Easy ways to include milk products

TAKE A look at our meal-by-meal tips for including milk products in your child’s everyday diet.

Breakfast

Start the day with a delicious fruit smoothie made with milk or yogurt. Mix 1/2 cup (125ml) fresh or frozen strawberries, peaches or banana chunks in a blender, with 1 cup (250ml) milk, and five to six ice cubes. Blend for 20 seconds. Note: Omit the ice cubes if you are using frozen fruit.

Be sure to add 250ml (1 cup) of milk to cereal.

When preparing oatmeal, replace the water with 250ml (one cup) of milk.

Include yogurt in the menu. Liven it up by adding fruit or cereal, or use it as a topping on pancakes and waffles.

Mix 175ml (3/4 cup) of yogurt granola and a sliced banana for a quick meal.

Add cheese to the jam on toast for a creamier, more nutritious breakfast.

Layer toast with two slices of your child’s favourite cheese, add a slice of tomato, and a pinch of garlic salt. Broil till barely melted and enjoy.

Lunch

Replace the juice box or soft drink with 250ml (1 cup) of plain or chocolate milk.

Make room in your fridge to store lunch box items: slices of cheese or cheese sticks, single-serving containers of yogurt, etc.

Enhance the nutritional value of sandwiches, green salads and pasta by adding cheese.

Prepare dressings or dips with yogurt.

Give plain yogurt an exotic touch by adding pieces of pineapple and coconut.

Combine chopped cucumber, dill, salt, and a spoonful of mayonnaise with plain yogurt. A delicious dip in an instant! Place tuna, sliced tomatoes, and Swiss cheese on both halves of a roll. Broil open.

Over spinach, pour yogurt dressing made with 1/4 cup (60ml) thawed frozen orange juice concentrate, 2 tbsp (30 ml) honey, 2 tsp (10ml) poppy seeds, and 1 cup (250ml) plain yogurt. Sprinkle with nuts. Spread cooked chicken, some salsa, and bell peppers over a tortilla. Top with shredded cheese and wrap it up!

Place ham and cheese on French bread. Add a dollop of Dijon mustard for some zip.

Whisk up eggs with a bit of milk. Fry. When omelette is nearly done, add cooked veggies, some Swiss cheese, and let it melt!

Dinner

Get into the habit of adding grated cheese to your soups, pastas, salads, grilled vegetables, omelettes, etc.

As an appetiser, serve a warm Brie or Camembert with walnut bread or fresh cut vegetables.

Stir in a bit of skim milk powder to your cooking and baking. An excellent way to add calcium to all your dishes!

Top pita bread with pizza sauce, shrimp, chopped red pepper, cooked spinach, and Mozzarella cheese. Broil.

For dessert, enjoy a vanilla or rice pudding prepared with milk, or even just a few cookies with a 250ml (1 cup) glass of milk.

Snacks

Add two containers of yogurt to your child’s lunch box: one for snack and the other to have with lunch.

Let your child dip raw vegetables in yogurt flavoured with pesto, curry, cumin, honey or mustard, etc.

Insert a wooden stir stick in individual containers of fresh cheese and freeze them to make delicious frozen snacks.

Spice up your plain yogurt with cinnamon, apple puree, maple syrup, raisins.

Dip fresh fruit in yogurt, then sprinkle with brown sugar or coconut.

For a deliciously simple snack, top plain or vanilla yogurt with any one or a combination of the following: cinnamon, applesauce, maple syrup, raisins, or granola.