Drinking milk is a quick, easy way for kids to increase their intake of calcium, vitamin D and many other essential nutrients, but some kids don’t like plain milk. That’s ok, because drinking milk isn’t necessary to increase intake and benefit from its nutrients. Here are ten ways to incorporate milk in to your diet if you don’t like to drink it.
Disclosure: I am a proud partner with Turner’s Dairy and am compensated for the consulting work I do on behalf of the company. This blog post, however, is my own work. All thoughts, opinions and ideas that I share are my own. I only partner with companies and brands that I trust and that align with my own values. I only discuss products I genuinely love and use in my own kitchen.
As a registered dietitian that works with kids and teenagers, I know first-hand how important good nutrition is for growth and development. Children’s bodies change remarkably and rapidly throughout the adolescent years. As they grow, their bones lengthen and strengthen, their muscle mass increases and there is an increase in the production of hormone necessarily for reproductive health, among other changes. Encouraging kids to consume a variety of nutritious foods and beverages is important to help them meet their daily nutrient needs.
When parents ask me to share some quick and easy options to improve their child’s nutrient intake, milk is always on my list. That’s because busy kids need quick, easy, nutritious options. Milk is all of those things, and more. This post explains why I recommend milk as a beneficial beverage and some ways to incorporate it into your diet if you don’t like to drink it plain.
What Makes Milk A Great Beverage For Kids?
Milk contains 13 essential nutrients, including calcium, vitamin D, potassium, phosphorus and protein, which are important for bone health. It also contains vitamin A, zinc, selenium & protein which, along with the vitamin D it provides, play a key role in supporting immune health. The nutrients in milk also support metabolism and energy production, heart health, muscle and nerve function, fluid balance, the eyes and skin health.
It doesn’t matter if kids choose skim, low-fat, reduced fat, whole milk or flavored milk. All varieties of cow’s milk have 13 essential nutrients. And they are all an easy & convenient way for kids and teens to get a wide variety of essential nutrients in one easy-to-consume beverage.
How Does Calcium and Vitamin D Support Bone Health?
Meeting calcium and vitamin D needs are especially important during adolescence. Calcium plays a critical role in hardening and strengthening bones, increasing and maintaining bone density, and bone remodeling (when old bone is broken down and new bone is formed.) Vitamin D helps the body absorb calcium. Together, those two nutrients support the rapid growth and development of new bone and muscle tissue that occurs during the adolescent years.
Inadequate intakes can result in brittle bones, which increases the risk of fractures in adolescence and the development of osteoporosis later in life. Most kids are not thinking about how their intake of calcium and vitamin D as a teenager will impact their bone health later in life. But the reality is, osteoporosis is actually a childhood disease. Bone-building happens throughout childhood and into the young adult years. As kids grow, their bone mass continues to increase until it reaches what is referred to as peak bone mass (PBM). That is the greatest amount of bone an individual can attain. The age that peak bone mass is reached varies from one person to another, but is generally between the late teen years and early 20’s. Children and adolescents with a higher bone mass reduce their risk of osteoporosis later in life.
How Much Calcium and Vitamin D Do Kids Need Each Day?
The average daily recommended intake for calcium for kids age 9-18 years old is 1300 mg per day. Calcium recommendations are the highest during that age range compared with any other stages of life. That’s to support the rapid growth and development that occurs during adolescence.
Vitamin D is expressed either as international units (IU) or in micrograms (mcg). The recommended dietary allowance (DRI) for vitamin D for kids between the ages of 9 – 18 years old is 600 international units (IU), or 15 mcg.
How Does Milk Help Kids Meet Calcium and Vitamin D Needs?
Research shows that an increasing number of adolescents are not meeting their daily recommended intakes for calcium and vitamin D. That’s why I spend a lot of time helping kids and parents find ways to meet their daily calcium and vitamin D needs. In addition to the many other nutrients it provides, milk is one of the few foods considered to be a good or excellent source of both calcium and vitamin D.
To be considered a “good source” of a nutrient, the food or beverage must contain 10% – 19% of the daily value per serving of the nutrient. To be labeled as an excellent source, the food or beverage must contain at least 20% of the daily value (DV) per serving of the nutrient. That information is found on the nutrition facts label. First, look at the serving size. The information listed on the nutrition facts label is the amount of each nutrient per serving.
