The USDA dietary recommended daily adequate intake of calcium for adults is 1,000 mg. For those who have allergies to dairy or choose a vegan lifestyle, consuming enough calcium can be challenging. Snacking on nondairy, high-calcium snacks can supplement daily calcium. Some items can be eaten as a snack on their own or added to other snack breads, crackers, cereals or trail mix.
Vegetables
Leafy greens are a plant source high in calcium. While it may not be convenient to eat a salad of spinach, turnip greens and kale as a quick snack, it can provide anywhere from 90 to 178 mg per cup of calcium. Munching on celery, broccoli and green beans is easy and convenient. Celery contains 40 mg, and broccoli has 43 mg of calcium per cup. Green beans contain 37 mg per cup. Keep in mind that vegetable sources are not always absorbed as readily as dairy sources. The USDA notes that it takes very high quantities to obtain the needed daily adequate intake of calcium from plant sources.
Nuts and Seeds
Nuts and seeds are an easy snack that can boost calcium intake. Comparatively, an ounce of sesame seeds contains the same amount of calcium as a glass of skim milk. A sesame bagel is a filling snack on the go. Almonds have 378 mg of calcium per cup. Walnuts have 118 mg per cup and are another source of protein to round out a trail or snack mix.
Soy
Soy products and tofu are good protein sources and are also high in calcium. A fortified cup of soy milk has 368 mg of calcium. Steamed soybeans have 146 mg of calcium per half cup. Prepared tofu has up to 253 mg of calcium per half-cup serving and can be added to soups or eaten in a variety of tofu products including chips and frozen treats.
Fortified Foods
Many store-bought processed foods are fortified with calcium and vitamin D for better absorption. Grabbing a handful of cereal can provide more than 230 mg per ounce of calcium. Read labels to check the calcium content for each particular brand. Some whole-grain cereals provide the total daily adequate intake required in less than a cup. Many brands of orange juice are also fortified with calcium. A glass of fortified orange juice has as much calcium as a glass of skim milk with just a few more calories; orange juice has 110 calories per 8 ounce while skim milk has 80.
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