This post is sponsored by Gonna Need Milk but all of the opinions within are those of The Everymom editorial board.
"As a mom, you probably remember your baby’s first year as a blur of bottles, breastfeeding sessions, and endless Googling about ounces, letdowns, and formula ingredients. For a whole year, milk—whether we’re talking breast or formula—becomes a part-time job. So when your child’s pediatrician says, “OK, you can switch to regular milk now” at their one-year appointment, it can feel a little… confusing. You’ve been worrying about their nutrition for so long, and now you’ve got a whole new stage of worries (hello, parenthood).
Like, what kind of milk should you give them? Whole milk? Organic? Grass-fed? Should you try oat or almond instead? Dairy milk seems to have gotten a complicated reputation over the years, and with plant-based options flooding the grocery shelves, it’s no surprise many moms are second-guessing their milk pick.
The good news? Despite the ever-growing options, dairy milk remains the recommended choice by nutrition experts—and it turns out, making the switch from formula or breastmilk to cow’s milk doesn’t have to be complicated. We asked a registered dietitian to break down the benefits of dairy milk, how it compares to alternatives, and what parents need to know about introducing it to their child’s diet.
ABOUT THE EXPERT
Lauren Twigge, MCN, RDN, LD
Lauren Twigge is a nationally recognized registered dietitian, blogger, and social media educator who educates her audience of over 60,000 people on topics including the agricultural industry, nutrition education, and recipe inspiration.
What nutritional benefits does dairy milk have?
Dairy milk is a nutritional powerhouse that doesn’t get enough credit these days. “It contains 13 essential nutrients, including calcium, vitamin D, potassium, iodine, and vitamin B12,” Lauren Twigge explains. Three of those—calcium, vitamin D, and potassium—are flagged by the Dietary Guidelines for Americans as nutrients that most Americans don’t consume enough of, and dairy milk is the number one food source in the American diet.1 2
Even more surprising? Studies show that milk is more hydrating than water thanks to its blend of electrolytes, protein, and carbohydrates.
But when it comes to our kids, what matters most is that dairy milk supports all the big-ticket developmental milestones. “Milk’s nutrients can support growth, cognitive development, and even sleep,” Twigge says. Studies suggest that kids who regularly drink milk tend to be taller in their teen years and may have a lower risk of fractures. Plus, milk’s nutrients (like protein, vitamins A and D, magnesium, and zinc) can help promote longer, more restful sleep, which, let’s be honest, benefits the whole household.
How much milk should kids drink daily?
Once your child turns one, you can introduce cow’s milk into their diet (yogurt and cheese, on the other hand, can be introduced as early as six months). At that one-year mark, it’s best to start with whole milk, since toddlers need the fat and calories for brain and body development. In alignment with the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, Twigge recommends 1 ⅔ to 2 servings per day for children ages 1 to 2, 2 to 2 ½ servings for kids age 3 to 8, and 3 servings for kids 9 and up. Adults should aim for 3 servings of dairy daily. And yes, chocolate milk does count! “It provides the same 13 essential nutrients in each serving,” Twigge notes. It can be a great option for picky eaters or a tasty way to rehydrate after sports or a particularly sweaty playground session.
How does dairy milk compare to other milk alternatives?
You may be wondering if plant-based milks are a 1:1 substitute for cow’s milk, but according to Twigge, they aren’t. “Contrary to popular belief, plant-based alternatives are not nutritional substitutes for dairy milk,” she says. While they are appropriate for families with dietary preferences or dairy allergies, they don’t offer the same combination of vitamins, minerals, electrolytes, and high-quality protein. For those with a lactose intolerance, lactose-free dairy milk is real milk and a great option that still provides all the same nutrients.
What are the differences between the different types of dairy milk?
While standing in front of the grocery store milk aisle, you’re met with a lot of options. Whole, 2 percent, 1 percent, skim… What should you know about each? The primary difference is fat content, and the percentage references the amount of fat by weight:
- Whole milk has 3.25 percent fat
- 2 percent has—you guessed it—2 percent fat
- 1 percent has 1 percent fat
- Skim (or non-fat) has virtually no fat at all
Each type still delivers the same 13 essential nutrients, including 8 grams of high-quality protein per serving. For 1-year-olds, whole milk is the go-to, but after that, your choice may depend on your family’s dietary needs, lactose intolerance, or simply what your kid will actually drink without protest. Other options include lactose-free milk, organic milk, ultra-filtered milk, and, like we mentioned before, even good old-fashioned chocolate milk.
Creative ways to encourage kids to drink dairy milk
It can be a task to convince picky eaters to drink a cup of milk with dinner, but we’ve got a few creative options for them. “While offering milk in a straw cup is an easy way, it’s not the only way,” says Twigge. Here are some expert-approved, mom-tested ways to sneak in that dairy-milk goodness:
- Make chia pudding using milk as the base
- Blend it into smoothies with fruit and veggies
- Freeze into popsicles with blended bananas or berries
- Stir into oatmeal or overnight oats
- Use it in sauces for creamy pastas or mac and cheese
- Make “babychinos” by frothing cold or warm milk and adding a splash of honey and cinnamon
“I use milk in everything from homemade mac and cheese to fruit popsicles,” Twigge shares. “Cooking with milk can really help moms win when it comes to serving delicious, creamy meals that the whole family can’t wait to eat!”
While plant-based milks have been popular in recent years, there’s been a noticeable shift back toward dairy. “We’re seeing renewed interest in dairy milk among consumers,” Twigge says, citing factors like increased focus on protein and a growing preference for minimally processed foods.
And for moms juggling a million decisions each day, going back to basics with something as simple as dairy milk can feel like one less thing to overthink. So whether you’re team whole, team chocolate, or team “whatever my toddler will drink without throwing it on the floor,” you’ve got plenty of ways to feel good about putting dairy milk back on the table.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
McKenna Pringle, Branded Content Editoral Assistant
As the Branded Content Editorial Assistant, McKenna collaborates with our sales team by creating both written and social media content, collecting and analyzing performance data to report back to our partners, and assisting our editors with their everyday tasks to ensure a smooth and productive process.
- Milk makes key contributions to the vitamin and mineral adequacy of the U.S. population. Milk is the leading food source for 9 essential nutrients in children 2-18 years of age: calcium, phosphorus, vitamin A, vitamin D, vitamin B12, riboflavin, niacin, pantothenic acid, and protein. Keast, D.F., V.; Nicklas, T.; O’Neil, C., Food Sources of Energy and Nutrients Among Children in the United States: National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Nutrients, 2013. 5(1): p. 283-301.
O’Neil, C.E., T.A. Nicklas, and V.L. Fulgoni, 3rd, Food Sources of Energy and Nutrients of Public Health Concern and Nutrients to Limit with a Focus on Milk and other Dairy Foods in Children 2 to 18 Years of Age: National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 2011(-)2014. Nutrients, 2018. 10(8). ↩︎ - For adults 19 years and older, milk is the leading food source of calcium, potassium, vitamin D, riboflavin, vitamin A, phosphorus, and the second leading source of magnesium.
O’Neil, C.K., D.; Fulgoni, V.; Nicklas, T., Food Sources of Energy and Nutrients Among Adults in the United States: National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Nutrients, 2012. 4(12): p. 2097-2120. U.S. Department of Agriculture and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2015-2020. 8th Edition. December 2015, U.S. Government Printing Office: Washington, D.C. ↩︎
This post is sponsored by Gonna Need Milk, but all of the opinions within are those of The Everymom editorial board.