With Summer in full swing, parents may be wondering how to ensure their children are staying hydrated and maintaining nutritious diets to help them get the nutrients they need. One out of two kids ages 9 and up are missing out on key nutrients like calcium, vitamin D and potassium – nutrients critical for their growth and development. And, most kids younger than nine are falling short on vitamin D and potassium.1
Chef Lorena Garcia make it easy to help close the nutrient gap with delicious recipes that you make and serve with real milk! Kids already love it and it's a naturally nutrient-rich, wholesome food that moms can feel good about serving. While plant-based alternatives, including almond, soy and coconut are labeled as milk, these non-dairy milks do not have the same nutritional value as real milk. Real dairy milk provides 8 grams of high quality protein and eight other nutrients such as calcium and potassium.
Pediatrician Dr. Ilan Shapiro recommends serving milk at meals and water in between to help kids get the recommended servings of milk to help fuel their bodies. "Milk is the top food source for calcium, vitamin D and potassium. Children who fall short on these key nutrients could be at risk for things like an increased risk of fractures, not reaching their full height potential and even a greater chance of osteoporosis as an adult. It is really hard for kids to get enough of these nutrients without milk. Swapping in water or dairy milk alternatives just does not give the same nutrients," says Dr. Shapiro.
Want to learn more about how milk alternatives compare to real milk? Visit FuertesconLeche.com for this and ways to pour more dairy milk with nutritious, mom and kid-approved recipes to make and pair with it. You will find great summer refreshers like a Matcha Tea Smoothie for mom and Chef Lorena Garcia's Paletas de Fresa that everybody can enjoy.
Chef Lorena Garcia's Paletas de Fresa Servings: 8
Ingredients: 2.5 cups whole milk 3 ounces heavy cream 10.5 ounces strawberry, pureed and strained to remove seeds 2 tablespoons agave or sugar optional toppings (melted white chocolate) (rainbow sprinkles)
In a large sauce pot at low-medium heat, combine the milk, cream and sugar or agave and bring to a simmer until the sugar is dissolved. Remove from the heat. Fold in the strawberry puree and combine until the entire mixture is a light pink color. Let cool. Pour the cooled mixture into popsicle molds. Freeze overnight. For even more fun, dip in melted chocolate and add rainbow sprinkles.
