Poll: Do your kids drink milk as a beverage?

[Jean in Newcastle]

Poll to follow.

 

This poll is multiple choice for multiple kids.

 

I think it goes without saying - but a milk alternative would be something like rice milk or soy milk.

Edited May 4, 2011 by Jean in Newcastle

[Caitilin]

Yes, with dinner only.:001_smile:

 

ETA: I don't require it, but all my dc like milk, so it's a non-issue for us anyway.

Edited May 4, 2011 by Caitilin

[OrganicAnn]

My DD gets offered milk or water for meals or when thirsty. She drinks about 70% water and 30% milk. It is somewhat dependent on what we are eating. Somethings just go better with milk.

[Murphy101]

I make all my kids drink water.

Cow milk is an acceptable option to 4 of them.

The other 5 prefer water and won't drink milk as a beverage most of the time. tho try will have it in their cereal most of the time. (but they won't drink the milk left in the bowl)

[Whereneverever]

My kids drink milk with most meals.

[QueenCat]

One drinks milk or water. The other drinks apple juice (slightly watered down, we use one more can of water than the concentrate calls for). He gets calcium via other means but has a strong distaste for milk (as do I, so I don't drink it either).

[Lovin Learnin]

My oldest drinks milk all the time. It was a real eye opener for us when he left for college and we dropped close to 3 gallons a week from our grocery bill.

 

Middle drinks it with cereal or when he has a sweet dessert.

 

Youngest doesn't drink cows milk at all, but she and I just discovered that we like almond and coconut milk.

 

I'm not a milk drinker and I do not force, or prevent, any of my children from drinking it.

Edited May 4, 2011 by Lovin Learnin

[Joker]

My dds like milk with desserts and sometimes with breakfast. Since I hate milk with anything other than breakfast or desserts I've never made them drink it at dinner (a few of our friends do this). I think they get more than enough.

[redsquirrel]

Both my kids drink milk. They are as likely to drink water, but milk is requested. Those are the two choices.

 

We have raw milk, and it is quite delicious. When their friends come to visit, they all drink lots of milk.

 

And FTR, all their parents know we drink raw milk and have given permission. I would never give anyone raw milk without telling them before hand and giving them time to research and make their own decision.

[LibraryLover]

I buy about 1/2 gallon per week for cooking and cereal snacks, so I do not have philosophical issues precluding milk . I am not a horrified "We are the only species who drinks the milk of another past weaniing!!!" type. We're also the only species who build skyscrapers, write books, or drives. What of it? We're not like other animals. lol :tongue_smilie: My kids do eat yogurt, cheese etc. Milk is never a drink here, although I would not freak out over someone drinking it. We are water people, and we are not super tall. ;)

Edited May 4, 2011 by LibraryLover

[blakereese]

My kids love milk. They usually drink it with at least one meal a day, along with other random times that they are thirsty.

 

Me, blech. I don't like it. Except with the occasional chocolate chip cookie. :001_huh::lol:

[dcurry]

I don't require it for any of my kids. I have one allergic to all dairy, so I buy enriched rice milk for him (7 yob). All of them choose milk to have on cereal or when we have cookies or something like that. I have two who never drink milk from a cup (they will choose water or any other beverage first- they are 15yob and 6yob), and two who usually choose milk (13 yog and 9yob). One of the ones who usually chooses milk (9yob) will not voluntarily drink water unless I make him. He would drink milk all day long if I let him (and not eat since he'd be full of milk).

[LauraGB]

I voted other. They don't drink it alone, but they do put it in their cereal. And we use it to make cheese sauces or white sauces, but never as a stand alone beverage. I'm kind of hypocritical because I don't feel older children/adults need to consume the milk of another animal, but I rely on and adore cheese and cheesy things, so I guess, I consider it an ingredient more than anything (See? Hypocritical, but my take on it).

Edited May 4, 2011 by LauraGB

[Mom23Boys]

I don't require it, but they all drink it with at least one meal a day, sometimes two. They usually get OJ with breakfast.

