NEVER BEFORE
24 months
Not before 24 months. Flavored milks contain added sugars, and added sugars should be avoided in children under 2. The AAP also advises against them for ages 2–5.
AAPCDC
| Age | Can they have it? | How to serve it |
|---|---|---|
| 4 months | No — not yet | — |
| 6 months | No — not yet | — |
| 9 months | No — not yet | — |
| 12 months | No — not yet | — |
| 18 months | No — not yet | — |
| 2 years | Yes | — |
Flavored milk (chocolate, strawberry) is not on the AAP or CDC choking-hazard lists. That is not the same as no risk: any food can choke a baby if the piece is too big or the wrong shape. Cut it to no larger than half an inch, keep your baby sitting up in a high chair, keep mealtimes calm, and watch them the whole time they are eating.
Flavored milk (chocolate, strawberry) is one of the common allergens (cow's milk). The current AAP guidance is to introduce it EARLY rather than delay it: newer research found no benefit to waiting, and for peanut, waiting can increase the chance of an allergy. Offer a small amount in an infant-safe form, watch for a reaction, and then keep it in the diet regularly. If your baby has severe or persistent eczema, or has already had an immediate allergic reaction to a food, especially egg, talk to your pediatrician first about how and when to introduce it.
Watch for diarrhea, rash, vomiting or hives after a new food. Call 911 for trouble breathing or swelling of the face, lips or tongue.
Plain, unflavored whole milk from 12 months is the recommendation.
If you are working through the Hard rules group, the same serving and allergen questions come up for honey, unpasteurized (raw-milk) cheese and foods with added sugar. Each one has its own introduction age and choking guidance — they are not interchangeable.
Not before 24 months. Flavored milks contain added sugars, and added sugars should be avoided in children under 2. The AAP also advises against them for ages 2–5. Plain, unflavored whole milk from 12 months is the recommendation.
There is no infant serving form for this one — see the answer above.
Flavored milk (chocolate, strawberry) is not on the AAP or CDC choking-hazard lists, but any food can choke a baby if the piece is too big. Cut it to no larger than half an inch, keep your baby sitting up while they eat, and watch them the whole time.
Watch for diarrhea, rash, vomiting or hives after a new food. Offer one single-ingredient new food at a time and wait 3 to 5 days before the next one, so a reaction is easy to trace. The emergency signs are at the top of this page.