(WSYR-TV) — It’s Dairy Day at the Great New York State Fair. From the start, we showed you the butter sculpture, and we even heard from the dairy ambassadors themselves.
Now we are going to help families get into a healthy routine as school will be starting soon. Registered dietitian Emily Tills on behalf of the American Dairy Association North East shared some tips.
Emily paired – milk, cheese and yogurt – with other healthy foods like fruits, vegetables and whole grains. These pairings can help build good eating habits, allowing children to grow and thrive for the school year ahead.
Emily reminds us that dairy foods provide essential nutrients that help healthy brains, bones and bodies grow. This is especially important for children.
Dairy can be introduced to kids between 6-12 months of age with cheese and yogurt, and increased thru childhood so that by age 9 and up, we’re consuming 3 servings a day.
As simple as it sounds, unfortunately, many children fall short of dairy recommendations at an early age – of just 4-8 years old.
However, dairy foods can be some of the most economical sources of nutrition at about 20 cents per serving.
You can find a list of the American Dairy Association North East’s “perfect pairings” and much more nutrition information at AmericanDairy.com/ChildNutrition.
