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Top Calcium-Rich Foods for Toddlers & Kids (Including Non-Dairy Sources)
June 2022
Last reviewed: October 2022
Author:
Lt. Robert Wallace
Coauthors:
Jennifer Anderson, MSPH, RDN
About Kids Eat in Color
Created by experts, Kids Eat in Color is the leading resource for families seeking evidence-based information and strategies on child nutrition and feeding.
Author:
Lt. Robert Wallace
Coauthors:
Jennifer Anderson, MSPH, RDN
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Inside: Learn the benefits of calcium for kids, plus how much calcium kids need each day. See lists of the top calcium-rich foods for toddlers, kids and babies.
Calcium is instrumental for babies, toddlers and kids and their growing bodies.
Many parents and caretakers wonder if their children are getting enough calcium for their bodies to thrive, especially if they have a child or toddler that doesn’t drink milk.
Whether your child consumes dairy products or not, you can learn how much calcium children need, why kids need calcium and the best food sources of calcium for kids and more.
In this article, our pediatric dietitian explains everything parents need to know about calcium-rich foods for toddlers, kids and babies.
Make sure to feed your baby some of these calcium-rich foods.
Related: Between 7-10 months of age, your baby will begin developing their pincer grasp. O’s cereal and foods like tofu cut into small cubes can help them practice this important self-feeding skill.
Best calcium-rich foods for toddlers, 1-3 years old
Try some of these calcium foods to increase the amount of calcium in your toddler’s diet.
Calcium fortified tofu; 4 oz, 775 mg
Oat milk, full fat; 1 cup, 350 mg
Milk, whole; 1 cup, 300 mg
Soymilk, unsweetened; 1 cup, 299 mg
Yogurt, full fat, unsweetened (Greek); 4 oz, 226 mg
Does your child eat some the best high-calcium foods?
Why is calcium important for kids?
Calcium offers many benefits to children, toddlers and babies. While calcium is most commonly noted for its bone health benefits, this mineral is also important for nerve function, heart beat, muscle contraction and blood clotting.
It is important to have enough calcium in your diet because when there is a low amount of calcium in your blood, it pulls any additional calcium it needs from your bones.
Over a long period of time, this can lead to weaker bones and a higher chance of fractures.
Calcium is especially important for children because it is fundamental for building strong bones that they’ll need into adulthood.
Childhood is the ideal time to build bone mass because bone density begins to decrease over time. (1)
Related: Make sure your child is eating enough calcium-rich foods and download our free picky eating guide for help!
Calcium and vitamin D
Did you know that vitamin D helps your toddler’s body absorb calcium? It does! It’s important for your child to get enough of both calcium and vitamin D for their body to function optimally. (4)
Related: If you’re concerned your child doesn’t eat enough calcium because they are a picky eater, you may want to check out our BetterBites® picky eating courses that were designed by child feeding and nutrition experts.
Calcium for toddlers & kids that don’t drink milk
If your child has dairy allergies or milk intolerance, you may wonder if they can get enough calcium from other food sources.
While calcium is found in milk and dairy products, there are plenty of non-dairy sources of calcium both in plant foods and in other foods that have been fortified with extra calcium.
Continue reading for a list of the top non-dairy calcium-rich foods for toddlers and kids.
Is calcium from plant foods as good as calcium from dairy products?
Calcium is the same whether it comes from a plant source or a dairy source. However, plant sources of calcium can also contain “anti-nutrients” like oxalic and phytic acid. These chemicals can decrease the amount of calcium that is absorbed in the body.
Anti-nutrients can be decreased by soaking, cooking, boiling, sprouting or fermenting the foods that contain them.
Regardless, we recommend offering your child a variety of foods that contain calcium, both from plant and animal sources, along with other nutrient-packed foods.
If your child doesn’t drink milk or if your family chooses to avoid dairy products, you might be curious what the best dairy-free calcium-rich foods for kids and toddlers are.
Calcium fortified tofu; 4 oz, 775 mg
Oat milk, full fat; 1 cup, 350mg
Collard greens; 1 cup cooked, 268 mg
Spinach; 1 cup cooked, 245 mg
Oatmeal; 1 cup cooked, 187 mg
Beans; 1 cup, 160 mg
Cereals, Cheerios; 1 cup 100 mg
Edamame; 1 cup, 98 mg
Sardines, 2 whole sardines, canned with bones, 92 mg
If your child is a picky eater, you likely worry if they are getting the nutrients they need to grow healthy and thrive. Picky eating can be a difficult journey for families.
Our picky eating courses can help you teach your child to eat foods rich in calcium and other important nutrients. You’ll learn how to get your child to eat a varied diet and have a positive long-term relationship with food.
If you have more questions about feeding your baby, toddlers and kids, check out these other blogs written by our team of childhood and nutrition experts.
Created by experts, Kids Eat in Color is the leading resource for families seeking evidence-based information and strategies on child nutrition and feeding.
Robert Wallace is a dietetic intern at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center. He is currently completing a MS in Nutrition through Baylor University and has a BS in International Studies from the University of Washington and a BS in Nutrition from the University of New Mexico. Robert has many years of experience working with children including teaching abroad in Shanghai, working as a school garden coordinator in Tucson, AZ, and running summer cooking camps at the Pascua Yaqui tribe Diabetes Wellness Center. Upon completing his dietetic internship at Walter Reed, Robert plans to build his clinical skill set in hope of becoming a well educated, effective policy maker for childhood nutrition. He believes that education about food including where it comes from, how it can be prepared, and the role it has in supporting health should be just as commonplace in school as math and history.
