Personal eating habits, milk allergies or lactose intolerance lead some parents to eliminate dairy from a toddler's diet. While cutting out dairy will help relieve the symptoms of a milk allergy or lactose intolerance, your toddler also misses out on the essential calcium in the dairy products. The recommended amount of calcium per day for a child between the ages of one and three is 500 mg. Other forms of calcium are necessary to ensure your child reaches his recommended daily intake.
Step 1
Identify all of the dairy products your toddler eats on a daily basis to know what to eliminate. Dairy products include milk, cheese, cottage cheese, sour cream, butter, yogurt and ice cream.
Step 2
Alert caregivers about your toddler's dairy-free diet. Provide a list of foods to avoid if necessary to ensure your toddler doesn't receive dairy foods when under someone else's care.
Step 3
Review your recipes to identify meals or snacks you frequently serve that contain dairy products. Modify those recipes to eliminate the dairy products, if possible. Try dairy-free versions of the products which are often made of soy.
Step 4
Substitute dairy-free versions of the dairy ingredients you often use in recipes. These are often made of soy or rice.
Step 5
Replace milk with other healthy drink options. If your toddler likes juice, try orange juice that is fortified with calcium to make up for the loss of dairy-based calcium. Soy or rice milk are also options for eliminating dairy drinks, with calcium-fortified versions available.
Step 6
Read the labels of food in the supermarket to find options that are fortified with calcium. Foods that may offer this option include juices, cereal, tofu and other soy-based products.
Step 7
Add foods to your toddler's diet that naturally contain calcium. Options include canned sardines with bones, canned salmon with bones, broccoli, soybeans, bok choy, spinach and almonds.
Step 8
Consult with your child's physician to determine if she needs calcium supplements when dairy products are eliminated.
