High Calcium Foods (that aren't dairy)

Hello Villagers.

As parents, we know that our kids need to build strong bones and that they need calcium to do it. Most children get their calcium intake from dairy foods such as milk, cheese and yogurt. But what if you have a child with a milk allergy? Or dairy foods upset their stomach thanks to lactose intolerance. Or your child just plain doesn’t like dairy foods? Luckily, there are some great high-calcium foods out there that you can offer your child. Here are six of the top ones:

Sardines and other canned fish: Three ounces of canned sardines contain over 300 mg calcium, meeting 30 percent of your child’s daily needs. Other canned fish, which includes soft bones can provide 100-200 mg calcium.

Broccoli: One cup of cooked broccoli contains 62 mg of calcium, meeting 6 percent of your child’s daily needs.

Almonds: One ounce of almonds (roughly 23 nuts) contains 76 mg of calcium, meeting 8 percent of your child’s daily needs.

Oranges: One large orange contains 74 mg calcium, meeting 7 percent of your child’s daily needs.

White Beans: One cup of white beans contains 161 mg calcium, meeting 16 percent of your child’s daily needs.

Edamame: One cup of edamame contains 100 mg calcium, meeting 10 percent of your child’s daily needs.

There are also many foods that have been fortified with calcium. These include orange juice, plant based milks, and fortified grain foods such as cereal, bread, and waffles. Foods that have been fortified with calcium will indicate this on their label, which makes them a little easier to find when grocery shopping.