Kefir

Kefir can go into your baby's meals once they are ready for solids, around 6 months. Serve it as a drink only after 12 months. It is a fermented milk product that began in the Caucasus. Milk is fermented with kefir grains, which are clusters of bacteria and yeast. It can hold a wider range of microorganisms than yogurt.

It supplies calcium, protein, vitamin A, zinc, potassium and the B vitamins. Kefir made from animal milk may carry some vitamin D. Its friendly bacteria may support the gut microbiome that matures in the early years.

6 to 12 months

Choose full-fat, pasteurized, plain kefir. Stir it into oat porridge, buckwheat or mashed potato. Thicken it with nut or seed butter, or make a dip with finely chopped herbs. Strained, thick kefir and kefir cheese work well too, and straining at home is easy. Avoid low-fat and fat-free kefir, since babies need fat for growth.

12 months and older

Kefir can go into meals or be a drink. If milk, yogurt and cheese all add up, iron deficiency anemia can develop. The daily dairy need is about two to two and a half servings. During teething, you can blend kefir with fruit and freeze it in molds.

Label and type

Read the label. Skip products with honey or syrup. Kefirs made from plants vary widely, and many cannot be relied on to provide calcium, protein, fat, or vitamin D. Coconut and water kefir can be an occasional drink after 12 months. Some contain alcohol from fermentation.

Kefir is not a common cause of choking. In theory, any food or liquid can still cause it. Stay close to your baby at meals, within arm's reach. Kefir should never go into a bottle or a sippy cup.

Kefir is usually made from cow's milk. Cow's milk is a frequent allergen in young children and accounts for about one in five childhood food allergies. Sheep, goat and buffalo milk products can cause a similar reaction. Most children outgrow cow's milk allergy by age 6.

Because it is fermented, kefir has less lactose than milk. Children with lactose intolerance may tolerate it better. If milk allergy runs in the family or you suspect it in your baby, talk to an allergist before offering kefir. Keep the first servings small and increase slowly if there is no reaction.