The Best Milk for Toddlers

With so many options and nutritional considerations, choosing the best milk for toddlers may be tricky. This in-depth post will help you to make the most informed decision.

Jump to:

• Top Common Questions Answered
• Milk Nutrition Comparison Chart
• Best Milk for 1 to 2 year olds
• Best Milk for 2 years and older
• Best non-dairy milk for toddlers
• Does a toddler need to drink milk?
• To sum

Top Common Questions Answered

Milk Nutrition Comparison Chart

Here's a chart for a comparison of common unflavored, unsweetened milk alternatives. The numbers are based on USDA nutrient database.

Do check your labels as protein and vitamin content may differ depending on the brand you get.

Type (1 cup)	Calories	Protein (g)	Fat (g)	Calcium (mg)	Vitamin D (IU)	Iron (mg)
Breastmilk	172	2.5	11	79	10	0.07
Whole Cow's Milk	150	8	8	306	128	0.07
2% Cow's Milk	122	4.8	4.9	293	117	0.05
Goat's Milk	168	10	9	327	128	0.122
Soy Milk	105	3.6	6.3	300	108	1
Pea Milk	70	4.5	8	465	120	1
Hemp Milk	70	5	3	300	100	1.8
Oat Milk	130	2.5	4	350	100	1.8
Coconut Milk	76	5.1	0.5	459	96	0.73
Almond Milk	37	2.7	1.4	481	96	0.85
Rice Milk	115	2.4	0.68	288	96	0.49

Best Milk for 1 to 2 year olds

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends WHOLE cow's milk in the absence of a dairy allergy.

That's because, as you can see in the chart above, cow's milk is an excellent and convenient source of many of the key nutrients. It's also readily available and cost-effective compared to others. 

Now, I know there's a lot of misinformation out there that you MUST introduce cow's milk at a year. That's simply not true.

Again, referring to the chart, breastmilk has a higher fat content compared to whole cow's milk, and the nutrients are more bioavailable as well, meaning they are more easily absorbed in the body.

As long as you're nursing at least 3-4 times a day, there's no need to add cow's milk. 

However, the two key nutrients during this age, calcium and vitamin D, are quite low in breastmilk. Therefore, you must ensure that your child is getting adequate amounts through their diet. More on this below. 

Best Milk for 2 years and older

While the recommendation is to switch to low-fat milk at this time to reduce total fat intake, there's a lack of evidence to show its overall benefit.

The fact is, fat is an ESSENTIAL part of a well-balanced diet and super important for not only babies but young toddlers. They continue to have increased caloric requirements for growth and brain development. 

Not to mention, a low-fat diet often leads to high carbohydrate intake with inadequate nutrients. So rather than trying to eliminate fat from your child's diet, focus on offering healthy fats!

Saturated fat in whole milk, cheese, or coconut oil is different from the saturated fat found in pizza, fried foods, baked goods, and other processed meat products. Trans fat, is one type of fat you do want to avoid completely! 

I personally am still serving whole-fat dairy to my 2-year-old. It definitely keeps him fuller for longer.

Best non-dairy milk for toddlers

As you can see in the milk comparison chart above, the best choices that will help meet your toddler's nutritional needs are soy and pea milks.

If it's necessary for your child to consume milk other than these options, it may be helpful to consult with your pediatrician or a registered dietitian to make sure that your child is getting the adequate nutrition they need to for them to grow and thrive.

A brief note about soy

I get asked this question A LOT, so I thought it's worth mentioning here. Many parents are concerned about serving soy products to their children due to fear that it may cause cancer or feminization in boys. It's true that soy foods contain isoflavones (a phytoestrogen), which are similar to hormone estrogen in structure. However, phytoestrogen and estrogen are not the same, and they behave differently in the body.

All this to say, a moderate consumption of 1 to 2 servings of whole soy foods, such as tofu, soy milk, edamame, and soy nuts are deemed safe, according to the American Institute for Cancer Research.

A serving equals: 1 cup of soymilk, ½ cup of tofu, tempeh, or soybeans. Avoid processed soy products, like soy burgers, bars, etc. 

Related: How to Prepare Tofu

Selecting dairy-free milk:

• Look at the ingredient list! Oftentimes these milk have a really long list. Shorter the better.
• Make sure to look for full fat, plain, and unsweetened option.
• Shake up the bottle really well before serving as the fortified nutrients settle to the bottom.
• Make sure it's fortified with calcium (you'll see it listed in the ingredient list either as calcium carbonate or tri-calcium phosphate. Choose the one with calcium carbonate as it's more absorbable.) and vitamin D.

Does a toddler need to drink milk?

Yes and no. Milk is such a convenient way to provide the key nutrients that they need. However, as long as your child is getting the adequate amounts of protein, fat, calcium, and vitamin D through food, it's not required.

Good dietary sources for:

• Fat: avocado, nuts, seeds, fatty fish, eggs, oils (e.g. olive, avocado, coconut, sesame, walnut, canola), whole fat or 2% dairy products
• Protein: meats, poultry, fish, peas, beans, lentils, eggs, grains, nuts, seeds, cheese, yogurt
• Calcium: yogurt, cheese, green leafy vegetables (spinach, collards, kale), broccoli, cabbage, tofu and other soy products, beans, nuts and seeds, seafood/fish (with bones), fortified foods (e.g. cereals, bread), backstrap molasses
• Vitamin D: this is a challenging nutrient to meet from our diets so  you may need to supplement if you're not doing cow's milk. It's found in the flesh of the fatty fish (like salmon, tuna, mackerel), beef liver, cheese, egg yolks, mushrooms, and fortified foods like cheese, yogurt, and cereals. 

To sum

The best milk for your child is one that will help meet your child's nutritional, medical needs, and taste preferences.