BabyWhispererForums.com
EAT => Eating For Toddlers => Topic started by: ~Sara~ on July 06, 2011, 14:10:56 pm
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DS doesn't drink milk since he dropped all bottles at 17/18 months. He will eat yogurt and cheese, and while he gets some a few times a week, it's not every day. That leaves me worried about his calcium intake. He's tasted milk, but he'll only take a teensy sip before refusing to drink any more. It's a genuine dislike of the taste as opposed to just not wanting to try it (though he drank it in the bottle ::)).
So...I've been wondering...what if we tried chocolate milk? We drink 1% organic milk anyways, so that's healthy. I know we can buy the chocolate powder stuff that's full of vitamins and minerals, so that's healthy, too. My drawback is that's it's chocolate, which I really try to limit with him.
Do you give your kids chocolate milk? I'm not looking to start a debate; I'm just trying to figure out if the benefits outweigh the reservations.
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I would if M would drink it. There are chocolate milk powders with vitamins. M won't drink milk anymore, since he vomitted on it when he had a stomach virus. Ever since then, I have tried every variation to get him to drink it without any luck.
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Here is a list of calcium foods btw:
http://www.iofbonehealth.org/patients-public/about-osteoporosis/prevention/nutrition/calcium-rich-foods.html
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Do u have something against chocolate ????
I think it is no big deal at all and on the days he drinks it just watch his sweets.
I either make it myself or buy the Promised brand dark and dilute it in regular milk.
I will also buy the horizon choc milk boxes.
I can't imagine life without chocolate milk!!!
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Do u have something against chocolate ?
Not personally, no...I just try to limit it for DS since he's 2. I guess chocolate milk (I'm thinking of things like Nesquick) isn't chocolate like a Godiva bar is chocolate, but I'm just debating with myself: he KNOWS what chocolate is and LOVES it...how do I keep the balance of chocolate as a very rare treat and chocolate milk a couple of times a week? All without him starting to demand chocolate (which he very well could, he's got a great memory and persistent streak) and asking for chocolate milk every day.
Ais, thanks for that list! He's a fairly picky eater, but he eats a number of things from that list. Granted, not every week (though "yes" to bread, mac & cheese, and cheese...).
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i personally don't think a little choc milk daily is harmful but that's just me. I mean i would not give it to DS for every meal.
i think it is better than juice.......I usually let my DS have either juice or a choc milk, his choice but only one a day.
it has also been shown to be a great recovery drink after working out!
you can always try it out and if it becomes a battle then don't have it in the house or make it an option.
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I would be okay with chocolate milk, as long as you aren't making it super chocolaty. My kids hate the stuff, DH loves it. My nephew has some every day, but his mom puts in only enough of the syrup to colour the milk, not what the bottle actually says you should add!
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My two both have chocolate milk I make with nesquik - it's not everyday and at least it has vitamins in it! They have mini milk lollies for the same reason, it gives them over half their daily calcium intake in one not too sugary ice-lolly!
I started giving it to DS to get some more calories in him vis full fat milk, but I don't put as much in as the box tells you, I use about 1 teaspoon to 180ml/ 6oz of milk (I think the box says 2-4 spoons per 200ml of milk). DS likes it in warm milk for hot chocolate too!
Laura
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A couple of thoughts:
1-If he drank milk from a bottle it seems weird to me he'd dislike the taste now??? Did you do anything differently; warm it up or anything in the bottle? Just seems odd to me.
2-If chocolate milk gets him to drink it, I think it's a good idea, but there are ways (as discussed above) to get the sugar content down and pack more vitamins in there.
3-he KNOWS what chocolate is and LOVES it...how do I keep the balance of chocolate as a very rare treat and chocolate milk a couple of times a week? All without him starting to demand chocolate (which he very well could, he's got a great memory and persistent streak) and asking for chocolate milk every day.
If YOU are the mom and make the "rules" so to speak, he'll figure out there is a difference right away. This chocolate for milk has special vitamins to help you grow strong. This chocolate candy has sugar and junk that are not as good for your body and we don't eat junk all the time. I explain these things to my DD often and she does listen. "Mommy, is ice cream junk?" was our discussion the other night when I told her that she was going to eat dinner and NOT go buy ice cream from the ice cream truck going down our street. She was fine with it as she DOES get ice cream....sometimes. You know? They really do learn pretty fast.
