Dairy foods and alternatives such as milk, cheese, and yoghurt are good sources of calcium, which is important for bone development and teeth. These foods also contain some protein and other helpful nutrients.
Pre-school children need 3 portions of milk and dairy foods each day. Examples of one portion would be 15g cheddar cheese or 60g plain yoghurt or 100-150ml full fat milk. Full fat dairy foods should be offered to children less than 2 years old as they need the extra fat and vitamins these provide. Children older than 2 can have semi-skimmed milk as long as they are eating a well-balanced diet. If your child does not consume dairy products, you can offer unsweetened calcium-fortified alternatives.
Avoid yoghurts and fromage frais that have a high sugar content. If the sugar content on the label says it has more than 15g of sugar per 100g then it is a high sugar option. It is preferable to add fresh, tinned, stewed or frozen fruit to plain natural yoghurt or fromage frais.
Skimmed or 1% fat milk does not contain enough fat, so is not recommended for children under 5 years old.
Children over the age of 1 year do not need follow on milks or fortified toddler milks as they are frequently sweetened and may have the wrong balance of nutrients. There is no evidence to suggest that these products provide extra nutritional benefits for young children. Full fat cows milk can be the main milk drink from 1 year of age if breastmilk is not being given.