yogurt in small containers - nothing special or baby-specific about it. It tends to be more expensive ounce per ounce than yogurt in larger containers. Some parents find it convenient if they themselves don't eat yogurt and want smaller containers to prevent food waste, but there's no need to buy baby yogurt if you don't want to. Our Yogurt Buying Quick ReferenceTo help cut down on confusion at the grocery store, we've created a one-page guide that may help you find some of our favorite products at your local store. This guide includes some of our favorite brands (dairy and non-dairy), the highest-protein and highest-calorie yogurts for kids that may need help in these areas, and some ways to flavor or enhance yogurt. Click the link below the image to download the file, or save it to your phone, pin it to Pinterest, and share! Please note: we are sharing yogurts we found at 5 different grocery stores in Arizona. Availability will vary based on your grocery store options.  
Yogurt BreakdownTo further help you find where to buy your favorite yogurts and how they break down by nutrition and price, check out our four-page Yogurt Breakdown by clicking the link below the photo. Pages 1 and 2 include cow's milk yogurt; page 3 is goat's milk and sheep's milk yogurt; and page 4 contains non-dairy yogurt. Note: our amazing intern Sarah went to five popular stores in Arizona. Availability will vary depending on your store options and location. Price reflects the price as of Spring 2018 and may vary as by location.  Click the link below to see the full four-page Yogurt Breakdown:
Special thanks to our intern Sarah Bushbaum who did all of the supermarket research for this post. She spent hours at 5 different grocery stores photographing and organizing yogurt nutritional information, and we are so grateful for her!   Y'all know how much we adore Trader Joe's Bruschetta Sauce - you can literally pour it over everything! It's blends small-chopped tomatoes with olive oil, garlic, basil and other spices for a perfect sauce, dressing or dip. Sometimes I just eat it with a spoon! See below for our favorite ways to use it. What are yours?      You asked, and we're bringing it to you! Each month (or..,you know...every so often) we hope to put some of the lunch ideas we share on our Instagram stories into a printable, downloadable format that you can keep on your fridge (or your phone) and access when you need lunch inspiration! Need more help? Our toddler course contains over 100 meal and snack ideas plus a grocery list, and our infant course contains a month-by-month meal plan and a grocery list. Download the PDF document by clicking the link below!
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AuthorsMegan and Judy, co-owners of Feeding Littles, bring you helpful info on food, nutrition, picky eating, and feeding young children. Megan McNamee MPH, RDN is a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist based in Scottsdale, Arizona. Judy Delaware, OTR/L is an Occupational Therapist specializing in feeding therapy with children 3 and under in Boulder, Colorado. Megan and Judy are both moms of two and love helping families develop a healthy appetite for all foods!
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