And FWIW my DD HATES chocolate milk! LOL She calls it "dirty milk" and tells everyone she just likes "regular milk". :)
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I wish J would drink flavoured milk. Chocolate or otherwise!
I agree the benefits outweigh the chocolate issue, and TBH I am not sure a 2 year old would really be able to say 'if I can have chocolate milk surely I can eat chocolate bars and cake all day'. I doubt they would really link it together like an adult does.
Have you tried fresh cold milk in his cup? J went off milk for months but has recently liked having cold milk before bed, it is a different taste really.
And I think kids drop foods all the time anyway - and milk is no different IMO. I have lost count of the foods DS got bored with, and then came back to etc etc etc.
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1-If he drank milk from a bottle it seems weird to me he'd dislike the taste now??? Did you do anything differently; warm it up or anything in the bottle? Just seems odd to me.
Nope, we did nothing different! I was stumped, too. We tried it in a sippy cup for a couple of months afterwards, but he just wouldn't drink it. So, it must have been that it came from the bottle. Honestly, I'm not concerned that he doesn't like milk, per se. I know loads of people who don't like it/drink it. So, I'm OK with him not liking it. As I mentioned, he will sometimes want a sip of milk from my cup, but will only take one sip. I ask if he wants more, and he says, "No."
2-If chocolate milk gets him to drink it, I think it's a good idea, but there are ways (as discussed above) to get the sugar content down and pack more vitamins in there.
Yes, this is the approach I was contemplating going with. Not a full recommended serving in his milk.
Heather, I like what you said about only offering it maybe once a day. That's how we are with juice atm. He only gets it for breakfast, though he asks for it all the time ::) Nicole, this is what I meant...I know I'm the parent and can hold my own against a tenacious toddler. I just don't want to open Pandora's box even more to hear the constant asking for chocolate milk, lol!
Thanks for everyone's responses and for letting me bounce this idea around (more for myself than anything). I think we'll try it out sometime over the next couple of days and see how he does. :)
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Have you tried fresh cold milk in his cup? J went off milk for months but has recently liked having cold milk before bed, it is a different taste really.
Yes, we tried really cold to room temperature to slightly warmed. In a sippy, in an open cup, in his cereal ::) It's a no-go. You're right, though, he might start liking it again at any point, so I'll keep offering it, too.
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if DS asks for more, i just say "only once a day" and i've been doing it for so long now he knows arguing won't work with me. I never give in LOL.
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I never give in LOL.
Me neither, lol! But I still get "More juice please." ;) Ahhh, kids :)
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I hear what you're saying. It can get aggravating hearing the "begging" essentially ALL the time. ;)
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Making your own is better than commercial chocolate milk (which I love BTW, for me it's like a meal though :-D).
Anne once said she has a system of 'sometimes' foods/drinks and this would fall into that category for us. And even less often would be juice, not even once a day if I can help it. He's allowed 2% milk or water as 'anytime' drinks. He's been drinking scads of water lately and saying 'yummy' so that doth please me.
Does anyone know when I can move him to skim milk? He eats cheese and yogurt so not really worried about his calcium.
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Nicole - my son is like Sara's. Once we took his bottle away, he stopped drinking milk. Some kids really don't like the taste of milk they just like the comfort of the bottle. Plus I've heard milk tastes fairly different from a bottle (it's not on your tongue as much maybe?). My DH actually had one bottle/day until he was six (!) and swears it tasted way different (and better) that way.
Sara, if Matty would I'd happily give him chocolate milk once a day. But he won't accept that either. I'd just do like some others have said and use Ovaltine or the like and use much less than the amount listed on the can. A friend of mine used only 1 tsp for like 8 ounces of milk and it made all the difference!
Wendy mentioned Anne's system above. Kate(Katet) has mentioned one before two, where her kids are allowed two sweet treats a day. So going by that, one sweet treat could be the chocolate milk and one whatever else (a small cookie, ice pop, etc)?
Wendy - skim milk has just as much calcium as whole milk. It's the fats that are less. Here they recommend whole milk until age 2, then 1% or 2% milk after that.
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Karen-That is so interesting! I actually don't like the taste of milk much myself. I enjoy it to wash down a very chocolatey piece of cake or brownie or cookies, but for some reason I can't stomach it as a beverage to accompany anything else and NEVER just to have a drink on it's own. It really is just gross to me. Not sure why that is....so I guess I can believe the bottle thing.
