Best Probiotic Foods for Kids, Toddlers and Babies
Walking down the aisles at the grocery stores, you may have seen the words “live,” or “active” cultures on food labels for foods that look like healthy choices for kids, but you may not be too sure what those words mean and whether they are safe for little ones. If you then head over to the vitamin section and spot the probiotic supplements, it can get even more confusing. What really is a probiotic, do kids need them in the diet, and is it best for kids to get probiotics from foods, supplements, or both?
Probiotics are live microorganisms (i.e., “friendly bacteria”) that can be found in food and supplements. When consumed in adequate amounts, probiotics can provide a health benefit to the host, aid in digestion, add to the friendly bacteria already present in the gut, and help the body protect against harmful bacteria (pathogens). Giving children probiotic-containing foods may help promote gut overall health and regulate reflux, spit-ups, gas, and digestion.
Read on to learn more about probiotics and how to identify the best probiotic foods for kids, toddlers, and babies.
What are the benefits of probiotics?
Probiotics may help promote healthy digestion by maintaining a healthy balance of bacteria in the gut. When the gut microbiome is disturbed by an external factor, healthy bacteria in the gut work to return the body to a healthier state. Probiotics may also help support immune health and reduce the frequency of respiratory tract infections.
Probiotic supplements have been shown to be helpful early in the course of diarrhea from acute viral gastroenteritis in infants and children and there is some evidence to support the use of probiotics for the prevention of antibiotic-associated diarrhea, but no evidence that they are beneficial for treatment.
The administration of a specific strain of probiotics, called L. reuteri has been shown to reduce infant colic in breastfed babies. Lactobacilli and bifidobacteria are strains of probiotics that may help increase stool frequency by promoting peristalsis, or movement of food through the digestive tract, which can be especially helpful in toddlers and young children.
That being said, more research is needed in order for us to have a better understanding of the benefits of specific probiotic strains, probiotic dosing, and probiotic treatment regimens in babies, toddlers, and kids.
What are the Best Probiotic Foods for Kids, Toddlers, and Babies?
Probiotics are most commonly found in yogurt, a convenient, nutrient-rich food most babies and kids readily accept. Yogurt is easy to build into meals and snacks - you can serve parfaits, add toppings including chopped fruit and ground nuts and seeds, stir yogurt into savory dips or use as a topping for baked potatoes.
The probiotic content in yogurt differs depending on the brand and type of yogurt, but good bacteria are found in almost all yogurts including plant-based versions which are helpful for dairy-free children and anyone with cow’s milk allergies or intolerances. The best yogurts for kids and toddlers carry the “Live Active Cultures'' seal (more on this below) and are low in added sugars. The best yogurts for babies are made with whole milk yogurt and contain no added sugar. Greek or Icelandic yogurts may be more manageable for babies as they are more dense and less likely to slip off of the spoon during self-feeding.
What other foods contain probiotics? Several fermented foods contain live and active cultures that are classified as probiotics. Fermented foods can have a tart flavor profile, so it may take several exposures before kids will learn to accept the taste.
Probiotic bacteria can naturally exist on their own in functional foods, but they can also be mixed with or added to foods. Here is a list of some of the best probiotic foods for babies, toddlers, and children:
Tempeh is a great source of probiotics. Cut into finger-length strips or grate and steam or heat to soften when serving to baby.
Cottage cheese can be a wonderful source of probiotics! Its soft texture is ideal for tots…
Yogurt:
Watch out, this one is messy and great to serve on bath night! Allowing babies to scoop and self-feed yogurt with their hands is fantastic for their development and overall relationship with food. During baby-led-weaning, you can preload the spoon with yogurt and allow your baby to self-feed.
Kefir:
This fermented milk beverage has naturally occurring probiotics that are great for both babies and kids. When shopping for kefir, look for options with low or no-added sugars. Plain, unsweetened kefir is delicious when blended with fruit.
Tempeh:
To serve to a baby, cut tempeh into finger-length strips and heat until softened for an easier grasp.
Cottage cheese and other cheeses such as Swiss, provolone, gouda, cheddar, edam, gruyere:
Soft, pasteurized, spreadable cheeses are a great texture for babies. Harder cheeses like Swiss and gruyere can be served in shreds or paper-thin slices. Hold off on serving harder cubes or sticks of cheese until about age 2, when toddlers have had more practice chewing.
Fermented vegetables: best for ages 9 months and up. Finely mince if serving to a baby.
Sauerkraut
Kimchi
Sourdough bread:
Sourdough bread can be easier to digest than other breads thanks to the natural fermentation process that creates lactic acid bacteria. Serving strips or pieces of lightly toasted bread to a baby or toddler is ideal. Lightly toasting the strips helps keep the bread from falling apart and making a mess in babies hands—just avoid over-toasting, as this could cause the bread to crack into harder pieces that are harder for babies to manage.
Note that some of these foods are top allergens. Recent research has found that offering top allergenic foods early and often during infancy can help reduce the risk of food allergies.
As you build food sources of probiotics into your child’s diet, think about what else you can add to round out the meal and/or snack. For example, adding crushed berries and some ground flax seeds to cottage cheese or yogurt results in a balanced meal and provides an excellent source of fiber, vitamins, and minerals.
How to shop for the best kid-friendly probiotic foods
When you’re at the grocery store, look towards the bottom of the ingredients list on the food labels of products you’re interested in buying. This is where you can find evidence of probiotics in the probiotic product.
Some of the most common groups of friendly bacteria are Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium. Look for the specific probiotic strains on packaged products, as well as the “Live Active Cultures” seal which indicates the presence of probiotics.
Should kids take probiotic supplements?
As a pediatric dietitian and infant and toddler feeding expert, building probiotic-rich foods into the diet is always my first recommendation when it comes to supporting a healthy microbiome in kids. But if you have kids, you likely already know that serving probiotic-rich foods doesn’t necessarily guarantee that your child will eat them, especially if you have a picky eater on your hands.
Probiotic supplements have not been shown to be harmful in healthy, term babies or in healthy children, however, we don’t have enough evidence of their clinical efficacy to support recommending their routine use. And it’s important to note that while probiotics are generally considered safe, they should not be given to acutely or chronically ill children due to the potential risk of illness or complications.
That being said, sometimes a probiotic supplement is needed. For example, if a child is struggling with chronic constipation and management has been challenging, a probiotic supplement can be helpful.
Before offering your child any probiotic supplements, always consult with your child’s pediatrician and/or registered dietitian first. Ask for recommendations for a reputable brand that contains living cultures of the specific strains that address the issues you are trying to improve.
The amount of live microbes found in a probiotic supplement is seen as Colony Forming Units (CFUs) on the label. Some labels are more detailed than others when it comes to quantifying these different strains of bacteria, which can be confusing. There is currently no set amount of CFUs that is recommended.
For more tips on feeding kids, grab my FREE guide to reducing picky eating, and if you are looking for help navigating picky eating behaviors in your toddlers, preschoolers, and school-age kiddos, check out my online course, Solve Picky Eating, a self-paced set of 12 modules that are delivered quickly in 5-15 minute videos. And if you're looking for personalized nutrition support for yourself, your babies, and/or your kids, I am currently accepting new clients in my virtual private practice.
Looking forward to meeting you online.
Thank you to dietetic intern, Susie Kice for her contributions to this blog post.