Dairy - 3 Serves
3 Serves of Dairy Every Day is as Easy as 1,2,3!
Three serves of dairy - such as milk, cheese and yogurt - every day as part of a healthy diet will provide most children with their recommended dietary intake (RDI) for calcium. Three daily serves of dairy will also supply a package of other essential nutrients which we now know are important for building unbeatable bones.
Three serves every day is as easy as:
1) a glass (250ml) of milk, and
2) a tub (200g) of yogurt, and
3) a piece (40g) of cheese
Milk, cheese and yogurt provide the essential nutrients needed by growing bodies to help optimise peak bone mass and bone strength. Three serves of dairy supplies approximately 900mg of calcium.
Remember that milk, cheese and yogurt are the richest and most reliable sources of calcium in the Australian diet. The easiest way for children to meet their calcium needs is to consume three serves of dairy food every day.
Milk - One of the Best Drinks for Children
The Australian Dietary Guidelines for Children and Adolescents state: 'A child's fluid needs are best met by water and milk'. Plain water is a great choice for keeping children and adolescents well hydrated, as it provides fluid without any calories.
Milk also contains water for rehydration and is one of the best, nutrient-rich drinks for school children to enjoy every day. Milk provides active children with many of the essential nutrients needed to build healthy bones.
Although fruit juice can provide some valuable nutrients, children should not consume too much. Sugary soft drinks, fruit drinks and cordials provide unnecessary calories for little nutrition. They may also replace healthier drinks such as milk and could contribute to tooth decay.
Children's drink choices while at school can make a difference to their overall health. School is an ideal place to teach young children how to make healthy choices. By choosing the best drinks, children will be more likely to have a better overall diet, and to achieve their recommended dairy and calcium intake.
More information - Drinks in Schools Fact Sheet
Not only are dairy foods rich in bone-building nutrients but they also taste great! Whether it's enjoying milk with cereal or in a milkshake, grabbing a nutritious on-the-go snack of yogurt, or savouring a cheese sandwich, dairy is an important part of most Australians' diet, every day.
And getting dairy into students' day is easy with the wide selection that is available. Milk, cheese and yogurt are all produced in a range of varieties, flavours and packages to suit different tastes and uses.
There is also a wide range of regular, reduced-fat, and low-fat dairy foods available to suit individual diets and lifestyles. For example, regular milk is a good choice for children (such as active teenagers) who enjoy the taste of milk and have no reason to reduce their calorie or fat intake. Regular milk (containing only 3.8% fat) is also recommended for children under the age of two (once weaned off breast milk or formula) as young children require the calories and fat for growth and development. Reduced-fat milks (approximately 1.4% fat) are suitable for children between the ages of two and five years and once a child reaches five years, low-fat milks (less than 0.1% fat) may be used.
Encouraging Your Students to Have 3 Serves of Dairy Every Day
As discussed, rapid growth during childhood brings with it a significant increase in nutrient requirements so it is important that children enjoy a healthy, well-balanced diet.
Research has shown that children who regularly consume dairy foods have better quality diets and are more likely to have an adequate intake of many essential nutrients than those who consume very few dairy foods.
So, encouraging your students to enjoy three serves of dairy every day will help ensure that they get the calcium, plus a wide range of other essential nutrients, they need. They'll love it and so will their bones!
Here are some tips that can help children get their three serves of dairy every day:
- adopt a healthy canteen policy that includes plenty of milk, cheese and yogurt on the menu;
- encourage children to drink milk instead of highly sweetened drinks with little nutrition - after all, milk is one of the best drinks for children;
- have kids track whether they achieve 'three serves of dairy daily' for a week and chart and compare results see the Dairy Diary.
- utilise the Discover Dairy - 3 serves every day education program in your classroom to educate children about the wonderful benefits of consuming dairy.
More information - Three Serves Fact Sheet.
Now go to Curriculum Material.