Wendy-Around here they say whole milk to age 2 and then you can go down. My ped. said whatever I drank was fine for DD so we all drink skim now.
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Karen-That is so interesting! I actually don't like the taste of milk much myself. I enjoy it to wash down a very chocolatey piece of cake or brownie or cookies, but for some reason I can't stomach it as a beverage to accompany anything else and NEVER just to have a drink on it's own.
This is me... milk with chocolate chip cookies (yes, in front of me now) or peanut butter and jelly.
Our dds will usually choose chocolate milk with either lunch OR dinner - once a day. Otherwise it is milk and water in these parts.
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Nesquik makes a low sugar product that we use. It calls for 2 Tbsp per cup of milk but if I add 1 Tbsp to a cup my DD loves it. Otherwise she wouldn't drink milk at all either. You can buy a HUGE tub of the Nesquik mix (low sugar) at Costco for very cheap compared to the price they ask at the local grocery store.
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In the UK they recommend btw that it's whole milk till 24 months then if weight is good, semi skimmed till 5 years, then if weight is good they can have skimmed. (1% is between our skimmed and semi skimmed so wouldn't be allowed until after 5 years.)
Personally I wouldn't want to give my kid artificial sweeteners either so I'd steer away from low sugar options. I don't think I'd worry too much. If you use plenty of milk and cheese in cooking then they'll get the calcium that way. Maybe make sure they have one milky pudding per day and one milky main course, e.g. cauliflower cheese, fish pie, lasagne made with lots of bechemel? For pudding, yoghurts, here's a pannacotta recipe btw (not authentic but it works): http://mamacook.blogspot.com/2011/05/yoghurt-panna-cotta-ok-for-babies-if.html
I think a little bit of sugar is ok in toddlers diets but generally it's a good idea not to give loads of sweet stuff and chocolate milk will become one of those every day things.
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My understanding of the low sugar options is that they are just lower sugar not artificially sweetened.
I use Nesquik syrup - 25% less sugar. It has 10g of sugar per tablespoon as dissolved in 250ml 1% milk (I use skim). It does not contain artificial sweetener.
I don't believe that choc milk then leads to wanting more sweets and treats - like Liz mentions, they just don't draw the correlation yet.
They are pushing choc milk as a sports drink here, and there are indications that kids who drink choc milk drink less juice, sports drinks ie Gatorade, and soda/pop/soft drinks. So if your kid is active and/or playing a sport, there is evidence it helps replenish after activity. I've not researched in detail but the information is out there.
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My boys weren't really into milk, DS1 still isn't. They would drink Ovaltine (which has the vitamins & minerals) or Activite (also vitamins & minerals) & we gave it as a "cup of tea" drink with either afternoon tea or morning tea, when DH or I were having one. To this day they occasionally ask for a cup of tea, although more often than not they actually ask for a hot chocolate or ovaltine by name, but for many years it was a "cup of tea" - being their special cup of tea KWIM.
So I think if it becomes a drink at a set time like juice at breakfast then you can just say... that is what you have at X time.
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So if your kid is active and/or playing a sport, there is evidence it helps replenish after activity. I've not researched in detail but the information is out there.
Hmm, interesting...could be all the protein in milk, which is like the recommendation to eat lean protein after working out. But honestly, drinking a big glass of milk after running around and getting hot and sweaty makes my stomach churn :X
Thanks for the additional feedback, ladies. I do appreciate it! :) I haven't made it to the store yet (am going this PM after work). I was just going to get the Nesquik stuff, but will peruse the shelves to see what else is available.
Also, about milk fat %ages, once Aaron dropped his bottle and wouldn't drink milk at all, we switched to 1%. I was drinking a glass of milk this AM before work (with my prenatal vitamin, ick!) and Aaron took a sip and said "No more." Eh, well! Oh, and yes, we do the "sometimes" food here, too. DH/MIL started off saying "treat" but as that held no concept of time, he asked for treats all the time.
Thanks again!
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Sara have you tried him on full fat milk? DH loves milk but refuses 1% or skim - he's not even happy with 2%, but it's a compromise. 'tastes different' 'tastes like water' 'yuk' just some of DH's comments if he happens to drink it in error.
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Sara have you tried him on full fat milk?
Yes, he was on whole milk when it was in his bottle, and we kept buying it for a couple of months after we dropped the bottle and were trying to get him to take it from any other kind of cup. I just really don't think he likes the taste of milk.
