Menu planning for a lactose-intolerant child means more than cutting milk and dairy out of the diet. Lactose, a sugar found in milk and milk products, lurks in many other kid-friendly foods as well, from cookies and breads to processed lunch meat, hot dogs and potato chips. Finding lactose-free foods that your child will enjoy is essential in providing a balanced diet.
Step 1
Add calcium to the diet. Most children get their daily calcium intake, which should be 800 milligrams for children ages 4 to 8, from dairy. Since your child can't get his calcium that way, boost his calcium intake with fruits, such as oranges, fruit juices, such as orange juice, tuna or broccoli. Include one calcium source with every meal.
Step 2
Serve lactose-free or soy milk with meals. Your child can get the benefits of milk without the lactose by drinking these types of milk. You can find these milk substitutes at your local grocery store.
Step 3
Offer nutrient-rich snacks. Since your child is missing out on a valuable source of nutrition in many lactose-based foods, you want to replace that with healthy snacks. Trail mix with nuts and dried fruit is a lactose-free, healthy snack. A hard-boiled egg is rich in vitamin D, which many kids will struggle to incorporate into their diet without dairy.
Step 4
Slowly incorporate lactose-containing foods into the diet. Every child's allergy to lactose is different, but the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that you add lactose to the diet of children older than 10 as part of a larger meal. Incorporating cheese or yogurt into a meal is a way for a child to eat lactose in small amounts and enjoy the nutritional benefits of it, including calcium and vitamin D.
Tips and Warnings
- Your child's level of lactose intolerance will determine his diet. Some children can digest cheese and yogurt but struggle with milk. Others have issues with all dairy. Look for lactose-free substitutes so that your child can enjoy his favorite foods without having the digestive problems that come with lactose.
