When Iga Swiatek announced at Wimbledon that she ate pasta covered with strawberries and yogurt before every one of her tennis matches, the crowd audibly gasped; the MC interviewing could only muster a “how strange” in response. Of course the clip–and the dish, Makaron z truskawkami–went viral.
But do you know to whom such a dish is entirely not strange? A toddler. Anyone who has ever been, well, a child knows exactly what the combo of fruit, diary, and carbs are: a proven mainline to a child’s dopamine system. Sure, strawberries and cream, strawberry shortcake, or a trifle are all more glamorous examples of pairing of said elements, but we’re guessing your formative encounters with these ingredients was as plebeian and elemental as ours—a strawberry jam and cream cheese sandwich on white bread. Some forty years later, we can still go into Proustian reminiscences about the first time we encountered that marvel.
So strawberry yogurt pasta for toddlers is hardly strange at all; in fact, it may be an essential way of getting your child into pasta. (Because I assume you hardly have to worry about his/her dairy and/or berry consumption.) It’s easy to make; it’s easy to like–like, pasta as a snack. Our child got it immediately; our 23 year-old caregiver wolfed down two servings. We parents just smiled: it’s a dumb dish, but a sensible one. Toddlers should be eating it.
Here’s how to make strawberry yogurt pasta for toddlers, and make it good.
Yes, you read that right: strawberry yogurt pasta. It’s sweet. It’s pink. And somehow, it works.
This dish went viral after tennis star Iga Swiatek revealed it was her go-to post-match meal—and while that might sound like TikTok-level chaos, the roots of this combo actually go deep in Polish home cooking. Think of it like buttered noodles’ sugary cousin: comforting, creamy, and just adventurous enough to break a toddler out of their “plain pasta only” phase.
This version is tweaked for younger eaters—it’s slightly overcooked for tenderness, just sweet enough to be fun without feeling like dessert, and visually gentle on the senses. And yes, you can totally cheat with store-bought strawberry yogurt and still feel great about it.
Can I use flavored yogurt instead of fresh strawberries?
Absolutely. The honest truth is your toddler probably won’t care. Strawberry yogurt straight from the fridge works great in a pinch (or on a night when the dishwasher is already running).
Is this supposed to be hot or cold?
Either works. Lukewarm is the safest bet—especially if your child is picky about temperature. You can refrigerate leftovers and serve chilled, or warm the pasta slightly before adding the sauce.
What pasta shapes work best?
Stick to short, grippy shapes like rotini, fusilli, or small shells. Avoid long noodles—they tend to slide around and don’t hold the sauce well for small hands or forks.
Is this sweet enough to be dessert?
It leans lightly sweet, but not cloying. It works better as a lunch or snack than an actual dessert—though you could bump up the sugar and call it “pasta pudding” if that helps get it down.
Check out our other great pasta recipes!
Sure, this blend of strawberries, yogurt, and twisty pasta shapes has gone viral thanks to Iga Swiatek's comments about it at Wimbledon, but once you see your child wolf down a whole bowl of it you'll see it's the platonic ideal of a toddler meal--and a sure lunchtime staple in the months and years to follow.
If your child is used to eating pasta a certain way (i.e., with just tomato sauce and/or butter on top), it may help visually to initially present the dish as shown in the recipe photo–that is, unmixed. Once your child sees what’s in it, mix the pasta and sauce and serve. If your child is still picky or sensitive about textures, try separating out the strawberry chunks and presenting on top of the pasta.
Obviously, you could just buy strawberry yogurt and skip basically all the steps; no one would know or care (especially not your child). Feel free to use strawberry jam or jelly in place of strawberries; switch out pasta shapes at your convenience (but don’t use noodles).
Brad (the Dad) is the founder and Chief Recipe Officer of New Dad's Kitchen. His own cooking/feeding journey started humbly during his son's infancy, preparing and managing his son's bottle intake in order to support his wife; it has since blossomed into a full-on passion to feed his child and family delicious and healthy meals that can satisfy both a toddler and his very tired parents.
