Healthy eating patterns are important at all stages of life, but especially during early childhood when children are building the foundation for lifelong health. In these early years, beverages contribute significantly to children’s overall consumption and nutrient intake, which makes choosing the right beverages critically important.
With so many options available, knowing which beverages are nutritious can be challenging for parents and caregivers. Fortunately, prominent health authorities led by Healthy Eating Research under the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation released a new consensus report, providing clear and simple recommendations to make beverage selection for young children easier. The consensus report’s findings offer good news for the dairy community.