Enjoying a variety of dairy products each day improves overall quality of your diet with important nutrients like calcium, potassium, and vitamin D.
It's easy to increase your dairy intake - just pour some cool low-fat milk over a bowl of cereal or enjoy a fruity yogurt or low-fat cheese. Or try a smoothie made with low fat yogurt, juice and any fruit. My kids also like gelatin made with milk, and you can also prepare soups with fat-free milk. The sky's the limit!
Need a dairy alternative?
Get the same nutritional benefits from a delicious selection of dairy-free options, including low-fat soy milk, almond milk, rice milk and great tasting yogurts made with soy. In addition, some dark-green leafy vegetables (i.e. kale, broccoli, bok choy), fish with edible bones, and tofu supply significant amounts of calcium. Also, look for juice, bottled water, and bread that may be fortified with calcium.
Kids and adults should eat a balanced diet that includes at least three servings of calcium-rich foods such as milk, cheese or yogurt each day.
What’s a serving of Dairy?
- 1 cup of milk – fat free, low fat, soy or rice milk
- 1.5 ounces or about 4 cheese cubes (the size of dice)
- 1 cup of yogurt
Three servings a day of dairy foods along with regular physical activity helps build stronger bones to last a lifetime.
