Children like to eat food and drink delicious beverages. While some children love the natural taste of milk, a lot of children also have an aversion towards its taste as well as its aroma. But drinking at least one glass of milk is an indispensable part of a child's diet. It helps in strengthening the muscles of children as well as supporting bone development. It is a well-acknowledged fact that milk is full of calcium, so making children drink a glass or two of milk regularly fulfils their calcium requirement.
As per the Harvard T.H. Chan School Of Public Health, milk contains phosphorus, vitamin D, and protein. It is hard to find a substitute that provides an equal or more amount of nutrients and vitamins to the human body. Here are some simple tips and tricks to instantly transform the flavour of milk and make children love its taste.
* Dry Fruits And Nuts
Adding dry fruits and nuts, like cashews, raisins, pistachios, and some dates can be a great idea to elevate the natural flavour of milk. As per a study published in the journal Nutrients in 2017, eating nuts regularly helps in combating the problem of obesity as well as cardiovascular diseases. The milk will become even healthier and also the taste is going to be more delicious than the regular version of milk. To keep things handy, parents can simply prepare a powdered mixture of mixed dry fruits and nuts. While preparing a glass of milk for their kids, a spoonful of this mixture can be simply added to the milk.
Image Credits: Unsplash
Image Credits: Unsplash
* Adding Colours
A lot of children are fascinated with colours. Adding different types of colour to the food is a great idea to make the food visually attractive for children. One can use different types of milk mixtures or fruit pulp to change the colour of milk. Some other natural ingredients like saffron and turmeric can also be used to give an enticing aroma as well as colour to milk. Some other ways to enhance the visual presentation of milk is to add things like rose petals or a little bit of caramel syrup from time to time.
* Using Chocolate
Chocolate is loved by a lot of children. The easiest way to make a child drink a glass of milk is to add some chocolate flavour to the milk. While adding chocolate to the milk, the parents must ensure that the quantity is very small. One can go for using chocolate made from unsweetened cocoa or directly use unsweetened cocoa powder. Avoid buying chocolate powder full of sugar and calories from the market. These also have a lot of artificial flavours. To add sweetness to the milk, one can use honey along with cocoa powder.
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* Milk Popsicles
Making milk popsicles is a lesser-known idea that might also sound a bit grotesque to some people. However, it's quite practical and can be easily inculcated in the diet of a child. Making milk popsicles is super easy and these popsicles can be used for developing a taste for milk among children who have a serious resistance towards milk. One can simply make a milkshake with the help of milk, some flavouring ingredients, and a little bit of cream to thicken its consistency. The mixture must be blended in a blender. Then this mixture can be poured into different moulds and left in the freezer until it gets a defined shape. The milk popsicles will be ready in 3 to 4 hours.
Image Credits: Unsplash
* Adding Seeds
Different types of seeds such as flax seeds and pumpkin seeds have become extremely popular because of their high content of antioxidants and digestive benefits. Adding flax seeds to the milk can be a great idea as the combination works well. This can be a great breakfast option for kids who do not like having heavy breakfasts as the fibre content present in flax seeds helps in keeping a child full for longer hours. Also, flaxseeds have a very nutty flavour of their own that complements the taste of milk. A little bit of honey can be added to the milk to give it sweetness. This is a combination that not only children but adults are also going to love.
* Making Milkshakes
Making milkshakes is an easy and common method to make children drink milk. Most children like drinking milkshakes because it is made by using different types of ingredients, all of which add their taste to the milk. To make the milkshake a little thicker, one can add some tahini that is made from some roasted sesame seeds. Adding some peanut butter and honey can make it even more tempting. One can experiment with different types of fruits and see what their kid likes the most. This is a great way to customise milkshakes for picky eaters and find what taste they like the most.