5 tips for getting kids to drink more milk

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more cow milk toddler running from milk on table
Photo credit: Misty Nelson

Soon after my son turned 1, we began the transition to cow's milk. We started slowly, offering him milk at meals and adding it to some of his favorite foods, and fortunately it didn't take long for him to love it.

Drinking milk is an excellent way for little ones to get vital nutrients like calcium and vitamin D. And of course, it's important to me to give my child great foods and beverages I can to nurture his growth. Making good choices about what he consumes is a big, big part of my mom job, and can help create lifelong healthy habits that support his brain and body.

more cow milk toddler standing up

However, when the time comes, some children are reluctant to make the shift from breast milk or formula. How can you get them to drink more cow's milk?

Here are a few ways I encourage my child to reach for milk more often:

  1. Join him in a drink. I'm a role model and lead by example. By making it a family affair, my son sees that Mom and Dad are excited about drinking milk, which makes him want to drink more.
  2. Serve milk at meals. I make drinking milk a part of our daily routine, so my son expects to see a cup of milk by his plate.
  3. Use an age-appropriate cup he likes. I let my son choose his favorite color, character, and style of cup.
  4. Explain why milk is important. I tell my son why drinking milk is important for little boys and how it supports growth. What child doesn't want to grow big and strong?
  5. Keep it cold. A cold glass of milk is delicious and refreshing.

more cow milk toddler drinking from sippy

We chose Horizon® Organic Growing Years™ milk for our child because it's an organic whole milk that contains key nutrients recommended by pediatricians for growing kids. Horizon’s Growing Years provides nutrition for kids ages 1 to 5, with DHA Omega-3, choline, and prebiotics in each serving to help support brain health and feed good gut bacteria

Knowing that Horizon Organic milk comes only from certified organic dairy farms made without the use of GMOs, antibiotics, or added hormones makes me feel good about giving it to my child. There's nothing in the glass I need to worry about – just delicious organic dairy milk high in vitamin D and the nutrition my child needs.

more cow milk toddler reaching for sippy

more cow milk toddler smiling with sippy

You can find Horizon Organic Growing Years half-gallons in stores now.

This post is sponsored by Horizon. All opinions are true, and my own.

Misty Nelson is a writer and mom of two. She lives in North Carolina where she spends most of her time snapping pics of her wildly adorable children or dreaming up crafty projects she’ll never finish.

Opinions expressed by parent contributors are their own.
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