A cows' milk-free diet for younger children

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A simple overview for parents with children aged 1-5 advised to follow a cows' milk-free diet.

 

Note: new guidance published by SACN 2023 states:

  • pasteurised whole and semi-skimmed cows’ milk can be given as a main drink from age 1 year (SACN, 2023), as can goats’ and sheep’s milks (SACN, 2023; COMA, 1994)
  • pasteurised skimmed and 1% cows’ milk should not be given as a main drink until 5 years of age. These lower-fat milks can be used in cooking (SACN, 2023; COMA, 1994)
Credit: 14

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To support

  • Introducing solids, including through milk intolerance
  • Healthy eating for children Aged 1 - 12
  • Weight gain for children who may struggle to eat enough
  • Establishing eating patterns for children with eating difficulties

Milk free guidance

  • Be aware of suitable alternative milks and milk containing foods
  • Know how to balance diet without milk and choose a milk free diet for a day
  • Know what milk derivatives are in foods
  • Brown et al. Baby-Led Weaning: The Evidence to Date. Curr Nutr Rep. 2017;6(2):148-156. doi: 10.1007/s13668-017-0201-2. Epub 2017 Apr 29. PMID: 28596930; PMCID: PMC5438437.
  • Daniels. Feeding Practices and Parenting: A Pathway to Child Health and Family Happiness. Ann Nutr Metab 2019;74(suppl 2):29–42.
  • Dinevaet al. Iodine status of consumers of milk-alternative drinks v. cows’ milk: data from the UK National Diet and Nutrition Survey, British journal of nutrition, 2021-07-14, Vol.126 (1), p.28-36.
  • Ferraro et al. Timing of Food Introduction and the Risk of Food Allergy, Nutrients, 2019-05-21, Vol.11 (5), p.1131
  • Jansen et al. Bi-directional associations between child fussy eating and parents’ pressure to eat: who influences whom? Physiol Behav. 2017 Jul;176:101–6.
  • Maslin et al, Dietary variety and food group consumption in children consuming a cows' milk exclusion diet, Pediatric allergy and immunology, 2016-08, Vol.27 (5), p.471-477
  • Meyer et al. The impact of the elimination diet on growth and nutrient intake in children with food protein induced gastrointestinal allergies, Clinical and translational allergy, 2016, Vol.6 (1), p.25
  • Meyer et al. Diagnosis and management of Non?IgE gastrointestinal allergies in breastfed infants—An EAACI Position Paper, Allergy (Copenhagen), 2020-01, Vol.75 (1), p.14-32
  • Powell et al. The importance of mealtime structure for reducing child food fussiness, Maternal Childhood Nutrition. 2017; 13(2): e12296.
  • Scaglioni S et al. Factors Influencing Children’s Eating Behaviours. Nutrients. 2018, 10(6), 706.
  • Scholz-Ahrens et al, Nutritional and health attributes of milk and milk imitations, European journal of nutrition, 2020-02, Vol.59 (1), p.19-3
  • Walton et al. Time to re-think picky eating?: a relational approach to understanding picky eating. Int J Behav Nutr Phys Act. 2017 May;14(1):6
  • Wolstenholme et al. Childhood fussy/picky eating behaviours: a systematic review and synthesis of qualitative studies International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity (2020) 17:2
NDR-UK Ref No: 9409E
Classification: HP
Related Printed Version: 9409
Publication Date: 01/15
Last Review: 2022
Last Update: 02/22

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