How Much Milk Should A 1-Year-Old Drink?
As your little one turns one, you may be wondering how their nutritional needs are changing, especially when it comes to milk consumption. Milk plays a vital role in a toddler's diet, but getting the right balance is essential, and you might be wondering how much milk a toddler should drink.
How much milk a 1-year-old should drink is one of the most common questions I get as a registered pediatric dietitian specializing in infant feeding. Parents want to know which milk is best, how much to offer, and what to do if their child can’t or won’t drink milk.
Some kids love milk and, if left to their own devices, will drink it all day in place of food; others prefer to drink it in moderation, and others reject or cannot tolerate it altogether. Some families follow a plant-based diet, leaving parents wondering which alternative milk source is best for their child.
In this blog post, we’ll go over how much milk per day is recommended for a 1-year-old, and I’ll provide insights into the benefits of milk (both cow’s and plant-based), choosing the right milk for your child and creating a healthy feeding schedule.
How Much Whole Milk Should a Toddler Drink?
At one year of age, it's typically time to transition from breast milk or formula to whole cow's milk. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) suggests that children aged 1 to 2 should drink whole milk because it contains essential fats for their growth and brain development.
Some parents choose to continue breastfeeding or offering breast milk in a cup beyond the first year of life. Breast milk has amazing immune protection and nutrition, and the AAP and World Health Organization (WHO) recommend continuing to offer it until age 2 or beyond.
A good rule of thumb is to limit milk intake for kids between ages 1-9 to about 16 ounces per day (2 cups). Otherwise, offer water often as a beverage and include other nutrient-dense solid foods as a part of meals and snacks.
To ensure your child gets the right amount of milk and maintains a balanced diet, it can be helpful to establish a feeding schedule. Here's a sample schedule to get you started:
Morning: Start the day with breakfast and a serving of whole milk, typically around 6 oz, in a straw or open cup
Mid-Morning Snack: Offer a healthy snack, such as sliced fruit or yogurt, with water in a cup
Lunch: 6 oz of whole milk with a balanced lunch
Afternoon Snack: Healthy snack, such as cucumbers with hummus, with water in a cup
Dinner: Offer a nutritious dinner with water in a cup
Bedtime: Some parents choose to offer a serving of milk (4-6 oz) before bedtime to help their child sleep; however, it's important to avoid giving in a bottle and be sure to brush teeth afterward to prevent tooth decay
Pay attention to your child's hunger cues and preferences. Some 1-year-olds may not drink the recommended amount of milk but still receive sufficient nutrition from their meals and snacks. Others may enjoy milk throughout the day. It's important to be flexible and adapt to your child's needs.
What are the nutritional benefits of cow’s milk for toddlers?
Milk is an excellent source of protein, healthy fats, and essential nutrients, most notably calcium and vitamin D.
Calcium
Calcium is an essential nutrient that we know is important for many reasons, including bone health throughout all stages of life. According to the Dietary Reference Intakes (DRIs), a set of reference values used to assess nutrient intakes for generally healthy people, the amount of calcium needed for children ages 1-3 is 700mg per day.
While it can be helpful to know how much calcium is recommended daily, it’s even more important to understand how these DRIs translate into actual foods when you feed your kids. Here are some examples of the amount of calcium found in typical foods, according to the USDA FoodData Central:
8 fluid ounces (or 1 cup) of cow’s milk = ~300 mg
1 Colby jack cheese slice (about ¾ oz) = 150 mg
½ cup of nonfat yogurt = 250 mg
½ cup of calcium-set soft tofu, cut into ½-inch cubes = 140 mg
Cow’s milk and other dairy products are excellent sources of calcium and can easily help children meet their daily calcium needs; however, dairy is not the only source. A few good non-dairy sources of calcium include fortified soy milk, tofu, soybeans, fortified breakfast cereals, spinach, chia seeds, and bok choy.
Calcium is an interesting nutrient because overt symptoms of inadequate calcium in the diet often aren’t noticed right away. Levels of calcium in the blood tend to stay constant, but later in life, if calcium intake has been insufficient, the bones may suffer.