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We use Nesquik powder low sugar which has about 6g Sugar per Tbsp. I don't have a problem with it but I also don't have an issue letting my kid eat chocolate in moderation.
Wendy, It's interesting you mention chocolate milk as a sports drink because at a number of larger universities here in the US they use chocolate milk as a sports drink, mainly a replacement drink (for nutrients lost during exercise) following intense practices and games in American football and other sports. It's believed the nutritional benefits of it are far better than Gatorade or powerade in replacing nutrients. They do use gatorade and other sports drinks still seeing how not all people like chocolate milk. They use chocolate to make it more palatable. Just thought it was interesting that these big offensive lineman are chugging down chocolate milk after practice. :)
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In light of this thread I made some for Finn today lol Just a small Ikea tumbler (if you guys know what I mean, those little plastic jobbies) and he was all smiles 'I like chock-lat milk mommy!'
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Just as an aside, take a look at the sugar fat & other additions in processed foods (including yogurt) that your children eat. When you add a small teaspoon of chocoate powder to milk you actually can add less sugar than there is in a yogurt or a fruit bar.
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True but I don't give commercial yoghurt either.
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Sara I would do it! I remember about a year ago I posted asking about Ovaltine, and if ppl thought it was okay to let him drink that as a drink because he was eating so little, I wanted to add the extra vitamins in his diet. I think that Ovaltine here is different to Ovaltine in the US though - it is not a 'chocolate milk' powder, it is not really even chocolately but it is brown so I guess we think of it as chocolate. It is a malt powder full of vitamins, and yes, sugar. But now in hindsight I look back and thing 'why was I so stressed over the decision - give the kid chocolate milk!!" My DS does not have sweets or treats, he thinks biscuits or cookies of any kind are a massive treat, never cakes or candies, (though someone gave him a lollipop last week and he is desperate for another!) or puddings, etc. Yes, we use commercial yogurts but plain, and I add honey or syrup - that is pretty much all of the sugar that he gets. Now and again we share a quark with him (like a sweet yogurt but it is actually cheese). So for me, a few spoons of chocolate powder to get him to drink his milk, with all of the added nutrition in the chocolate powder - do it, and do not stress over it!
I also buy other flavoured milks, strawberry, banana and hazelnut are big hits here. Regular milk is 6g of sugar per 100mls and the flavoured ones are like 8 or 9 g so again not enough to stress me out!
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What Mashi said!
Sara - I'm glad he liked his chocolate milk!
I think with all these things moderation is the key. It's also a lot easier to control their diet as little toddlers. When they get to school and see what others are having it's a lot harder to deny them things, especially when they are at parties and social gatherings. If their diet are reasonably balanced over a week then treats (or somtimes foods) aren't a problem. I'd rather my currently protien refusing DD has a commercial yoghurt than no yoghurt for example - there's only so much cheese based foods I can give her ;)
Laura
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Like Laura said - if we could protect them from sugar we'd be all powerful and not need this forum lol
I think if you want your kid to not lose interest in milk altogether, it's fine to dress it up a bit. It's kind of like saying 'no ketchup' when we know that in reality, ketchup is typically a food group here in NA (not so much in UK but they have their 'brown sauce' and in Europe places like Germany have a spicy mustard which, while I can't be 100% certain, I think has sugar). But if ketchup means your kid will eat fish, or eggs or whatever else worthwhile you're trying to get into them, then it might be worth it.
So perhaps he'll drink some chocolate milk and not even like it lol. But if he does it might mean that he keeps milk on his agenda and gives it another chance down the road.
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Hey guys, I'm really late on here but one thing I was thinking is perhaps you could try your DS on different types of milk, for example have you tried soy milk or oat milk? They don't have as much available calcium, but they do have taste and textural differences that your DS might like?
We don't really do chocolate milk often here only as a BIG treat or a warm milo after being out on the farm and getting very cold, have used it when DS was very sick and had very limited food and liquid intake but I think we have too much sugar in our diet and for now our kids like milk so I don't want them to start only liking chocolate milk. But that is my personal decision...Rather than introducing chocky milk I would just up the yoghurt, use more in cooking, you can make your own bread and add in more milk powder etc and try and use all those other high calcium foods. It's understandable we all get worried about calcium levels (and milk is super for absorption because of the corresponding vits and mins there) but it is only three small servings a day :) Don't stress too much, sounds like you are well on top of it!
