Delight your kids with these healthy dairy treats Since bones grow the
most during the childhood and teen years, it’s especially important
that kids get all the calcium their bodies need to mature into strong,
healthy adults. Together milk, cheese and yogurt provide a unique package
of nine essential nutrients that greatly improve kids’ overall diets
and boost their bone health. Increasing your children’s dairy intake
now can make a lifelong difference, and it’s easy to do. Including
dairy in every meal is one way to keep your children’s hunger
in check while helping them stay energized throughout the day. Try
these quick and healthy dairy suggestions as well as our dairy-packed recipes
to ensure your kids gets all the bone-building nutrients they need.
In Big Y’s dairy case, you’ll find milk, yogurt and cheese
products to satisfy every family member’s taste and nutritional needs.
Ask your kids to pick out their favorite dairy products on your next
shopping trip and involve them in preparing a calcium-rich meal. Remember,
providing good nutrition for your family is a key ingredient of growing
up healthy and strong.
Strawberry Banana Yogurt Smoothie
Breakfast
Blend smoothies. Use yogurt, skim milk, bananas and berries to make
a nutritious and filling breakfast treat.
Flavor it up. Flavored milk has just as much calcium as plain milk
and research shows that kids who consume flavored milk drink more
milk and less soft drinks and fruit drinks. Try strawberry, chocolate,
malt or vanilla in 2% or low fat varieties. Enjoy a cheesy omelet. Mix
cheese into eggs for a filling, high-protein, energizing start to your
kids’ day.
Fortify their oatmeal. Make your children’s oatmeal, cream of wheat
or grits with milk, not water, to increase their calcium intake.
Lunch
Layer it. Always include a cheese slice on their meat sandwiches,
or opt to make a grilled cheese sandwich or quesadillas. Get on a roll.
Roll Monterey Jack or other cheese into a whole wheat tortilla and dip
in salsa. Or smear cream cheese onto a tortilla, cover with shredded
carrots and ham and roll. Melt it. Serve them tortilla chips with melted
cheese or mini-pizzas on wheat muffins with melted mozzarella. Soup’s
on. Enjoy a cup of tomato soup prepared with milk or try a cheese-broccoli
soup.
Dinner
Slim down your children’s meals. Cut calories and fat without cutting
calcium by using low fat cheeses to prepare healthy versions of some of
your children’s favorite dishes. Try it in lasagna, macaroni and
cheese and burritos. Enjoy your veggies. Melt cheese on broccoli, place
a dollop of sour cream or plain yogurt on baked potatoes or sprinkle grated
cheese on top of salads. Don’t forget dessert. Pudding made with
milk is a sweet way to end your day.
Snacks
Warm up. For a richer, calcium-packed drink, make hot cocoa mixed
with milk, not water.
Take it with you. For dairy to go, provide your kids with string
cheese and whole wheat crackers, drinkable yogurt or single servings of
cottage cheese mixed with their favorite fruit.
Dunk it. Dip graham crackers or other cookies like vanilla wafers
into a cold glass of milk.
Bury the berries. Top berries off with a whipped dairy topping or
make a parfait by layering berries, vanilla yogurt and granola. Spear it.
Make kabobs with cheese cubes and serve with ranch dressing or try fruit
kabobs with a yogurt dip.
Freeze it. Blend strawberry milk or yogurt with fresh strawberries
and freeze as popsicles, or freeze yogurt in tubes for a quick, creamy
treat.
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Grilled Ham and Cheese Sandwich
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Visit Big Y’s Patisserie for a delectable selection of fresh-baked seasonal sweets!
