Help your preschooler consume and enjoy milk and milk products.

Milk and milk products provide health benefits ― like building and maintaining strong, dense bones. They are important parts of your child’s food intake. Include low-fat and fat-free milk and milk products in meals and snacks for your child every day. If you think your preschooler may be lactose intolerant or allergic to milk, check with your child’s doctor to be sure.

Now is the time to switch your preschooler from drinking whole to low-fat or fat-free milk. Kids that are two years and older can drink low-fat and fat-free milk. They provide the same amount of calcium and vitamin D as whole milk or 2% milk, but less saturated fat and calories. Foods high in saturated fat tend to raise blood cholesterol levels. Fat-free milk is also called skim milk and low-fat milk is also called 1% milk.

* All types of fluid milk are routinely fortified with vitamin D. Some yogurts are also fortified with vitamin D.

Make sure you only serve pasteurized (not raw) milk to your preschooler.

Some children don’t consume enough milk and milk products. Other children may prefer milk to other foods and fill up on it. This leaves less room for other important foods. Help your child get enough but not too much milk.

Last Modified: March 12, 2009 05:08 PM