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I'd be a bit careful on soy; I'm no expert but I think it contains some natural oestrogens?
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Soy is controversial yes, but I think it is a personal opinion - I would say read EVERYTHING before you make a decision, not just a few things that are one-sided.
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Yeah sorry guys, probably shouldn't have mentioned it, all I meant was that there are alternatives out there, goat milk, sheep milk, soy, oat, rice etc....But as everyone says research whatever you are thinking of trying.
xx
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Interesting thread. Austin drinks a bunch of milk so we've never really thought too much about this. He has had flavored milk here and there (like when I need to stop at Starbucks! ::)) and he likes it for sure. I agree that diluted chocolate milk in moderation is ok to me.
And I've used chocolate milk as a recovery drink when I'm marathon training - it's great and so much cheaper than those protein drink recovery drinks! Yummy, too. :) In fact, this thread made me a bit sad about my current ED!! ;)
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Been following along off and on, just a few thoughts.
There are plenty of foods that have calcium, as well as calcium supplements. The calcium in milk isn't as bio-available as that in, say, leafy greens, so despite a glass of milk having X grams of calcium, the body doesn't absorb it all anyway. If you're looking at Nesquik or similar for vitamins, you may as well take a vitamin supplement; the vitamins in drinks like that are already supplemented, so if you have a quality vitamin supplement already, you're covered and the powder for the milk is extraneous.
Had a look at the sugar-free Nesquik, and while there's no sugar in it, there is sucralose, which is Splenda - an artificial sweetener - so if you're trying to avoid artificial, that's not the way to go.
As PP have mentioned, soy is controversial; we pretty much avoid it here, as much for the potential hormonal component as because we just don't digest the stuff well. (Most people don't digest unfermented soy well, from what I've read.) Other nondairy beverages like rice milk contain supplemental calcium - which you can get in a supplement anyway.
If you can avoid commercially sweetened yogurt - it's not hard to make your own; I make about a gallon a week here as it's the only dairy we seem to be able to digest in our family - I'd stick with that for protein and calcium. Once you get used to not having it sweetened, the milk sugar alone (which is partially broken down by the culturing, so it tastes sweeter the way lactose-free milk tastes a bit sweeter than regular milk) is plenty sweet enough. The kids get a bowl of yogurt and/or a calcium supplement daily, depending on how many greens I can get into them on any given day. :)
Oh, recovery beverage for after exercise: coconut water! http://zico.com/ . We chug this stuff in the summer!
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I use less sugar Nesquik syrup - no artificial sweetener:
Ingredients
SUGAR, WATER, COCOA, COLOUR, SALT, CITRIC ACID, VANILLIN, POTASSIUM SORBATE, FERRIC ORTHOPHOSPHATE.
Yes it has sugar, but far less than a lot of other things. And since I control how much I add, I feel perfectly good about it :-)
I don't use the powder. I find that it takes far less of the syrup to turn the milk brown. And really, Finn thinks it's totally special when he gets a small glass of mildly brown milk.
Finn eats zero greens and we have no time to make our own anything. We are cow's milk drinkers in our home, not ready to ditch that yet. Down the road maybe, but for now, it's a staple.
It's really all down to your comfort level and what you can live with :-)
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Chocolate milk is nice and if you buy a proper kind, it's healthy, too. I see no reason to withhold things that are nice AND healthy for Scotty, he loves it.
Oh, and he loved savoury and bitter things all the same, if that is what you worry about :-*
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It's a lot harder to find "a proper kind" here in the States. :(
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i think i stress about these things way less than you guys do......
i think most things are in OK in moderation.
we use the less sugar nesquick or i buy the horizon chocolate milk in the carton or individual cartons. I will also buy the Promise brand (the midnight chocolate) and then I dilute it - but I can def drink it straight! so i think these things are "proper" and i find them at my local grocery store. granted, i'm not making my own chocolate to add to the milk i just milked from a cow but it is good enough!
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Heehee! It's a lot easier when your kids don't respond well to milk and in fact go around the bend behaviorally from it - it's a lot easier to just keep it out of the diet entirely. It's a pain explaining this to a school that thinks if it's not a life-threatening allergy then it's not a problem, but otherwise it's easier. :D
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If you're looking at Nesquik or similar for vitamins, you may as well take a vitamin supplement; the vitamins in drinks like that are already supplemented, so if you have a quality vitamin supplement already, you're covered and the powder for the milk is extraneous.
