Calcium for Kids

The recommended calcium intake for children ages 4 to 8 years is 800 mg per day (about three 8-oz glasses of milk) and for ages 9 to 18 is 1300 mg per day. A survey by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, however, found that there is a serious deficiency in the amount of calcium most children are getting. Don't want your kid to fall into that category? Try these 10 tips and they'll learn to love milk in no time.

1. Make your milk chocolate
While the sugar in chocolate or strawberry syrups and powders must be accounted for in a child's daily diet, adding flavor to the mix doesn't detract from milk's vitamins and minerals. If a spoonful of sugar helps it go down, it's one strategy to consider.

2. Eat your dessert
Many of their favorite snacks are made from milk — think pudding, fruit yogurts or ice cream — and can add to the daily intake. Check out the assortment of low-fat varieties of sweet treats now available.

3. Start with cereal
Cereal is not only a hearty way to start off the day, but a healthy one, too. Consider using milk in place of water when preparing hot cereals.

4. Combine it with cheese
Adding cheese to sandwiches and salads provides extra zing — and additional calcium — to meals. Try goat cheese, feta and blue cheese in addition to the more traditional ones.

5. Eat green
Remember nondairy sources of calcium: Stir-fry up some broccoli or make a spinach quiche in a pre-made crust for a calcium fix — in addition to many other vitamins those meals provide that are critical to your child's diet.

6. Opt for orange juice
For picky drinkers who push away glasses of milk, try orange juice. Many brands are fortified with extra calcium, making it as full of the mineral as its counterpart.

7. Do the salmon swap
A 3-oz can of salmon with bones packs in 200 mg of calcium, so swap a tuna sandwich for one made with canned salmon. Kids may not notice any difference beside the color.

8. Try tofu
One-half cup of raw, regular tofu prepared with calcium offers a whopping 434 mg of calcium — and takes on the flavor of whatever you cook it with. Try it stir-fried in your favorite Chinese marinade.

9. Consider supplements
Whenever possible, calcium should come from food sources. However, if you think your children are not getting adequate calcium from their diets, talk to your pediatrician about a calcium supplement. To ensure the best absorption, no more than 500 mg of calcium should be taken at one time.

10. Be a role model
Drink milk and eat calcium-rich snacks and meals. Explain to your children that it's no accident that these types of foods find their way into your diet; you're planning for a future with strong bones and good health.