Yogurt - A Review of Kids' Yogurt

Yogurt is a healthy food choice for preschoolers. It is nutrient-dense – a 4 oz container of kid's yogurt can provide a large portion of the calcium, protein, riboflavin, vitamin B12, and magnesium your preschooler needs each day. Plus, yogurt contributes to the 2-3 cups of milk recommended daily for preschoolers.

 

But not all yogurts are the same. Fat content, sugar content, organic claims, and the presence of live and active cultures can vary among brands. The dairy section has lots of brands and types, many targeted to kids - Dannon Danimals, Yoplait Kids, Yoplait Go-Gurt, and Stonyfield Farms YoBaby and YoKids are just a few. Read on to discover the differences and what the right choice is for your preschooler. 

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that children two-years and older switch to low-fat or fat-free (skim) milk. Because products made from whole milk are also high in fat and saturated fat, nutrition experts recommend consuming low-fat versions of yogurt and cheese as well. If the yogurt is marketed to babies, chances are it’s full-fat. Otherwise, most yogurts for kids and toddlers are low-fat.

 

Whole milk yogurt (4 oz container) contains:

3.5 - 4 grams of fat

2 - 2.5 grams of saturated fat

 

Low-fat yogurt (4 oz container) contains:

1.5 - 2 grams of fat

about 1 gram of saturated fat  

One downside to yogurt is that most are loaded with sugar. While plain yogurt contains some naturally-occurring sugars (5-8 grams per 4 oz), flavored yogurts can have up to 3 teaspoons of extra sugar added. Kid’s yogurt can contain up to 18 grams of sugar in a 4 oz container. That’s more sugar than in one serving of the most sugary breakfast cereals! Even ‘plain’ flavors like vanilla are sweetened with extra sugar.

 

In general, yogurt for kids is sweetened at the same level as regular yogurt for adults. Some brands do have less sugar, so read the labels. You can also find plain, unsweetened yogurt. It's usually found in larger containers beside the single-serving yogurt cups in the dairy case.

Depending on where you live and shop, you may be able to choose from a variety of organic yogurt for your preschooler. Organic means that the food is grown and made without using pesticides, without fertilizers made from synthetic ingredients, without biotechnology, and without ionizing radiation.

 

For yogurts, this means the milk used to make organic yogurt comes from cows that eat organically-grown feed. In addition, the milk would have been produced without using antibiotics and growth hormones to raise the cows. Plus, cows would be kept under humane conditions, having access to fresh air and fields.

 

Many organic yogurts are from local or regional brands. One national brand of organic yogurt is Stonyfield Farms.  

Live and active cultures are used to ferment milk into yogurt. Live and active cultures may help maintain the health of the digestive system. Kid’s yogurts generally contain live and active cultures. Some brands contain more cultures than what is required to produce the yogurt as a way to impart additional gut health benefits.

All in all, yogurt provides lots of good nutrition, and a sweetness that appeals to many preschoolers. It's a great choice if your preschooler doesn't enjoy other milk products. If your preschooler chooses yogurt often, remember to curb other sources of added sugar such as sweetened breakfast cereals, fruit drinks, soda, and candy.

by Kati Chevaux

---

Like this article? Get more like it in your inbox. Subscribe today to our free weekly newsletter.