Toddler Suddenly Refusing Milk? Here’s What to Do
Is your toddler suddenly refusing milk? Don’t panic! It’s common for kids to go through phases of rejecting familiar foods. Here are some helpful tips on how to handle this situation and ensure your child is still getting the necessary nutrients.
My toddler would easily drink 16-24 ounces of milk a day. But out of the blue, he started drinking less, barely taking a sip.
I ran through the possible culprits. Could it be a change of milk? Nope—it was the same brand as always, so I knew it couldn’t be that. Had he been eating more than usual to compensate for the missed milk? Also a no.
It’s stressful for any parent to notice her toddler has stopped drinking milk when it had been a favorite all this time.
Thankfully, I learned that there are ways to sneak milk back into your toddler’s diet. Take a look at these ideas to get him to drink milk, and hopefully, he’ll take to it once again:
Table of Contents
Offer milk in a different way
Has your toddler grown bored of the same ol’ stuff? Try offering milk in a different way. Sometimes the novelty of a new way of drinking is enough to convince him to give it another chance.
For instance, if he typically drinks milk ice cold, you can try offering it warm. If he’s still drinking from a bottle, transitioning to a sippy cup or a regular cup can be enough to entice him to give it a try. Using a fun straw can bring new excitement to drinking milk, or perhaps it’s trying a different brand.
Besides the actual milk, you can also vary where and when you offer it. You could have him drink it in different rooms of the house instead of his usual bedroom. Perhaps he drinks it before he eats his meals when he has more of an appetite or after waking up from a nap.
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Sneak milk into other meals
If your toddler won’t drink milk as a liquid beverage, sneak it into other meals.
Cereal is a popular one kids will easily eat. Not only will your toddler eat milk-soaked cereal, he just might slurp it from the bowl once the cereal has finished. My kids will finish off their bowls of cereal down to the last drop.
You can add milk or yogurt to smoothies to give him its benefits without actually drinking it plain from a cup. And cook recipes and dishes you can sneak milk into, like casseroles, mashed potatoes, and macaroni and cheese. I like to add milk to our oatmeal breakfast for extra boost and flavor.
Offer milk with regular meals
Now that milk is more of a beverage rather than a main source of nutrition, try offering it with your toddler’s regular meals. Just as everyone in the family has a drink along with their meals, so too can he.
Place a cup of milk with his breakfast, lunch, and dinner so he gets used to drinking milk along with his meals. He can feel like a part of the family partaking in their drinks rather than trying to finish a whole cup on his own.
Feed your toddler other calcium-rich food
While kids ages one to three need 700 mg of calcium a day, they can absorb that in other food besides milk. Offer yogurt or parfait, a grilled cheese sandwich, string cheese, or cottage cheese on crackers. These dairy products can add up to the calcium content your toddler needs.
Even non-dairy food offers calcium, from leafy greens like kale and spinach, to broccoli, salmon, and almonds. Beverages like the occasional orange juice, chocolate milk, or soy milk can also do the trick.
Research calcium amounts in food you’re already offering him, and you might be surprised at how much he’s already consuming.
Frequently asked questions
From birth to a year old, breast milk or formula had been your child’s main source of sustenance. Solids and baby food were supplemental and introductory, rather than his main meals.
Now that he’s a toddler, that plan gets switched: regular solid food is now his main source of nutrition, with milk as a supplemental beverage. While milk remains a great source of calcium and fat, he should now take in most of his calories through food.
Conclusion
Seeing your toddler suddenly refusing milk he had once loved can be concerning for any parent. Thankfully, you can try a few strategies to get him interested once more, or at least provide other ways for him to consume those nutrients.
And keep offering milk in a casual way—he just might finish a whole cup before you know it.
Get more tips:
- Top Questions About Transitioning from Breastmilk to Whole Milk
- How to Introduce Milk to a 1 Year Old
- What to Do When Your 2 Year Old Fights Diaper Changes
- Need a Toddler Schedule? 15 Examples That Will Actually Make Life Easier
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