10 tips to get kids asking for more milk

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10 tips to get kids asking for more milk

Two cups of milk for your kids on World Milk Day.

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Published: Wed 1 Jun 2016, 10:59 AM

Last updated: Wed 1 Jun 2016, 7:02 PM

Renowned for its high levels of calcium and its contribution to the maintenance of healthy bones and teeth, milk is essential for children to include in their daily diets. It provides them with the needed energy as well as the essential vitamins and minerals for healthy growth and development.
As children grow, they naturally drink less milk either because they feel more grown up and independent, or start to substitute milk with other less nutritious beverages.
In celebration of World Milk Day, Sarah Kanaan, Child Nutrition Expert at Nestlé Middle East, is bringing you a few tips to get your kids asking you for more milk!
1- Include your children in preparation of their milk: When your child chooses and helps out in preparing his milk, he is most likely going to enjoy having it. Make sure you use clean utensils when doing so.
2- Dip in the biscuit: Serve some cold milk with your child's favorite whole grain cereals or biscuits, show him how to dip them in and enjoy them even more with milk.
3- Make it a family choice: Try to have milk as the drink of choice at family meals. Milk, whole grain cereals, and fruits for a family breakfast is a great way to do so.

Did you know?
Studies show that children, who drink flavored milk compared to those who do not drink milk at all, get better nutrient intake in terms of essential vitamins and minerals and have ultimately healthier body weights; because children who usually don't drink milk substitute it for sugary drinks and sodas, which are usually low in nutrients and very high in calories.
4- Prepare a milk pudding: Puddings are very tasty and usually very popular with kids. They are easy to make and your child can help you prepare it. For example: (mouhallabieh, riz bel halib, kashtalieh).
Mouhallabieh: boil milk with corn flour, a little bit of sugar and some blossom water, until thick. Pour in serving cups and chill for a nutritious snack. It could also be served warm with some kaak or bread sticks as a bedtime snack.
5- Make milk fruit smoothies: These taste great and are an excellent healthy choice. Full of vitamins and minerals, they give your child a boost of energy and guess what? A cup of milk!
Strawberry Banana Smoothie: blend a cup of milk with a banana and handful of strawberries. Your child will love this yummy drink. (you can change the fruit according to your child's taste.)
6- Add a delicious flavor to your child's milk: This is a yummy alternative that kids never pass on. Adding a flavor like, NESQUIK Cocoa Powder can effectively help your child enjoy his milk more.
7- Fruit popsicles: Who said that enjoying a healthy snack cannot be fun and tasty? Raspberry Popsicles: Blend milk and raspberries and freeze in Popsicle molds overnight, to make tasty fun snacks. Here also you can change the fruit to make different flavors or even you can also add cocoa powder to make chocolate popsicles.
Improvise: sometimes you need to play it smart and make milk appealing to your kids:
8- Buy nice cups and straws: A change in appearance can really get kids excited about the simplest things.
9- Put a star on the calendar for every cup of milk - A nice contest: This will encourage your child to compete with his siblings and as a result increase the milk intake in the household rapidly.
10- Be the role model: Studies show that when parents follow a healthy lifestyle so do their children. Drink your milk; your child will be encouraged to do the same.
The benefits of milk are many, ranging from the tiniest tooth to the biggest bone.
"Milk is the healthiest drink for children. It provides them with proteins for growth, carbohydrates for energy, in addition to many important vitamins and minerals - mainly Calcium, to build healthy strong bones. Milk makes an important contribution towards the intake of many nutrients and fits in with a healthy diet, so a mother should ensure that her kids have 2 cups daily of specialized milk for their age like NIDO," says Sarah Kanaan, Child Nutrition expert at Nestlé Middle East.
"Whole grain breakfast cereals for example, are a great way to get your kids excited about their morning glass of Milk.


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