In this post I am going to share with you the 8 varieties in which you can give milk for toddlers and kids.
My daughter Anshika is not fussy about food in general. But she hates milk and demands the regular tea we drink. The moment we offer milk to her, she looks into the cup, make faces and says ‘No’.
Strangely, she likes the flavored milk available in the market. I found out that she has a liking for chilled milk. I also understood that the milk is not the culprit but the bland flavor of boiled warm milk is.
I thought of trying out all the flavored milk varieties at home and see how she responds to it. Voila! It was a great hit with Anshika.
Milk for toddlers need not be bland – Here’s why:
Recently a reader asked me whether she can give pediasure and that her son is fussy about drinking it too. If your kid is less active, fussy and weak you can definitely try pediasure under your pediatrician’s guidance. Otherwise its better and always best to stick to home made flavored milk varieties (as given in this post).
You know how these naturally flavored milk does the trick?
The color of the milk was the first thing Anshika notices. When there is mixed flavor, there is change in the color too. When she tastes the milk, the bland taste is hidden by the other dominant flavors added here. Hence my daughter is ready to drink a variety of milk everyday 🙂
#1. Badam milk or Almond milk:
Almond milk is one of the healthiest variety of milk for toddlers. It helps in digestion and adds to the muscle/bone strength.
Soak 8-10 almonds in a cup of water overnight. The next morning, peel the skin off and blend it with boiled milk.
You can sieve and serve it to your toddler with a pinch of sugar or powdered jaggery. Make sure there are no bits of almonds after blending to avoid choking.
You can also make a almond or badam potli. Take 5 peeled almonds in a clean muslin cloth and tie into a potli or pouch. Crush the potli genltly so that the almonds are broken.
Boil a cup of milk in a pan. When it boils, add the potli, close the pan and let it simmer for 1-2 minutes. The essence of badams will seep into the boiled milk.
Add powdered jaggery, sugar and serve warm or chilled.
If your toddler is lactose intolerant, you can replace milk with water. Blend water and almonds together. Sieve to get the pure almond milk.
#2. Carrot milk
I remember my neighbor making fresh batches of carrot milk everyday. They used to replace the morning tea with this carrot milk.
Carrots being rich in vitamins and beta carotene are very good for eyes, hair and skin.
Grate or cut ½ of a medium carrot and keep it aside. Boil 1 cup of milk and let it cool down. Now blend both carrot and milk together. Sieve to get the natural orange colored carrot milk.
Since this is naturally sweet you can omit jaggery or sugar. You can also add peeled almonds while blending to increase the taste and nutritional value.
Carrot milk can be served chilled too.
Further reading:
- Carrots oats unniyappam recipe for toddlers and kids
- Carrot beetroot soup for babies and kids
- Carrot rava porridge for babies
- Carrot dal mash for babies
#3. Chocolate milk:
This is one of the easiest milk varieties for toddlers.
Add 1/2 tablespoon of chocolate syrup to a glass of warm or chilled milk and mix well. Tasty yummy chocolate milk is ready. I use Hershey’s chocolate syrup for my daughter’s chilled chocolate milk.
Note: Though this seems like an easy and tempting way, it could backfire too. My daughter for instance demanded the chocolate milk almost every day. So make sure it is given just once in 2 weeks or so.
Chocolates or syrup on an everyday basis can result in tooth decay.
#4. Dates milk
Soak 5 dates in warm water. De-seed it and blend it along with a cup of warm milk. Sieve to get the tasty, yummy sweet dates milk!
You can use dates syrup too instead of whole dates. Just add ½ tablespoon of dates syrup to warm or chilled milk.
#5. Dry fruits milk
Dry fruits milk works for me all the time.
Make a fine powder of all dry fruits and store in an air tight container. You can read how to make home made dry fruit powder mix for toddlers.
Blend it along with boiled milk or just add the fine powder when the milk is boiling. This is one of the ways to give dry fruits for your toddler 🙂
You can use honey or dates syrup along with this dry fruits milk.
Further reading:
- Home made cerelac with step by step pictures
- Everything about home made cerelac you need to know
- Home made peanut butter for toddlers
- Health alternatives to these 5 unhealthy foods ever
#6. Turmeric milk
A milk variety that can boost immunity too.
Turmeric milk or haldi doodh has been proven to be great against cold and cough in winter. Infused with turmeric’s anti bacterial and anti viral properties along with milk, its a wholesome drink.
Boil a cup of milk and add a pinch of turmeric to it. Serve warm. You can sweeten haldi doodh with jaggery or sugar.
#7. Honey milk
Add a tablespoon of honey to the boiled milk and mix well.
#8. Kesar milk or saffron milk
Kesar milk can be prepared by adding a few threads of saffron to the boiled milk. You can sweeten it with sugar or powdered jaggery.
Well these were some of the ways in which you can give milk for toddlers and kids.