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Inside: Learn the benefits of calcium for kids, plus how much calcium kids need each day. See lists of the top calcium-rich foods for toddlers, kids and babies.
Calcium is instrumental for babies, toddlers and kids and their growing bodies.
Many parents and caretakers wonder if their children are getting enough calcium for their bodies to thrive, especially if they have a child or toddler that doesn’t drink milk.
Whether your child consumes dairy products or not, you can learn how much calcium children need, why kids need calcium and the best food sources of calcium for kids and more.
In this article, our pediatric dietitian explains everything parents need to know about calcium-rich foods for toddlers, kids and babies.
Learn about:
Best calcium-rich foods for babies
Best calcium-rich foods for toddlers
Best calcium-rich foods for kids
The benefits of calcium for kids
Calcium and vitamin D
How much calcium kids need
Calcium for kids that don’t drink milk
Calcium from plants
Non-dairy calcium-rich foods
Recipes with calcium
Top calcium-rich foods for kids by age
What can kids eat to get calcium? Here are lists of the top foods high in calcium for toddlers, babies and kids, broken down by ages.
Best calcium-rich foods for babies, 7-12 months old
Here’s a list of foods you can serve your baby once they start solids that are loaded with calcium.
Make sure to feed your baby some of these calcium-rich foods.
Related: Between 7-10 months of age, your baby will begin developing their pincer grasp. O’s cereal and foods like tofu cut into small cubes can help them practice this important self-feeding skill.
Best calcium-rich foods for toddlers, 1-3 years old
Try some of these calcium foods to increase the amount of calcium in your toddler’s diet.
See below for toddler-friendly recipes featuring some of these food sources of calcium.
Best calcium-rich foods for kids, 4-8 years old
See some great options of calcium-rich foods for kids to try.
Does your child eat some the best high-calcium foods?
Why is calcium important for kids?
Calcium offers many benefits to children, toddlers and babies. While calcium is most commonly noted for its bone health benefits, this mineral is also important for nerve function, heart beat, muscle contraction and blood clotting.
It is important to have enough calcium in your diet because when there is a low amount of calcium in your blood, it pulls any additional calcium it needs from your bones.
Over a long period of time, this can lead to weaker bones and a higher chance of fractures.
Calcium is especially important for children because it is fundamental for building strong bones that they’ll need into adulthood.
Childhood is the ideal time to build bone mass because bone density begins to decrease over time. (1)
Related: Make sure your child is eating enough calcium-rich foods and download our free picky eating guide for help!
Calcium and vitamin D
Did you know that vitamin D helps your toddler’s body absorb calcium? It does! It’s important for your child to get enough of both calcium and vitamin D for their body to function optimally. (4)
Read our blog to learn more about vitamin D for kids.
How much calcium do children need a day?
Children need anywhere from 260 mg to 1300 mg of calcium a day. See below for a breakdown of children’s daily calcium requirements by age.
Related: If you’re concerned your child doesn’t eat enough calcium because they are a picky eater, you may want to check out our BetterBites® picky eating courses that were designed by child feeding and nutrition experts.
Calcium for toddlers & kids that don’t drink milk
If your child has dairy allergies or milk intolerance, you may wonder if they can get enough calcium from other food sources.
While calcium is found in milk and dairy products, there are plenty of non-dairy sources of calcium both in plant foods and in other foods that have been fortified with extra calcium.
Continue reading for a list of the top non-dairy calcium-rich foods for toddlers and kids.
Related: Have questions about milk? Here’s some info about the best milk for toddlers, the best non-dairy milk alternatives, and raw milk.
Is calcium from plant foods as good as calcium from dairy products?
Calcium is the same whether it comes from a plant source or a dairy source. However, plant sources of calcium can also contain “anti-nutrients” like oxalic and phytic acid. These chemicals can decrease the amount of calcium that is absorbed in the body.
Anti-nutrients can be decreased by soaking, cooking, boiling, sprouting or fermenting the foods that contain them.
Regardless, we recommend offering your child a variety of foods that contain calcium, both from plant and animal sources, along with other nutrient-packed foods.
Related: Did you know iron is another important nutrient for kids? Find out the top iron-rich foods for babies, kids and toddlers.
Non-dairy calcium-rich foods
If your child doesn’t drink milk or if your family chooses to avoid dairy products, you might be curious what the best dairy-free calcium-rich foods for kids and toddlers are.
There are so many foods high in calcium for toddlers and kids that don’t drink milk or eat dairy products!
Recipes for toddlers & kids with good sources of calcium
These recipes offer kids and toddlers a good source of calcium. You can try incorporating them into your weekly rotation of meals.
Making sure kids get enough calcium
If your child is a picky eater, you likely worry if they are getting the nutrients they need to grow healthy and thrive. Picky eating can be a difficult journey for families.
Our picky eating courses can help you teach your child to eat foods rich in calcium and other important nutrients. You’ll learn how to get your child to eat a varied diet and have a positive long-term relationship with food.
Sign up for the waitlist today!
Continue reading to learn about feeding toddlers
If you have more questions about feeding your baby, toddlers and kids, check out these other blogs written by our team of childhood and nutrition experts.
References