 

I don't encourage them to drink it at other times because of several reasons:

 

1. I hate milk and never think about it

2. I have one child who has tummy problems if they drink too much and one whose has excema problems if he drinks too much

3. It is expensive

4. I believe water is overall healthier for you and want to encourage a water habit at a young age

 

My DH loves milk, but was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes 2 years ago and milk really screws up his blood sugar levels. So, even though we are a family of 5, with 3 boys, 1 gallon of milk a week is plenty.

[Daisy]

No.

 

None of us are big milk drinkers. I buy about 3 gallons a month for our family of 4 and most of that is for cereal or cooking.

 

I don't force an alternative. The only thing we drink at home is water and our daily cup of hot or cold tea.

[Lovedtodeath]

I offer my kids what I think they need. Thirsty= water. Thirsty and low on electrolytes or wanting a desert type item= juice. Thirsty and hungry= milk. Wanting something other than water and it is bed time (I don't want juice on their teeth)= milk.

[melissel]

No.

 

None of us are big milk drinkers. I buy about 3 gallons a month for our family of 4 and most of that is for cereal or cooking.

 

I don't force an alternative. The only thing we drink at home is water and our daily cup of hot or cold tea.

 

Sounds just like our house. They never liked milk as a beverage and I never pushed it. We do buy the occasional treat drink (lemonade or OJ for the kids, grapefruit juice for me, or Coke for DH and me). Otherwise it's all water, all the time.

[flobee76]

We buy raw milk once a week from the farmers market. All the kids love to drink it, so I just give it to them when they ask. Usually, they ask for milk at breakfast, in the afternoon, and before bedtime.

[susankenny]

They drink a milk alternative, but I voted that they do not drink milk. It's late & I messed up. LOL. Sorry.

 

Susan

[lovelaughs_times_three]

My Mom always made us drink milk at meals, so I guess I'm just following in her footsteps. In between meals, I let them drink what they want to (that we have available). Dad, on the other hand, let's them drink whatever they want at meals. They probably are glad for the nights that he pours the drinks!:001_smile:

[Natalieclare]

Do my kids drink milk?

 

Some do; some don't.

 

And I would nevereverever make anyone. Yuk. I can't stand to drink milk; never could. I was shocked when a couple of my younger crew actually asked for the beverage. I don't even know where they got the idea that you could drink it! As far as I'm concerned, it's simply an ingredient that goes into pancakes.

 

I voted "other".

[TN Mama]

I have one dd who is a milk lover. She requests it daily. My oldest dd doesn't love milk, but will drink it on occasion. She prefers water and drinks oj for breakfast.

[KidsHappen]

My children like to drink milk but I would prefer that they didn't. My youngest has excema that is exacerbated by dairy and she wants milk more than all the rest. I don't forbid but I do discourage.

[AmyinMD]

I voted other. I don't make my kids drink milk. I grew up in a family that required drinking milk at dinner. My sister and I are both lactose intolerant and we've both stopped drinking milk as adults. I didn't realize all the stomach aches I got as a child were from milk.

 

We've generally had milk in our house until recently. I have a couple kids that like to drink it but we just took our ASD son off dairy so we currently don't have cows milk to drink. We do have almond milk and some of the kids do drink it occasionally. Since it is more expensive I do try to limit it.

[Lovedtodeath]

I strongly discourage milk with meals and it is rare that my kids have it with meals. I want them to get the full nutrition of the meal, not fill up on milk.

[Annie Laurie]

Only one of my kids likes milk to drink. The rest will have some on cereal. Some of my kids have dairy allergies and drink rice or almond milk instead.

[sewingmama]

None of my kids have EVER asked me for a drink of milk. They were all intolerant till they were 2 and they never developed a taste for it. They will drink it very occaisonally if it's flavoured but since I hardly allow that they just don't drink it. We drink water here all the time and one cup of juice a day for breakfast.