My thoughts exactly...but I couldn't find a kids vitamin that had calcium in it. Maybe I just need to check a difference place (I was at Target, where I bought the Nesquik...low sugar, since the No Sugar had Splenda in it).
Well, we tried this weekend with the chocolate milk. It was a no-go, thopugh he took a couple more sips than he would normally take of plain milk. We'll keep at it, though. Unfortunately, he will only eat veggies if they're pretty much invisible in whatever I cook, so leafy greens are out; and I can't get DH to be very creative during the day at home. So, our situation is what it is.
Wendy, hooray for Finn liking his brown milk :)
But now in hindsight I look back and thing 'why was I so stressed over the decision - give the kid chocolate milk!!"
That's kind of how I'm leaning at this point now, though to still only offer it once a day with breakfast.
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I give DS the gummy kid's calcium supplements.
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Since DS doesn't get enough calcium from food (or drink) sources we give a calcium supplement daily. My ND highly recommended liquid calcium (it's an ionic calcium concentrate that is very easily absorbed) from New Beginnings Nutritionals. We add 1.5 tsp daily to his juice or water and haven't had any problems!
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Thanks for the tips, gals! :)
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I use less sugar Nesquik syrup - no artificial sweetener:
Ingredients
SUGAR, WATER, COCOA, COLOUR, SALT, CITRIC ACID, VANILLIN, POTASSIUM SORBATE, FERRIC ORTHOPHOSPHATE.
Just for comparison, here is what as far as I can tell is the same product in the States: "SUGAR, WATER, COCOA PROCESSED WITH ALKALI*, LESS THAN 2% OF SALT, CITRIC ACID, ARTIFICIAL FLAVOR, POTASSIUM SORBATE (PRESERVATIVE), XANTHAN GUM, CARAMEL COLOR, RED 40, BLUE 1, YELLOW 6. MADE ON EQUIPMENT THAT ALSO PROCESSES MILK, WHEAT AND SOY. " (boldface mine) So not only do we have more additives, but a LOT of them are artificial colors here in the States. :( So really, the "is chocolate milk OK/good/bad/dreadful question simply can't be answered universally.
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We give the gummy bear calcium supplements (but get them cheaper):
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000PT8NQ4/ref=pd_lpo_k2_dp_sr_2?pf_rd_p=486539851&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-1&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=B000WOOG1S&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=09YYQDB2NZE1W03J9RBS
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What about trying milk with a little bit of vanilla extract (natural vanilla) in it? It gives a kind of sweetness without actually adding sugar or anything artificial.
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I don't get the need to add colour when there's already cocoa in it? I wonder if ours, which lists 'colour' has the same but doesn't have to list it that way due to regulations?
Ah well in any case it's a drop literally and it's not every day for us so I'm not bothered. If he chooses choc milk over juice or pop (let's face it protecting them from Coke is going to be seriously hard unless they can do away with that evil beverage!) then I'm actually happy.
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We've managed 9-1/2 years of Coke protection with two determined Spiriteds (even with DH drinking some now and again), so definitely not impossible. :) I think between them they may have had 5 sips of Coke products ever, so they know what it tastes like. The odd root beer shared with a parent is about it since then.
Oh, and the US food processors seem to add food coloring to EVERYTHING. In Europe if I get, say, a normal (as in non-organic) strawberry yogurt or ice cream, the red/pink color comes from.... strawberries. Here it's almost always artificial - in addition to the strawberries, which ALREADY make it pink. And it has probably twice as much sweetener as, say, the Canadian "equivalent," and I use that term loosely. (Ask Stacy about American yogurt vs Canadian! I thought she was going to gag - she couldn't finish the 4-ounce cup. :-X) But because I've seen how my kids react to the coloring, it's not something we can afford to do even a drop of more than, say weekly unless someone comes to take me to a rubber room. LOL Vanilla and stevia work wonders on rice milk and yogurt here, and I know exactly what is and isn't in them without having to wonder.
I wonder about the Canadian regulations about colorings, whether they're natural or artificial...... *off to Google some more* :D
I'm learning all kinds of stuff on this thread.
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In Europe if I get, say, a normal (as in non-organic) strawberry yogurt or ice cream, the red/pink color comes from.... strawberries.
