Milk/Beef Alternatives

[lmr1101]

My dd2 (15 months) has decided she won't drink milk... fine I've been trying to get her to eat beef instead.
I have had no luck. I'm concerned she's not getting the iron and/or vit D that is needed.
She will eat plenty of yogurt and cottage cheese. She'll also eat the slices of cheese I cut up from the big blocks sold at Costco. Dairywise, she is getting 3 servings a day, but her dr was concernded about the lack of iron.
She just told us if dd2 won't drink milk make sure she is eating beef.

I have tried it in MANY different forms and she just refuses.
Any tips?

[rin]

My two best iron-increasing tips are to eat lots of spinach/other dark leafy greens, and to cook in cast iron, especially acidic foods (like chili, spaghetti sauce, etc). FWIW we don't eat red meat, I never drink milk, and DD1 drinks *maybe* a quarter cup of milk a day, and we all have lovely iron levels as of last testings, even during my third trimester w/DD2.

ETA: Dairy actually increases the chances of iron deficiency, it inhibits iron absorption (http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/007134.htm), so low dairy diets are actually *good* for iron levels. Maybe you're thinking of calcium?

[Reader]

My two best iron-increasing tips are to eat lots of spinach/other dark leafy greens, and to cook in cast iron, especially acidic foods (like chili, spaghetti sauce, etc). FWIW we don't eat red meat, I never drink milk, and DD1 drinks *maybe* a quarter cup of milk a day, and we all have lovely iron levels as of last testings, even during my third trimester w/DD2.

ETA: Dairy actually increases the chances of iron deficiency, it inhibits iron absorption (http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/007134.htm), so low dairy diets are actually *good* for iron levels. Maybe you're thinking of calcium?

Agree with this. Also, isn't it iron that's best absorbed with Vitamin C, so like with orange juice? You can buy Vitamin D drops for kids that you just drip on their tongue, but I'm not sure about the dosage for a 15 month old.

[wellyes]

Try Floradix. It is a food based iron supplement that is highly absorbed, and is safe for toddlers. It's expensive but so very worth it for my picky eater.

Or. Try green smoothies- add some spinach to the blender with fruit and water or yogurt. You can"t taste the spinach.