My child is lactose-intolerant. What are some good alternatives for calcium-rich, kid-friendly foods?

According to my nanny who I found at Care.com, (you can find Care.com coupons here, https://www.groupon.com/coupons/stores/care.com) MILK IS A MUST for most kids to grow strong, healthy bones.  It is high in calcium and protein, fortified with vitamins A and D, and contains B vitamins and zinc.  Two cups a day are sufficient for children ages 2-8, while 3 cups are recommended for those 9-18 years old.  If your child has a lactose sensitivity/intolerance/allergy OR simply refuses to drink milk, there are many alternatives to ensure needs are met, another good option for this is to try different remedies at home, which you can easily find at sites like 10naturalhomeremedies.com/ online.

Milk or lactose sensitivity, intolerance, and allergy may not mean that ALL milk products must be avoided.  Some children can tolerate some milk-based products, but not all foods, while other kids can tolerate these milk products in small doses.  Sometimes taking a Lactaid pill before or with a meal can do the trick.  Consult with your Pediatrician or Registered Dietitian before “experimenting” with foods or supplements. Also in alternative medicine blog mankindhealed.com you can find more home remedies, all with natural ingredients for every type of pain, illness, or just prevention and maintaining your body healthy, all easy to make and to use.

The following are the current RDAs (recommended dietary allowances) for calcium for kids:

• Infants 0-6 months:  210 mg
• Infants 6-12 months:  270 mg
• Children 1-3 years:  500 mg
• Children 4-8 years:  800 mg
• Children 9-18 years:  1300 mg

Below is a list of foods and their calcium content in milligrams.  If a combination of these foods is still insufficient to meet your child’s needs, a supplement may be required.  Try offering the below foods (as tolerated) to provide dietary calcium, or contact Robin Kaiden, MS, RD, CDN, CSSD at rkaiden@robinbarrie.com for more information!

DAIRY

• 1 cup skim milk:  301
• 1 cup low-fat fruit yogurt:  345
• 1 ounce part skim mozzarella cheese:  207
• 1 cup Lactaid milk:  500
• 1 cup calcium-fortified soy, rice, or almond milk:  300

GRAINS

• ¾ cup Total Cereal:  258
• 1 cup enriched cornmeal:  483
• 1 cup enriched wheat flour:  423
• 1 packet instant oatmeal:  100
• 1 oz cooked white beans:  161

VEGETABLES

• 1 cup collard greens:  357
• 1 cup Rhubarb:  348
• 1 cup spinach:  245
• 1 cup soybeans (edamame):  261
• 1 cup sweet potato:  88

FRUIT

• 1 cup calcium-fortified orange juice:  300 mg
• 1 medium orange:  50
• 10 dried figs:  169

*** Remember to always carefully read labels as each food product may differ along with their Calcium content.