Um, no. Not sure where you have that idea from but no, that is not true. At least not European wide, perhaps in some countries, but a blanket statement like that about Europe is incorrect. A lot of the time it comes from something like "strawberry syrup" for instance. Which is strawberry concentrate, a LOT of sugar, and some thickener as well as preservatives and added colourings. Natural colourings like beets may often be used, but a lot of artificial colours are used as well, however they are labelled and indicated when it is artificial. Europe is generally IMO more aware and more on-top of things like food additives, but that does not mean in any way that they do not exist. I think food quality in most products does tend to be far better here, but do not paint it as a utopia. There is junk in food all around the world.
I just think that the world is here to be lived in. I do go out of my way to make the healthiest (all around healthiest that is) food and lifestyle choices for my family. And chocolate milk, even every day, is not the end of the world. It is not going to make him obese, it is not going to make him refuse to eat vegetables ever again, it is not a gateway drug. I have (very fond) recollections of coming home after school and my sister and I taking turns squirting the Hershey's chocolate syrup into each others mouths straight from the bottle. We doused it on our ice cream, we put it in milk, in water, ate it by the spoonful. For YEARS. We are both fully grown, healthy, mature, intelligent mothers with good teeth and reasonable BMIs, who know what healthy eating is all about and know how to create a balanced nutritional diet for our familes ;) It did not harm us in any way :)
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True - should have been specific about my own purchases specifically in Stüttgart, Salzburg, London, and Banbury. :D And I wasn't commenting on the sugar or preservative content, just on the artificial colors.
We really have no way to know if the foods we consumed in our childhoods are or aren't contributing to health issues now. A lot of people would consider me "healthy" even with my auto-immune thyroid and my chronic hip pain and ADD, and I won't live long enough for anyone to definitely pin the causes for them on diet or injury or environmental cause or any particular thing. Heck, my mother was told to KEEP smoking while PG with my brother and me so she didn't gain more than 10 pounds in her PG, who knows what effect that might have had on my prenatal development and how or whether it's manifesting now, my brother and I drank pretty much unlimited quantities of soda as kids, and most people considered me "healthy" even before I had kids and changed the way I ate. And IMO there's junk in food around the world because the West spread its diet around the world.
Anyway, I didn't stop in here to get things all contentious, just to suggest that there are other sources of the same nutrition in an artificial chocolate milk only without the milk or the chocolate powder/syrup. I'll admit to being jealous of people who can feed their kids whatever without having them bounce off the walls uncontrollably or become weepy combative children or break out in itchy skin, and I know that we're in the minority HAVING to be a LOT pickier about what we put into our bodies and on our skins than most people, but not all of us can lean on "but it didn't hurt me as a kid" argument (especially when so many of these foods, including Hershey's syrup and Nesquik, were formulated quite differently 30 years ago and are formulated differently for different markets around the world depending on regulations and what processors like Nestle and Hershey's can get away with there) when it comes to our own kids. And frankly, I don't know that I *can* truly say that "it didn't hurt me." I'll never know.
*bowing out now*
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Well said Deb. :)
I think it's important to note that PP asked for "Thoughts on chocolate milk"...so yes, share your thoughts...but I feel compelled to remind everyone that when a Mom states her reasons for *not* offering a particular food item to her children, it is fine to ask why, but please be respectful. :)
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For a more natural alternative what about this syrup? Haven't tried it myself but a friend of mine uses it. http://www.amazon.com/Laska-Organic-Chocolate-22-Ounce-Bottles/dp/B001E5E0Z6
Now I am craving a hot fudge sundae!
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Sorry, I didn't mean anything disrespectfully...it is just my thoughts. I know that everyone has their own choices, I am just giving my reasons for choosing the opposite :) that is all :)
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I think it's important to note that PP asked for "Thoughts on chocolate milk"...so yes, share your thoughts...but I feel compelled to remind everyone that when a Mom states her reasons for *not* offering a particular food item to her children, it is fine to ask why, but please be respectful.
Yes, I did openly ask for opinions on this, and I love how much everyone has chimed in. I enjoy hearing people's viewpoints on this. We're not a one-size-fits-all group, and each of us and our children have varying nutritional needs and situations that feed into those opinions. All I know is what I know, which is why I fielded you all for those opinions. :) Thank you!
We're going to give the chocolate milk another shot today (a teensy bit more powder in it since I don't think I put enough in the first time, in my erring on the side of caution). But, DH and I are starting to consider a calcium supplement. Will have to do research on that!
