They are essential in a healthy diet for children and provide important nutrients such as high-quality protein and calcium for growth and bone formation. Children and young people, just like adults, currently eat too much fat, especially in the form of saturated fatty acids. Therefore low-fat milk and dairy products should be preferred.
Instead of the usual whole milk, semi-skimmed milk with 1.5% fat can be used. Yoghurt and soured milk are used as low-fat variants (1.5% fat), quark and cream cheese in the lean stage or a maximum of 20% fat content. Skimmed milk (0.3% fat) and such dairy products (yogurt or quark with 0.3% fat or less) are not suitable for infant nutrition.
They contain too few fat-soluble vitamins A and D. The fat content of cheese is usually indicated in fat in dry matter (fat in dry matter) on the packaging. For semi-hard cheese, a fat content of 30% to a maximum of 45% is preferable. For cream cheese, choose the low-fat varieties.
Although a certain amount of fat-soluble vitamins is lost during the heating and skimming of dairy products, the calcium content is not changed. The calcium content of cheese is significantly higher than that of milk, yogurt and soured milk. Already 30 g of semi-hard cheese provide as much calcium as 200 ml of milk.
There are children who do not like milk. An alternative would be yoghurt, soured milk, buttermilk or a mixed drink made from milk and fresh fruit or cocoa. You can also “hide” milk in sauces, soups, mashed potatoes or pancakes.
Ready-made fruit yoghurts and similar products from the refrigerator shelf and special children’s milk products usually contain too much sugar and fat but hardly any fresh fruit. Self-prepared from low-fat yogurt plus fresh fruit is a far more valuable food. If there is not enough time, even ready-made dairy products can be mixed with low-fat natural yoghurt. This also helps you get used to a less sweet taste.
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