Tools / Training

Decision Guide for Providers: Dairy Milk vs. Plant Milks for Toddlers & Young Kids

By Kirsten Arm, Lauren Dawson, Megan Lott

This resource is a decision guide intended to help providers decide what is the most nutritionally appropriate dairy milk alternative to recommend to toddlers & young kids who cannot consume dairy milk. The decision guide explains why dairy milk is the preferred recommendation for toddlers and young kids and provides steps for choosing a nutritionally appropriate alternative depending on why a child is avoiding dairy milk. Steps for choosing a nutritionally appropriate alternative are provided for the following scenarios: 1) child doesn’t like the taste of milk, 2) lactose intolerant, 3) dairy allergy, 4) vegan, and 5) cultural/religious reason. This resource also provides a table comparing cow’s milk to common plant milks ranking them from best (green) to worst (red) when it comes to young children’s nutritional needs. Finally, the resource provides a chart of the key nutrients to look for when selecting a plant milk for young children and explanations for why each nutrient is important for growth and development. Links to additional resources on dairy milk vs. plant milks are also included at the end of the decision guide.

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Date Added
February 7, 2023