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sara - ask your ped about the calcium. for us, it is prob unnecessary. I can't remember why i even started giving it to do DS -oh, i think we was anti-cheese for awhile. i wouldn't' stress over it. My brother was the pickiest eater that ever existed - and he eats almost anything now as an adult! My DH was also pretty picky too. Some people do not like milk. My DH and MIL will only drink it poured over ice. Will he eat a bowl of oatmeal or cereal w/ milk?
mashi- liked your post. ;)
i think the whole choc milk "debate" is kinda funny bc i think it is pretty harmless and warm/fuzzy kinda food to me! I think the world would be a sad place without chocolate milk! and I am sorry for those who dont get to splurge every once in a while :(
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We do splurge - just not on that. And we have to think harder about how to do it. But we do indeed enjoy our food!
BTW, our calcium supplement (sweetened with xylitol) tastes like....chocolate milk. Children's CalMag: http://pioneernutritional.com/products/all_products.html
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I'm with Mashi and Heather on this one BUT I can also see your side too, Deb. And especially since you said your kiddos react to milk and all. But in Sara's case, I don't see the harm in once a day chocolate milk if he likes it and it's one of his only treats of the day. If my boy would drink it I'd go for a more natural/organic brand myself (budget allowing) but that's just me. In any case, great thread all around!
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You can easily make your own choc syrup and keep it in the fridge: 1 cup sugar, 1 cup water, 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder of your choice. Boil all together approx 3 minutes or until coats back of spoon. Allow to cool. This is syrupy and mixes well in milk, and stays pourable from the fridge. we keep ours in a glass jar, but you could also fill a squirt bottle if you prefer, and use whatever portions you like. Very cheap & easy.
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Cool Ellen, thanks! Would brown sugar work instead? Or half regular/half brown?
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Not sure, you might have to boil it longer to make it "syrupy" as brown sugar does not crystallize the same as white sugar. Easy to experiment with - after all, you get to eat the failures. It's going to taste good anyway.
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ellen - ooh thanks for that chocolate syrup recipe. i will have to try it out!
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You can easily make your own choc syrup and keep it in the fridge: 1 cup sugar, 1 cup water, 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder of your choice. Boil all together approx 3 minutes or until coats back of spoon. Allow to cool. This is syrupy and mixes well in milk, and stays pourable from the fridge. we keep ours in a glass jar, but you could also fill a squirt bottle if you prefer, and use whatever portions you like. Very cheap & easy.
AWESOME!
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Love the chocolate syrup recipe! I like that I could add it to other types of milk, too. :) Or dip my coconut-milk ice cream sandwiches in it! Now I'm just getting crazy. ;)
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Sara just a thought, my son drank cows milk from a bottle but WOULD NOT drink out of a cup or a sippy....I thought and thought about it, got quite stressed because I was worried about him having a bottle when DD arrived (silly in hindsite), one day I gave him a cup of milk with a spoon in it....
....he LOVED it.
Kept giving him a spoon for the next few weeks and suddenly he was happy to drink it from the cup.
Just a thought, sometimes they just don't like that it's in a "new form" and it's not so much about the milk. Might be worth a try :D
Hugs to you Deb for the food issues your kids have, I think you do a sensational job tbh xx Having been on a fairly loose ED with DD I can only imagine how hard it must be when you can't have little slip ups! Not saying I feel sorry for you, but rather I admire your strength!
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Lizzie, love that idea with the spoon! My dd's are also very motivated by the fun factor with their food/drinks. Using a straw or spoon, dipping, etc makes many things more acceptable.
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OK just have to say YUM! I've long been a coconut water addict (before it starting getting "hot" even) and yesterday bought the chocolate flavored one from Zico. And it is GOOD!!!! Kind of tastes like Yoo-hoo but much healthier! Only ingredients are coconut water, cane sugar, coconut cream, cocoa, vanilla and carrageenan. Not too much calcium but lots of potassium, magnesium and iron. Yay!
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I love yoo-hoo!! Will have to try it!
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Chocolate is one of the highest antioxidents,so really good for you. It has been found in studies that even white chocolate has health benefits!!! it's the sugar thats the problem. You can buy the coco powder and use honey or jaggery if you can get it. Jaggery is really good for you and very sweet.
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Thanks, kit :) We actually don't have a problem here anymore...DS will drink chocolate milk now. I buy a couple of the Horizons low-fat organic single serving cartons a week, and he gets either that or some juice with breakfast. Little turkey likes his "copolit milk" now ;)