How to Feed Your Child Enough Calcium

Calcium is an essential mineral for your child's health. It's especially important for the development of strong bones, heart rhythm and muscle function. [1] To make sure your kids get enough calcium, serve them healthy proteins, dairy products, fruits, and vegetables that are rich in calcium. Add calcium-rich foods to meals and snacks. Keep track of the calcium and other nutrients your child is consuming to make sure they're getting a healthy diet.

Part 1
Part 1 of 3:

Identifying Healthy Calcium-Rich Foods

  1. Calcium is found in a variety of dairy products, so incorporating healthy dairy into your child's diet can help them get enough calcium. Go for plain yogurts, cheeses, and milk. [2]
    • Children age 2-3 should have 2 cups of dairy per day, while children 4-8 should have 2 ½ cups per day. Children between 9 and 18 should have 3 cups of dairy per day. [3]
    • If your child is lactose intolerant, focus on getting calcium from other sources. However, lactose intolerant children may be able to tolerate small amounts of milk and yogurt when they're mixed with other foods like cereals. [4]
  2. Fruits and vegetables should be a staple of every healthy diet. Calcium is found in a variety of fruits and vegetables. To up your child's calcium intake, include the following fruits and veggies in their diet: [5]
    • Oranges
    • Rhubarb
    • Collard greens
    • Spinach
    • Bok choy
    • Beets
    • Turnips
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  3. If you serve your child cereal for breakfast in the morning, look for calcium-rich options. Opt for brands of cereal fortified with calcium. This is a quick, easy, and healthy way to add calcium to your child's diet. [6]
    • Make sure to read a cereal's nutritional label prior to purchase. Cereals, especially children's cereals, are sometimes high in added sugar. Pick a calcium-fortified cereal without a lot of sugar.
  4. Sources of protein often contain calcium as well. Go for lean meats, beans, and nuts for healthy sources of calcium from protein. Choose some of the following for your child: [7]
    • White beans
    • Eggs
    • Hummus
    • Salmon
    • Sardines
    • Soybeans
    • Tofu fortified with calcium
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Part 2
Part 2 of 3:

Adding Extra Calcium to Meals

  1. Many kids love drinking juices like orange juice for breakfast. At the supermarket, choose calcium-fortified juices. This is an easy way to get more calcium in your child's diet. [8]
    • Make sure the juices you choose are made without added sugar.
    • While calcium-fortified juice is healthy in small doses, limit their consumption to 4-6 ounces per day. Juice has a lot of sugar and does not contain the same nutrients as whole fruit.
  2. When choosing foods at the supermarket, go for foods marked "calcium fortified." Cereals, bread, tofu, and other products are often fortified with calcium. If you're going to be serving something like bagels for breakfast anyway, grabbing calcium-fortified bagels is a great way to up your child's calcium intake without a lot of extra hassle. [9]
  3. Add yogurt and milk to your child's meals to up their calcium intake. You can add yogurt and milk to smoothies, sauces, batters, and fruit salads to up your child's calcium intake [10]
    • Make sure to opt for plain yogurt. Flavored yogurt often has a lot of extra sugar.
  4. When serving your child snacks, make sure they're packed with calcium. Give your kids things like crackers with cheese or fruit mixed with plain yogurt. Use cottage cheese or hummus as a dip for vegetables like carrots and celery.
  5. Beans, especially white beans, are often rich in calcium. Add white beans to soups or top salad with white beans or chickpeas. [11]
    • Beans can be used as a staple for a meal instead of meat. Try making a vegetarian meal once a week using beans for added calcium intake. You could, for example, serve vegetarian chili made with beans.
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Part 3
Part 3 of 3:

Ensuring a Balanced Diet

  1. Calcium is important to your child's diet. However, you do not want your kids to get too much calcium. Make sure you track your child's overall calcium intake and feed them the right amount based on their age. [12]
    • Between the ages of one and three, children need 700 milligrams of calcium per day.
    • Between four and eight, children need 1,000 milligrams of calcium per day.
    • Between 9 and 18, children need 1,300 milligrams of calcium per day.
  2. Milk can be a good source of calcium, but it is not the right choice for all children. If you want to give your kids milk as a source of calcium, wait until they're at least one year old. Children between one and two should only drink whole milk and you should limit the intake to 16 ounces per day. After the age of two, make the switch to low-fat or skim milk. [13]
    • While milk is the best-known source of calcium, it is by far from the only source. If your child dislikes milk or is lactose intolerant, you can get enough calcium from other sources.
  3. Calcium supplements can help if your child is not getting adequate calcium from their diet. You should talk to your doctor before putting your child on any supplement, however. If you're concerned about your child's calcium intake, make an appointment with a doctor to talk about supplements.
  4. Vitamin D, which comes from sunlight, helps the body absorb calcium. Encourage your children to play outside each day. [14]
    • When your children are playing in sunlight, make sure they wear sunscreen.
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Expert Q&A