I show you where to find this information on the image below. The nutrition facts label shown is what you find on one pint of Turner’s Dairy skim milk. Notice that the serving size is 1 cup. That means that the amount of Vitamin D in one cup of this brand of skim milk is 4 mcg or 20% Daily Value (DV). Also notice that the amount of calcium is 300 mg or 25% Daily Value.
One cup of Turner’s Dairy skim milk contains 25% of an adolescent’s daily calcium needs and 20% of their vitamin D needs. That means that it is an excellent source of both calcium and vitamin D.
Consuming milk is an easy and quick way to help met their calcium and vitamin D needs.
Is Milk The Only Way To Meet Calcium And Vitamin D Needs?
I want to be clear that consuming milk is not the only way for kids to meet their daily calcium and vitamin D needs. In fact, people with a milk allergy cannot or should not consume it. Most people, however, can consume milk without any problem. Even those that suffer from lactose intolerance can benefit from the nutrition in milk by choosing lactose free varieties.
Calcium is found in a variety of foods. Good sources are dairy foods like yogurt, cheese and milk. Some vegetables, like kale, spinach and other greens), and protein foods like salmon, sardines and tofu also contain calcium. It’s found in some fortified juices, too. Vitamin D, on the other hand, is harder to find in foods kids regularly eat. While calcium is found in a variety of foods, few provide as much calcium per serving as milk.
Good food sources of vitamin D include milk, fatty fish (like sardines, salmon, mackerel and tuna) and liver. It is also found in smaller amounts in egg yolks, some fortified breakfast cereals and juices.
While fatty fish is an excellent source of vitamin D and other nutrients, many kids don’t eat fish regularly. If they do, they are still not eating enough to meet their daily recommended needs. Fish can also be pricy, which isn’t ideal for those on a budget.
That’s why milk is beneficial. Drinking milk and/or incorporating it into recipes is just a quick, easy, and inexpensive way to help kids meet their increased nutrient needs.
How To Increase Milk Intake If You Don’t Like To Drink It Plain
You don’t have to drink milk to benefit from the nutrition it provides. Here are 10 ways to include milk in your diet if you don’t like to drink milk.
1. Drink flavored milk
Some kids don’t like to drink plain milk but they may like chocolate or strawberry milk. Both have the same beneficial nutrients.
2. Have a bowl of cereal with milk
Cereal itself is fortified with many essential nutrients, and the combination makes for a nutrient-rich meal. It’s a great breakfast to start the day or a perfect after-school snack for hungry kids.
3. Make oatmeal with milk instead of water
The instructions on packets of hot cereal like oatmeal or cream of wheat usually say to mix it with water, but you don’t have to. Making it with milk with boost the nutrients and result in a creamer, tastier cereal.
4. Make overnight oats with milk
If hot cereal isn’t your thing, try overnight oats made with milk as the base. The combinations of fruit, nuts, seeds and other toppings that you can stir into the oats are endless. Try these protein-packed strawberry banana overnight oats.
5. Serve a cream soup or bisque made with milk
They can be made in advance and served as a quick lunch or dinner. They are also great reheated for quick meals during the week. Try this cream chicken and mushroom soup with wild rice.
6. Add milk to mashed potatoes or other cream-based side dishes
Swapping milk for water in cream-based side dishes is an easy way to add creaminess, flavor and boost the nutrition.
7. Make pudding
Pudding prepared with milk makes a great dessert, evening snack or treat in a child’s school lunch.
8. Make homemade ice cream
Ice cream made with milk as a base is a great way for kids to get a serving of milk without realizing they are having milk! If you’ve never made ice cream it might sounds daunting, but I assure you it is much easier than you think. Try my protein-packed, lower fat chocolate ice cream.
9. Use milk as the base in your smoothies, protein shakes or milkshakes
Milk-based smoothies can be combined with a variety of other ingredients to make a nutritious meal, snack or post exercise fuel. The flavor combinations are endless but my personal favorite is this chocolate peanut butter banana smoothie.
10. Swap milk for water in your hot cocoa
Using milk in your hot cocoa makes it creamier, richer and more nutritious than making it with water. Try this recipe for healthier homemade hot cocoa.
If you found this post helpful, you might like why chocolate milk makes a great recovery beverage for athletes or what the difference is between cow’s milk and plant-based milk alternatives.
Hi, I’m Heather – a registered dietitian, busy mom, consultant, adventure junkie and travel addict who has mastered living healthy on the go. My blog is where I share simple recipes and healthy living tips to help and inspire others to live their best life.