Full Fat Milk vs. Skim Milk Formula: Which is Better?

Updated Jan 17, 2026

As parents, we are always looking for ways to give our little ones a healthier diet, but sometimes it takes work to know what is best. Fats, for example, are vital for growth and development and it’s important to nourish your baby with the right amount of healthy fats. However, fats have also gotten a bad rap over the last few years, so it's no wonder parents may be confused when choosing between skim and full-fat milk formula options.

What are the Key Components of Baby Formula?

Baby formula is carefully designed to mimic the essential nutrients found in breast milk, supporting healthy growth and development during infancy. Each ingredient plays a unique role in helping babies build strong bones, muscles, and immune systems while ensuring proper digestion and brain development. Your child's rapid growth requires an adequate number of calories every day for energy and development. As fats provide more than twice the calories per gram than proteins and carbohydrates, developing babies and toddlers require lots of healthy fats daily.

Fats make up around 70% of the brain and are found in the wall of every cell, making them crucial for healthy brain development and overall growth. Healthy dietary fats aid the uptake of vitamins like A, D, E, and K, protect nervous tissue and contribute to hormones and immunity. Omega 3 fatty acids may also help balance mood and enhance learning, memory, and sustained attention in babies.

In addition to fats, baby formulas include proteins, carbohydrates, vitamins, and minerals that work together to nourish your baby. Proteins support muscle growth while carbohydrates, primarily lactose, provide energy for daily activity and brain function. Key vitamins and minerals like calcium, iron, and zinc help strengthen bones, build red blood cells, and support a healthy immune system, ensuring your baby gets comprehensive nutrition from every feeding.

What is the Difference Between Full Fat Milk vs. Skim Milk Formula?

Generally, the primary difference between whole and skim milk is the source of the fats included. Whether skim or whole-fat milk powders are used in manufacturing, all infant and toddler formulas must meet the same criteria for fat content. Strict guidelines ensure all formulas contain similar amounts of fats and fatty acids to meet infants' and toddlers' growth and development needs. In whole milk–based formulas, the natural milk fat remains intact, providing a creamier texture and naturally occurring fatty acids. In contrast, you’ll often find seed-based oil in formula options made from skim milk. These formulas have had most of the milk fat removed and replaced with plant-based oils to meet the required fat levels. Bubs is one of the only formula brands sold in the US and made with whole milk sources.

Whole milk–based formulas may also contain milk fat globule membrane (MFGM), a beneficial component naturally found in milk fat that supports brain development, immune health, and cognitive function in growing babies.

What are the Benefits of Whole Milk Formula?

Breast milk and infant formula are essential sources of fat for newborns and babies. So, what are the advantages of whole milk formula that make it outshine skim milk? Whole-milk infant formulas are more similar to breast milk and allow parents to easily incorporate healthy fats into their baby’s diet. The creamy texture that full-fat milk gives formula suits baby’s taste buds and helps them feel full and less likely to be fussy for more. Unlike most formulas made in the US, Bubs organic, clean, 365-day grass-fed cow’s milk formula, goat milk formula, and supreme formulas rely on fats from natural whole milk and less on added vegetable oils. This is beneficial for your baby as it provides natural essential fatty acids and phospholipids in a ratio similar to human breast milk.

Which Formula is Best if You're Concerned for a Baby's Weight? 

If you are concerned about increasing weight in your baby or toddler, remove calories from empty sugars rather than essential fats in your little one's diet. Remember, healthy fats contribute to healthy growth and brain development. Due to strict regulations, the overall fat content in most baby and toddler formulas are comparable, so it's best to choose the formula that suits baby’s needs best. Some parents may opt for grass-fed infant formula as part of their approach to balanced, wholesome nutrition.

If you are concerned about your baby or toddler’s weight, growth or development, ensure you talk to your child’s pediatrician about which guidelines you should follow to best meet your child’s individual nutrition needs. 

Choosing the Right Formula for Your Baby

Choosing the right formula for your baby is an important decision, and understanding the difference between whole milk and skim milk options can help you make an informed choice. While both types of formula meet strict nutritional standards, whole milk–based options like Bubs provide natural milk fats that more closely resemble the composition of breast milk, supporting brain and immune development. Every baby is unique, so consider your child’s individual needs and consult your pediatrician when making the switch.

You can also take a baby formula quiz to help identify the best options for your little one, and use our store locator to find baby formula near you.

This blog is for informational or educational purposes only and does not substitute professional medical advice or consultations with a healthcare professional.