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  • Question
    What happens if a child doesn't get enough calcium?
    Claudia Carberry, RD, MS
    Registered Dietitian
    Claudia Carberry is a Registered Dietitian based in Little Rock, Arkansas. Claudia specializes in kidney transplants and counseling patients for weight loss. She works at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences center, and has been working there since 2015. Before her current role, she worked as a Clinical Nutrition Manager at Jefferson Regional Medical Center. She is a member of the Arkansas Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Claudia received her MS in Nutrition from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, where she completed her 1200 hour dietetic internship. She received a BS in Nutrition Sciences from Southeast Missouri State University.
    Claudia Carberry, RD, MS
    Registered Dietitian
    Expert Answer
    A calcium deficiency may result in weak or brittle bones. Since kids are constantly growing, calcium is very important throughout childhood to ensure they develop strong bones.
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  • Question
    How much calcium should a child have?
    Claudia Carberry, RD, MS
    Registered Dietitian
    Claudia Carberry is a Registered Dietitian based in Little Rock, Arkansas. Claudia specializes in kidney transplants and counseling patients for weight loss. She works at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences center, and has been working there since 2015. Before her current role, she worked as a Clinical Nutrition Manager at Jefferson Regional Medical Center. She is a member of the Arkansas Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Claudia received her MS in Nutrition from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, where she completed her 1200 hour dietetic internship. She received a BS in Nutrition Sciences from Southeast Missouri State University.
    Claudia Carberry, RD, MS
    Registered Dietitian
    Expert Answer
    Children need between 700-1300 mg of calcium per day, depending on their age. Read through the article to find out the specific amounts for each age.
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  • Question
    What foods contain calcium for babies?
    Claudia Carberry, RD, MS
    Registered Dietitian
    Claudia Carberry is a Registered Dietitian based in Little Rock, Arkansas. Claudia specializes in kidney transplants and counseling patients for weight loss. She works at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences center, and has been working there since 2015. Before her current role, she worked as a Clinical Nutrition Manager at Jefferson Regional Medical Center. She is a member of the Arkansas Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Claudia received her MS in Nutrition from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, where she completed her 1200 hour dietetic internship. She received a BS in Nutrition Sciences from Southeast Missouri State University.
    Claudia Carberry, RD, MS
    Registered Dietitian
    Expert Answer
    Babies should drink breast milk. If the baby has to have formula, it should contain calcium. Talk to your pediatrician about calcium for your baby.
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      Tips

      • If your child drinks a milk substitute, make sure it is fortified with calcium. For example, Lactaid fortifies each serving with 500 mg calcium. Check the label on soy milk, rice milk, or almond milk to see if calcium is added.
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      • Speak with your pediatrician if you have concerns about your child getting enough calcium in their diet.
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      Warnings

      • Ice cream, butter, and other high fat or high sugar dairy options are NOT substitutes for milk and should not be eaten in order to get calcium in the diet.
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      References

      1. ↑ http://kidshealth.org/en/parents/calcium.html
      2. ↑ http://kidshealth.org/en/parents/calcium.html#
      3. ↑ https://www.choosemyplate.gov/dairy
      4. ↑ https://www.niams.nih.gov/health_info/Bone/Bone_Health/Juvenile/default.asp
      5. ↑ https://www.urmc.rochester.edu/childrens-hospital/nutrition/calcium.aspx
      6. ↑ https://www.health.ny.gov/publications/1992/index.htm
      7. ↑ https://www.urmc.rochester.edu/childrens-hospital/nutrition/calcium.aspx
      8. ↑ https://www.niams.nih.gov/health_info/Bone/Bone_Health/Juvenile/default.asp
      9. ↑ http://kidshealth.org/en/parents/calcium.html#
      1. ↑ http://kidshealth.org/en/parents/calcium.html#
      2. ↑ http://kidshealth.org/en/parents/calcium.html#
      3. ↑ http://kidshealth.org/en/parents/calcium.html#
      4. ↑ http://kidshealth.org/en/parents/calcium.html#
      5. ↑ http://kidshealth.org/en/parents/calcium.html#

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