You know calcium does your body good, but did you know that it’s crucial for your growing toddler, too? Here's everything parents need to know about calcium for kids, plus how to make sure your little one is getting enough.
What is calcium?
Calcium is a mineral that is integral to building healthy bones, muscles and teeth. And because your child’s body is in prime bone-building (and muscle-building, and teeth-building) mode, now is the time to make sure she’s getting as much of this important mineral as possible.
How much calcium does my toddler need?
How much calcium should you aim for in your tot’s diet? Use this as a guide:
- Babies 0 to 6 months: 200 milligrams of calcium per day (from breast milk or formula)
- Babies 7 to 12 months: 260 milligrams of calcium per day (from breast milk or formula)
- Kids ages 1 to 3: 700 milligrams of calcium per day
- Kids ages 4 to 8: 1,000 milligrams of calcium per day
For a toddler between the ages of 1 and 3, 700 milligrams is about two to three servings of dairy products daily (though remember that dairy is not the only food group that’s loaded with calcium).
Best calcium-rich foods for toddlers and kids
Dairy products are one of the best (and toddler-friendly) ways to help your little one get enough calcium. Two to three servings of dairy will easily add up to the 700 milligram daily goal of calcium for toddlers. Each of the following counts as one serving:
- 1 cup of milk (either whole or low-fat milk based on your toddler’s needs). For an extra calcium kick, add two tablespoons of a powdered instant-breakfast mix.
- 1 cup of yogurt
- 1½ ounces of natural cheese, like cheddar or Swiss
- 2 ounces of American cheese
- 1 cup of ice cream or frozen yogurt
Still, dairy products are not the only way to fill up on this all-important nutrient. Is your child allergic to milk? Lactose intolerant? Simply milk averse? Offer these nonmilk sources of calcium to your tot:
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- Calcium-fortified cereals and breads
- Calcium-fortified orange juice
- Calcium-fortified rice milk, soy milk or tofu
- Oranges
- Figs
- Prunes
- Dark-green vegetables such as broccoli, kale, peas and collard greens. Note that spinach is touted as a great source of calcium for toddlers (a cup contains about 200 milligrams), but it’s also high in oxalic acid, which interferes with calcium absorption, so spinach’s calcium isn’t as available as that in other greens.
- Beans (such as chickpeas, white beans and edamame)
How do I make sure my toddler gets enough calcium?
To help your toddler bone up on calcium, keep these tips in mind:
Sneak dairy onto the plate
Is your tot not a milk lover? There are still plenty of easy and delicious ways to hide calcium-loaded dairy in your child’s meals and snacks. Tricks to try:
- Use milk in place of water when making hot chocolate, oatmeal, pudding and pancakes.
- Blend yogurt into fruit smoothies.
- Serve yogurt as a dip for sliced fruit.
- Sprinkle shredded cheese onto vegetables, omelets, tacos and pasta.
- Blend cheese into mashed potatoes or meatballs. It will add a creamy richness but your toddler won’t have to know why.
Learn labels
Get familiar with nutrition label lingo. To tell if a product is a good source of calcium for toddlers, look at the “% Daily Values” on food labels. The Daily Value (DV) stands for the recommended amount of a nutrient that an adult should get each day.
Even though the DV corresponds to an adult’s needs (the DV for calcium for adults is 1,000 milligrams), you can still get a sense of how rich a product is in calcium for toddlers by keeping an eye on that food’s “% Daily Value.” For example, a food that provides 5 percent of the DV for calcium in a serving is a low-calcium food; foods that provide 10 percent are considered “good”; those supplying 20 percent or more are an “excellent” source of calcium.
Don’t forget about vitamin D
Without vitamin D, the body can’t absorb calcium. That makes vitamin D just as important as calcium for toddlers.
The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends that children between the ages of 1 and 3 get 600 international units (IU) of vitamin D daily. One way to make sure your toddler gets her quota is by allowing her to get a little sun (our skin makes vitamin D when exposed to the sun’s ultraviolet rays). But before you send your tiny tot outside to soak for hours at a stretch, know that just a few minutes of sun exposure each day should do the trick.
You should also make sure your toddler eats foods that are rich in vitamin D, including:
- Milk (most brands are fortified with 100 IU of vitamin D per cup)
- Many cereals
- Some orange juice
- Some yogurt
Foods that naturally contain vitamin D include:
- Beef
- Cheese
- Egg yolk
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