12 Ways to Encourage Children to Drink More Milk

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If you have children at home you may be concerned if they are not drinking enough milk. Milk has many essential nutrients and vitamins including protein, calcium, vitamin D, and omega-3 fatty acids. These are important in maintaining strong bones and teeth as well as a balanced nutrition. Some parents are firm believers that their children should drink milk. However there are also parents who do not agree that milk is a requirement of a child's diet. While this may be true, children will still need to get the dietary benefits that milk has from other sources. 

The following are some tips that can help encourage your children to drink more milk.

1. Introduce milk to children before they have finished weaning from breastfeeding or formula. This gives them time to get used to the taste.

2. Purchase a special mug just to hold milk. You can let your child pick out one that has a favorite color, animated character, or even a plain one that they can decorate. You could also opt for a personalized mug which also makes a great gift.

3. Pour an extra glass of milk for yourself. Children are great at mimicking their parents.

4. Make your own yogurt drink by adding milk to fruit flavored yogurt.

5. Make smoothies with fresh fruit. Let them choose which fruit they want to add to their milk smoothie.

6. Give them a straw if it will help. Similarly give them a straw with their morning cereal. When they have finished eating the cereal they can use the straw to drink up any extra milk.

7. Bake a batch of cookies with them. After removing cookies from oven to cool pour up some cups of milk and place in the freezer to become ice cold. Then enjoy a treat of cookies and milk as a family.

8. Allow them to have flavored milk on occasion. 

9. Mix milk with some orange juice. Pour into popsicle molds and freeze for a cool and tasty treat.

10.  Add milk to hot chocolate mix instead of water. This will result in a creamy and tasty beverage perfect for a cool day.

11. Be sure to always have milk available in the refrigerator. Try to limit or completely cut out keeping carbonated or sugary drinks in the home.

12. If possible visit a dairy farm and request to view cows during the milking process. Another alternative would be to watch a video about milk production either on television or online.

Do you have any additional tips for parents that may help them to encourage their children to drink more milk?