Fruit-Filled Yogurt Parfait (10 Minutes!)
Looking for an easy recipe that you can customize to your family’s food preferences? Then these Fruit-Filled Yogurt Parfaits are a perfect recipe for you! Great for breakfast, an after-school snack, or a sweet and savory dessert. And they’re easy enough for kids to make on their own! Great for ages 9+ months.
Medically reviewed and co-written by Jamie Johnson, Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN), and Lauren Braaten, Pediatric Occupational Therapist (OT).
Easy Yogurt Parfaits
Do your kids want to do everything themselves?
Then this easy breakfast recipe is going to check all the boxes!
✓ healthy recipe
✓ kids can customize their own parfait with whatever ingredients you put out
✓ easy to make and easy to clean up!
Yogurt parfaits make for a nutritious and easy breakfast, snack, or even healthy dessert. These yogurt parfaits are packed with protein, calcium, complex carbohydrates and probiotics, which gives you a quick way to get a lot of nutrients into little bellies.
These easy yogurt parfaits are the perfect make-ahead breakfast or snack for when you’re short on time with busy mornings or afternoons. They come together so easily that kids (and even toddlers) can help prepare them with their favorite flavor combinations.
If you are looking for more easy and healthy yogurt recipes for your little one, then be sure to check out my Blueberry Yogurt, Strawberry Yogurt, Apple Yogurt, DIY Yogurt Drinks, Favorite Yogurt Toppings, or these delicious Yogurt Pancakes or Muffins. You can also find more recipes and information in my best-selling cookbook Little Foodies: Recipes for Babies and Toddlers with Taste.
Featured Yogurt Video
Reasons to Love these Yogurt Parfaits
- Comes together in 10 minutes
- Perfect make-ahead breakfast or snack
- A great combination of calcium, protein, complex carbohydrates, and probiotics
- Budget-friendly
- Easy way for kids to get involved in the kitchen
- Fun way for picky eaters to try new foods
- Endless combinations!
Ingredients
- Yogurt: plain whole milk yogurt is best, either regular or Greek style. For a dairy-free version, you can do any plain plant-based yogurt you prefer – almond, cashew, oat, etc. For older kids and adults, you can do vanilla or flavored yogurt if you prefer.
- Fruit: use fresh or frozen and thawed. See the examples below.
- Sweetener: such as honey, maple syrup, or agave (optional)
- Granola and Toppings: yogurt toppings are a must! A crunchy topping pairs well with yogurt and fruit, such as granola, cereal, graham crackers, hemp or flax seeds
Recipe Tip: you can offer picky eaters several fruit and topping options before you set everything on the counter for them to build their own parfaits. It can sometimes be overwhelming if there are too many ingredients in front of them on the counter.
Fruit Ideas
Fresh or frozen (and thawed) fruit both work equally well in yogurt parfaits. Feel free to keep it simple with just one fruit, or combine 2 or 3 fruits.
- strawberries
- blueberries
- kiwi
- pineapple
- mango
- blackberries
- raspberries
- cherries
- sliced bananas
- clementines
- peaches
- pomegranate seeds (4 and older)
- stewed apples
- figs
Sweetener Ideas
Yogurt parfaits are naturally sweet thanks to the addition of fruit, but you can add a little sweetener to adjust the taste to your liking.
- honey
- agave nectar
- maple syrup
Granola & Nuts
When you add granola or nuts to your yogurt parfait, you get the perfect balance of crunch to the smooth, creaminess of the yogurt. Make sure to chop the granola, nuts, and seeds to be age-appropriate for your child.
- granola
- almonds
- pistachios
- walnuts
- pecans
- hazelnuts
- cashews
- sesame seeds
- hemp seeds
- chia seeds
- ground flax seeds
More Fun Ideas
- sprinkles
- drizzle of nut butter
- drizzle of melted chocolate
- mini chocolate chips
- crushed graham crackers
- coconut flakes
- cereal o’s or other cereal
- mini marshmallows
Benefits of Yogurt
Yogurt has many health benefits for babies, toddlers, adults, and everyone in between. It provides many of the nutrients our bodies need for different functions in every stage of life.
- Yogurt is an excellent source of calcium, needed for bone growth and development, one cup has almost half of the recommended daily value for adults.
- If yogurt contains live active cultures, these are probiotics, which are helpful for a healthy gut and digestion.
- Whole milk yogurt, recommended for kids 2 and under, has fats necessary for brain development.
How to Build a Yogurt Parfait for Kids
- Spoon 2-3 tablespoons of the yogurt into a small container (depending on how many layers you want).
- Top with a layer of fruit, then a layer of crunchy toppings, such as granola or nuts. Add sweetener (optional).
- Repeat layers of yogurt, fruit, crunchy toppings, and sweetener as desired.
Tip: If your toddler and kids are making their own parfaits, it’s best to start off with a wider jar or bowl so they have more room to get their ingredients inside of it, without it ending up all over the counter.
Frequently Asked Questions
Look for a whole milk yogurt that contains a variety of live active cultures. Yogurt that’s plain or has no added sugar and is organic is also preferable.
Yogurt parfaits can be stored in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Storage
Yogurt parfaits can be stored in the fridge for up to 4 days. If you are preparing yogurt parfaits for more than a couple of hours ahead of time, you may want to add just the yogurt and fruit and wait to add your crunchy toppings when you are ready to serve.
Recipes Tips
- Whole milk Greek yogurt provides the creamiest texture, although regular yogurt will work also.
- Watch sugar content in flavored yogurts – plain, whole milk (full fat) Greek-style yogurt usually has the least amount of sugar compared to lower fat versions.
- Set up a mini yogurt parfait bar with several different bowls of kid-friendly toppings for a fun afternoon snack activity or dessert idea after dinner.
Get the recipe: Fruit-Filled Yogurt Parfait (10 Minutes)
Ingredients
Parfait Base
- 1 cup yogurt, see notes
- 1 cup fruit, see below
- 1/2 cup toppings, see below
- 2-3 tsp sweetener (optional) honey (over 1 year of age), maple syrup or agave nectar
Fruit Options
- strawberries
- blueberries
- kiwi
- pineapple
- mango
- blackberries
- raspberries
- cherries
- sliced bananas
- clementines
- peaches
- Pomegranate seeds (4 and older)
- stewed appples
- figs
Topping Ideas
- granola
- almonds
- pistachios
- walnuts
- pecans
- hazelnuts
- cashews
- sesame seeds
- hemp seeds
- chia seeds
- ground flax seeds
More Fun Ideas
- sprinkles
- drizzle of nut butter
- drizzle of melted chocolate
- mini chocolate chips
- crushed graham crackers
- coconut flakes
- cereal o’s or other cereal
- mini marshmallows
Instructions
- Spoon 2-3 tablespoons of the yogurt into a small container (depending on how many layers you want).
- Top with a layer of fruit, then a layer of crunchy toppings, such as granola or nuts. Add sweetener (optional).
- Repeat layers of yogurt, fruit, crunchy toppings, and sweetener as desired.
Notes
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