First foods database
🥣 Labneh for babies: when and how to serve it
Can babies eat labneh? Yes, from about 6 months, if it is made from pasteurised milk. Labneh is strained yoghurt, thick and tangy like a soft cheese, and it is lovely spread on toast or as a dip, though some versions are salted.
Good source of: Protein, Calcium, Vitamin B12, Probiotics
How to serve labneh by age
6 to 9 months
Spread a thin layer of pasteurised labneh on toast fingers or soft flatbread, or stir into vegetable purées. Homemade labneh lets you skip the salt. Labneh is thicker than yoghurt, so it stays on toast without dripping.
9 to 12 months
Offer labneh as a dip for soft roasted vegetables, or stirred into mashed fruit.
12 months and up
Serve labneh in wraps, with za'atar (use sparingly), olive oil and vegetables.
Choking safety
Labneh is soft and low choking risk. Spread thinly on toast so it does not form a sticky lump.
Gagging is common and noisy while babies learn to eat. Choking is usually silent. Always stay with your baby while they eat, sitting upright. How to help a choking baby (NHS).
Good to know
- Shop-bought labneh can be salted; check labels or make your own by straining plain yoghurt.
- Choose pasteurised versions.
Introducing it as an allergen
It contains milk, one of the 14 major allergens. How to introduce milk
Easy ideas
- Labneh on toast fingers with cucumber
- Labneh and roasted carrot dip
- Labneh balls rolled in chopped herbs
Goes well with
Recipes with labneh
Weaning with OBubba
Log first foods in seconds. OBubba spots the allergens for you.
Track every food your baby has tried, see reactions over time, and let OBubba gently pace new allergens one at a time. Free to download.
Questions parents ask
Can babies eat labneh?
Can babies eat labneh? Yes, from about 6 months, if it is made from pasteurised milk. Labneh is strained yoghurt, thick and tangy like a soft cheese, and it is lovely spread on toast or as a dip, though some versions are salted.
Is labneh the same as Greek yoghurt?
They are similar, but labneh is strained more and is thicker, like soft cheese.
How do I make labneh for babies?
Strain plain full-fat yoghurt through muslin in the fridge overnight, without adding salt. Roll balls of labneh in herbs for toddlers.
Sources
- NHS Start for Life: Weaning
- NHS: Foods to avoid giving babies and young children
- NHS: Food allergies in babies and young children
OBubba gives general information based on UK guidance. It is not medical advice and does not diagnose anything. Every baby is different. If your baby has a known allergy, severe eczema or a medical condition, speak to your doctor or health visitor before starting solids. Learn baby first aid, and in an emergency call your local emergency number (999 in the UK).