Osteoporosis, or “porous bone,” is a disease caused by a long-term lack of calcium in the diet in which the risk of bone fracture is increased due to reduced bone density and quality. Girls are at higher risk for developing osteoporosis down the road, but boys can develop it, too.
Regular physical activity and weight-bearing exercise also stimulate bone building and are important for maintaining healthy bones throughout life, so visit those playgrounds, role model physical activity, and enjoy running around with your kids - everybody benefits!
Vitamin D
Vitamin D is a vital nutrient that supports bone growth, regulates calcium levels, reduces inflammation, and improves immune function. The recommended dietary allowance of Vitamin D per day is 600 IU for children ages 1-3. One cup of cow’s milk has about 120 IU of vitamin D. Most plant-based milks have about 100-144 IU of Vitamin D in 1 cup.
Vitamin D is found naturally in some foods like salmon, yogurt, cheese, and mushrooms and is also produced in our bodies when we get natural sunlight. Cow’s milk and other plant-based milks are fortified with vitamin D.
Some kids are more at risk for vitamin D deficiency if they have little sunlight exposure, have darker skin color, are lactose intolerant, or eat a vegetarian or vegan diet. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, about 42% of Americans are deficient in vitamin D. “Among children between 1 to 11 years old, an estimated 15% have vitamin D deficiency. And researchers have found that 17% of adolescents and 32% of young adults were deficient in vitamin D.” Vitamin D is the only supplement that the AAP routinely recommends for all children.
What happens when toddlers drink too much milk?
Cow’s milk can offer an easy way to ensure that kids are meeting their calcium and Vitamin D needs; however, drinking too much is not recommended for a few reasons. First, too much milk in the diet raises the risk that it will replace and/or inhibit the absorption of other important nutrients, most notably iron, zinc, and magnesium.
Iron deficiency anemia is common in kids who drink a lot of milk (more than 24 ounces per day). This is due to a protein in milk called lactoferrin, which binds to iron and prevents absorption into the bloodstream. Too much milk can also interfere with a child's appetite for other essential foods and may prevent them from feeling hungry at meal times.
Another risk of excess milk intake in kids is constipation. If you’ve ever dealt with a little one who is struggling with difficulties going number two, you’re probably well aware of how important it is to a child’s well-being and comfort to prevent constipation from becoming a larger issue!
It is also recommended to avoid giving raw or unpasteurized cow’s milk due to the risk of foodborne illness. The bacteria that can be found in raw milk from cows, goats, and sheep can cause very serious illness, especially in young toddlers and children.
What if my child doesn’t like or can’t tolerate cow’s milk?
While milk is an excellent source of calcium and vitamin D, it's not the only one. Do not fret if your toddler doesn’t prefer or can’t tolerate or drink cow’s milk! It can be easy to maintain a healthy diet with other foods high in protein, calcium, vitamin D, and healthy fats.
If your child has a milk allergy and/or can't tolerate dairy, or if you prefer plant-based alternatives, here is a guide that will help you determine which milk alternative is best for your child. Choose alternative milks that are unflavored and unsweetened, as it is not recommended that kids under age 2 have any added sugars in their diet.
You can also add your milk of choice to prepared foods to reap its benefits, for example, making these easy Blender Banana Pancakes with whole milk or these delicious Apple Oat Bars (perfect timing with the crisp fall air coming in October!)
If you are concerned about your child’s eating habits and want to learn how to establish a healthy family feeding dynamic from the ground up, check out my online course, Solve Picky Eating, a self-paced set of 12 modules that are delivered quickly in 5-15 minute videos.
For more tips on feeding kids, grab my FREE guide to reducing picky eating. And if you're looking for personalized nutrition support for yourself or your kids, I am currently accepting new clients in my virtual private practice. Thanks for reading!
Checkout this 13 month old angel drinking milk from a cup and straw with assistance from her mom! Thank you to this cutie’s parents for allowing permission to share.