 

I used to drink milk a lot - until I noticed that my sinus infections cleared up after I stopped -so I don't drink it either.

 

We don't use alternatives because my kids don't like those either - they just eat cheese and yoghurt.

[Twilight Woods]

yes at least once a day preferable with breakfast......they prefer it with cookies. :glare:

[RoughCollie]

My family drinks about 9 gallons of skim milk a week. I am the only one who usually doesn't drink it.

Edited May 4, 2011 by RoughCollie

[Robin M]

We go through 5 gallons of milk a week. James and husband drink only milk - no juice, soda, etc. Hubby drinks 1% and James 2%

[felicity]

I voted that I both make my kids drink it and mine don't. I have one, the 10yo that gags on milk so he doesn't drink it. My other kids drink one glass each day with their dinners. Other than that it's water. If any of the others decided that they hate milk, they won't have to drink it either.

 

Wow, that sounds convoluted.

[Tap]

I don't require it, but the older kids do drink some milk.

 

DD4 is dairy allergic and drinks rice milk occasionally.

[_melody_]

My kids love milk. They usually have a glass of milk in the morning and drink water the rest of the day. Sometimes they'll ask for another later during the day, but mostly that's when their father is home. He's more likely to give it to them than I am. lol Not that I NEVER give it to them, but I tend to think of what their food for the whole day consists of, and my dh thinks more of what they need or want "right now".

[IsabelC]

My kids have milk when they eat breakfast cereal and in cooking, but milk as a drink is a bit of a treat around here. They mostly just drink water, but I suspect more milk would be drunk if I offered it more frequently. I've never heard of anyone requiring their kids to drink milk before.

[bluemongoose]

Rice Milk in the AM, another for the 2 yo after the afternoon nap.

[Jean in Newcastle]

None of my kids have EVER asked me for a drink of milk. They were all intolerant till they were 2 and they never developed a taste for it. They will drink it very occaisonally if it's flavoured but since I hardly allow that they just don't drink it. We drink water here all the time and one cup of juice a day for breakfast.

 

I used to drink milk a lot - until I noticed that my sinus infections cleared up after I stopped -so I don't drink it either.

 

We don't use alternatives because my kids don't like those either - they just eat cheese and yoghurt.

 

See, both my kids were banned from having any dairy until they were 3 years old because of bad eczema problems. Ds never did develop a taste for milk but he loves cheese. Dd likes milk on occasion - she orders it when we go out because I don't keep any cow's milk in the house. Dh is extremely allergic to cow's milk. I use almond milk for all cooking and for cereal etc. We all like it for that purpose but no one likes to just drink it as a beverage.

[Virg]

My kids LOVE milk. For three of them that is whole cow's milk and for one (he is deathly allergic to animal milk proteins) it is rice milk. We go through 4-6 gallons a week. They drink a glass with each meal and in their cereal, if they have cereal. I actually had to make a rule that between meals they have to drink water or all they would ever drink is milk and it was starting to become way too expensive. We drink whole milk, they kids were super skinny so we just never went off of it and now none of us even like 2%.

[In The Great White North]

We buy 4-5 gallons a week - most of which goes into dd(14)

[Carpe]

We have a life-threatening dairy allergy in the family so I do not even bring it into the house.

 

I tried milk substitutes but the nutritionist okayed our diet as sufficient without it, and no one liked any of them (tried rice, almond, cashew, hemp, coconut, and barley. There is also a soy allergy so we never tried that), so now we just don't drink any milk.

[Negin]

They now have mainly goat's milk, if at all. They hardly ever drink milk and I'm delighted about that.

[Lilymax]

We go through maybe two gallons a week, most of it used in cereal or cooking. None of us are big milk drinkers unless we're having something sweet, like pancakes or cookies. I wasn't brought up drinking milk at meals--we almost always had water or sometimes iced tea. But DH was always given milk with meals. He says that most times, he just drank two glasses of milk, was full, and left the table. He didn't want our kids to do that, so he never pressed the issue. (Thankfully!) I hated drinking milk as a child and never planned to make my kids have it.

