How-To: Stay Strong with Dairy
All-day dairy
All-day dairy
When are you most likely to eat dairy and other calcium-rich foods? Turns out, you can eat for stronger bones and teeth all day!
Say good morning to dairy!
- Top plain yogurt with fruit, nuts or seeds—or all three.
- Enjoy a bowl of not-so-sweet cereal with dairy or soy milk. Look for calcium-fortified cereal, too!
- Make your oatmeal, smoothies and scrambled eggs with dairy, powdered milk, or fortified soy milk instead of water.
- Use milk in your coffee or tea.
- If dairy products make you feel bloated, try lactose free milk. It may be easier for you to digest.
Make it at home with our Overnight oats recipe!
What’s for lunch? Dairy!
- Making soup from a can or packet? Add dairy or fortified soy milk instead of water. Or use evaporated milk for twice the calcium.
- Whiz together a quick salad dressing or veggie dip with plain yogurt, lemon juice, and dried or fresh herbs. Basil? Parsley? Fabulous!
- Shopping for sandwich fixings? Choose calcium-enriched bread. Just flip it over and check the label.
- Get outside and get some sunshine! Vitamin D from the sun helps your body absorb calcium.
Make it at home with our Cheese and corn chowder recipe!
Boost your snacks!
- Hungry? Grab a glass of milk. Drinking dairy or fortified soy milk is one of the easiest ways to get more calcium.
- Mix ricotta cheese with herbs like oregano and dill and sprinkle on chopped green onions. Spread on whole-grain crackers.
- Snack on cottage cheese with fresh fruit, salsa, herbs—any way you like it.
- Enjoy edamame—a half-cup of beans is packed with calcium and protein!
Make it at home with our Banana berry smoothie recipe!
Dinnertime dairy
- Mix in some tofu—it takes on the flavor of whatever you’re making. Look for calcium sulfate in the ingredients list.
- Add leafy green vegetables—kale, spinach, collard greens—to just about any dish, from pizza to soup and stews.
- Canned salmon and sardines provide calcium when you leave in the soft, edible bones.
- Enjoy paneer, queso fresco, mozzarella, feta and other cheeses in your casseroles, curries, pasta dishes and more.
- Save money with shelf-stable options—canned evaporated milk and dry or powdered milk work well in many recipes.
Make it at home with our Macaroni and Cheese with Broccoli recipe!
Feeling inspired?
We hope this gave you some new ideas to try this week!
Now let’s see how much dairy you actually need.
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