Is your little one fussy about drinking milk? Which is the way you try to make him/ her drink milk everyday? Share with us in comments.
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26 Comments
Hi sangetha, I read somewhere in your blog which says u have to dilute buffalo milk in the ratio 1: 4 …Now my question is do I have to boil 1 cup of milk and add 4 cups of cooled boiled water…Jus need to know if this is the way to feed babies .
Yes boil 1 cup of milk. Add 4 tbsps of water to 1 tbsp of milk, hope the ratio is clear now.
My daughter is 19 months old and i want to start cows milk so i thought of adding pediasure is it fine toh giv pediasure at this age plz plz plz reply
For 15 months baby can I give badam powder in milk or not?
Hi sangeetha, I am following lot of receipes from ur blog for my kid..ur blog is very useful for us..
Can I give this dates milk early morning to my kid??
Hi
My daughter is one year old and I m trying to leave her breast milk and feed her cows milk . Can anyone suggest me plz hw to do so as my little one doesn’t like cows milk at all.
Mix a little more regular milk with the breast milk until she gets used to it. Unless of course you are still breastfeeding. It might take a little longer. My son stopped breastfeeding about 9 months and went straight to a cup with goat’s milk.
Good luck!
Hello sangeeta, my baby is 15 months old and she doesn’t drink milk at all. She is totally dependent on me for milk. She eats fruits veggies but in small quantities. Whole night she will stick to me but won’t have cow`s milk. I don’t know how to introduce milk so that she starts having some. I think she remains hungry at night as she wakes up so frequently. Plzz suggest me some tricks , I am really in huge tension because of this.
One thing more, she has red rashes only on her stomach,can it be allergy. She doesn’t have pain or itching.
Same same issue here.. even my daughter is 15months old and nt at all have her milk.
Tried evrythng
A really useful compilation.. Love this.. Even I’m gonna start drinking these variations.. <3
hi sangeethaji…really ur articles are help full for a mother like me! i have 9 month old baby girl. i pen down many recipices from ur webite. for sure i’ll try them one by one by seeing my Adya’s response. i just want to ask u one thing, are commericial cerelacs are too bad to baby’s tummy ? is yes,is it because of preservatives? kindly reply me sangeetha..
My 17 months toddler has stopped drinking milk for past 4 days.i used to give him cow’s milk in the morning and before the bed time.i bfeed him only twice a day . Now Whenever i show his feeding cup he is running away from me and he wants me to bfeed him. He takes solids, drinks water without any fuss except milk .he takes his dinner at 7.30pm and milk at 10.30pm. Please suggest me an alternative for his bedtime milk. Can i give him nestum mixed with milk ?
Vani, If he doesn’t like milk, why force feed him? Give him buttermilk, cheese, curd etc. You can also try these natural flavors of milk: https://bumpsnbaby.com/milk-toddlers-kids-8-unique-flavors/
hi Sangeetha,
Nice article….Just wanted to know in carrot milk do we need to add raw carrots or cooked carrots to milk. Thanks!
Monika, raw carrots are used.
Hi Sangeetha,
Very helpful post, my lo is 10 months old can i include cashews and badam with milk.
Jayalakshmi,
Yes you can add cashews and badams with his milk now .. Make sure its finely blended to avoid choking and look for rashes/allergies if any.
hi sangeetha,
A wonderful post for kids who hates milk.my elder sister is really in need of this for my niece who is a very fussy eater.three days back only she whatsapped me to send her some health drinks.
Hi sangeetha,
A well written article with lot of nutritious information to Kids.i am really in need of this healthy diet for my daughter as she is least cared of food .The turmeric and dates syrup I tried as my in law gives this tips .As you said the turmeric really works out in all time.i read somewhere the honey and hotmilk combination makes the kids lean.i am not sure.please let me know .can u please write on the healthier colourful breakfast for kids.i hope it really helps for many moms .
Ramalekshmi,
Thanks for the comment 🙂
As far as I know,
1. Honey should not be warmed or heated directly
2. Warm water with honey results in weight loss where as milk with honey helps to put on weight.
Will research more and keep you informed too.
hey lechu
three days back only u asked me about the health drink and i think it will be very useful for u.try for swa
Great list Sangeetha… You have included many variations and that’s gonna help a lot of moms out there…
Most of the kids dislikes milk. My son hated it to the core and now he likes it only if given with choco-flavour! 🙂
A very useful compilation Sangeetha 🙂 My toddler hates carrots, will try this carrot milk for him
Hi Sangeetha,
loved the way you have advertised simple and nutritious combos honey milk , carrot milk ) .. . i will definitely try for my kids .
Thanks.
Hi anu,
Informative post, gokul always loved badam milk, but carrot milk is new to me wil def try.
🙂 🙂
hi sangee
really wonder full post da .
i ll try all this to teju
as she is bored with my styles of making
thanks dear