 

Needless to say, my MIL thinks we are SO weird when she comes to visit. She always, always comments on how little milk we use. Of course, her single daughter with one school-aged son would go through a gallon a day between the two of them. I can't imagine!

[Mama Geek]

I picked other. :D At 10 1/2 mo old dd is still being bf enough that I don't give her milk. I figure I won't require her to drink cow's milk in the future, but won't forbid it. I am not a fan of her drinking juice although won't have a problem with a little watered down juice if she is sick. The majority of her drinking will be water.

[LidiyaDawn]

dh - only puts white milk in his coffee… I don't think I've ever seen the guy actually drink a cup of it. Does drink chocolate milk now & then.

 

dd14 - doesn't like drinking white milk, just chocolate. (and only the real chocolate kind - not the 'make it yourself' with the syrup stuff) Uses white milk on cereal and things of that nature.

 

ds12 - likes drinking white milk, loves drinking chocolate milk. And strawberry milk. And rolo milk. And YOPs. And pretty much any milk-y beverage! Also loves milk on his cereal, strawberries/bananas chopped with milk & sugar, stuff like that. Always drinks the left behind milk from the bowls.

 

me - I'm not a huge fan of white milk (taste) but I'll put it on my cereal and stuff. Occasionally drink some. I like chocolate milk better (the real thing) - and have REALLY like chocolate milk for the last few months. I'm blaming that one on the little surprise due in June. ;)

[amo_mea_filiis.]

I put milk in my cereal and make a protein shake with it.

 

DD drinks and uses almond milk

 

DS drinks and uses rice, soy, and vanilla soy milk. Oh, and he drinks/eats 4-5 daily pediasure which is milk based.

[BikeBookBread]

While they don't have an intolerance or allergy to milk, it has always made their tummies a bit wobbly, so we've never pushed it. We get our calcium from other sources, and plenty of it, too: calcium fortified OJ, lots and lots of broccoli, and occasionally calcium supplements (the yummy gummy bear ones from Costco. I take them, too.)

 

They will occasionally have milk on cereal, but usually just eat their cereal dry. I remember what my girls's first pediatrician said: if they're going to eat vitamin fortified cereal, let 'em eat it as a snack or dry...the milk washes the vitamins off because they're sprayed on. That given, we don't eat a ton of a cereal in this house for breakfast, but that's just a heads up for those of you who do.

[Princess Peach]

I require milk with supper. My oldest likes it and also drinks it with lunch. My younger two tolerate it. They also put it on cereal. My kids drink 2 gallons per week. DH and I don't drink it.

[Carrie12345]

I voted by their choice and not at all.

My dds drink a moderate amount of milk.

My 4yo drinks way more than he probably should.

My 12.5yo hardly ever touches the stuff.

 

I would absolutely love to be a milk-free house (and maybe we eventually will if the baby doesn't outgrow his intolerance), but I try not to make a big deal about it.

[JessReplanted]

My husband is a milk 'junkie'. He can easily go through 1/2 a gallon per day.

 

My middle daughter seems to have a milk intolerance. I've been buying 'very vanilla' soy milk for her for years. The other kids think it is delicious and they always want to drink it. I usually try to limit it to 1 cup per day - it's so expensive!

 

The other kids will occasionally have a cup of milk with dinner, but I really don't push it b/c we are an asthma/allergy family and I don't think that milk really benefits us.

[NanceXToo]

Kind of all of the above? Sometimes they will ask for it and drink it on their own. Sometimes they will ask for chocolate or strawberry milk instead. And sometimes it will occur to me that they hadn't had milk recently and when they ask for juice or something, I'll say I'm going to give them milk this time instead, and they don't complain.

[Hikin' Mama]

my husband runs a dairy farm, but it is really only my daughter (out of the five of us) who likes to drink milk. I put it in my coffee, but that's it. Now I do love cheese, Greek yogurt, butter...