To ration milk or not to ration milk

[babycatcher411]

That is the question!

Seeking advice here, as much as whether IABU.

Today at the dinner table it came to head that DP thinks DS drinks way too much milk. He thinks it’s unreasonable and isn’t a cost we should accommodate. He thinks I need to make DS drink something else.

This has mainly come up in discussion because the last 2 food shop periods (we do a big shop every 2 weeks) I’ve had to do a couple of topups of milk mid way.

Usually we buy 3 4pinters, for 2 adults and 1 child (11). Mostly this lasts almost the 2 weeks, sometimes I will buy an extra 4pinter towards the end.

I did point out that I have recently been drinking more milk, because of heartburn (36/40 pregnant) and have started having cereal at breakfast so we are going through it more quickly than we used to.
DP is adamant it’s down to DS consumption, that I should be stricter, that he was told off (and rightly so!!) as a child for drinking too much milk. I said I’m not rationing milk.

I can’t actually seem to find on google how much milk an 11 year old should drink.
I would say normally DS has milk with cereals (maybe 300mls), and a glass of milk in the evening (probably another 300mls). Sometimes he’ll have an extra glass but this is not every day, just as he feels like it.
Is this too much milk?

Pretty much all the foods listed on the thread as providing calcium are more expensive than milk. Some are less palatable. Most would require preparation. Others bring their own ecological disadvantages (almonds).

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Thanks ivykaty.

The milk substitutes have all been fortified, rather than being Rick in calcium naturally, so they are basically artificial supplements packaged within a processed product.

As EarlyModernParent states, there are environmental issues with many of them - like soy and almonds. Plus nutritional problems, e.g. Soy is a hormone disrupter. And rice milk tends to have high levels of arsenic.

These are, overall, good substitutes for those who are unable, because of intolerances and allergies, to drink milk/eat dairy products. But they are not inherently 'better' nutritionally than cow's milk, are considerably more expensive, and usually less palatable, in my experience. Not, in my view, worth substituting, unless there is a medical need.

While you CAN reach an adequate intake of calcium without dairy, it comes with considerable faff, expense and dietary restrictions/deprivation. I know this, as I have a dairy-intolerant child. There is no way I would be volunteering for it if I didn't have to!

RICH in calcium, not Rick, FFS!

Please excuse typos - preview is not working for me at the moment.

I can get through three 4 pinters in a week by myself! (Mainly in tea which I drink like it's a flowing river, plus some on cereal and the ocassional milkshake).

Is this real?

Your dp would hate me then..I could drink that much by myself. We all love milk, dd used it in her cereals, dp in cups of tea and I just have it by itself. We are always running out of milk, and I’d be annoyed if dp whinged about buying more.

Really interesting thread. My children's dentist decreed that they should have juice only at weekends (and I don't disagree with her at all so was glad she said it - I should have been stricter myself!) and as a result my apple-juice-obsessed daughter has turned her attention to milk, and now drinks that with meals instead. Our weekly milk consumption has increased noticeably and I was slightly concerned that she might be overdoing it, but this thread has reassured me!

OP - have you actually told him the price of milk yet? Like this "The amount of milk DS drinks costs £1.50 per week (£3 for 8 pints in Tesco), or about £78 per year and it's good for him. Even if he has water instead he'll need to make up the calories elsewhere and most other food is more expensive or less healthy. So no, you may not tell him to drink less milk, don't be ridiculous."

I have been trying to switch away from milk and find a decent milk substitute, for welfare reasons.

Comparing and contrasting there isn’t anything which provides the nutrition milk does- vits, minerals etc.

So will have to stick with organic.

Bizarre. My DH and two DDs (4 and 6) get through roughly 14 pints a week. I don't touch the stuff, personally, but wouldn't dream of rationing it for them. As PPs have said, better than juice or fizzy drinks.

We are a family of 5 and we use between 16 and 20 pts of milk a week. I’ve threatened to buy a cow before now we get through that much!

Just wondering does the child drink all the milk or waste it?

My DS is a nightmare for wasting milk / orange juice and now I am pondering if to suggest cutting back?

Nothing worst then finding half drank glasses / cups because DS can't find the sink 😂

he needs to live in this house we buy a shit load of whole milk per day

in fact we have a fridge just for milk

i go though 16-18 pints per day(severe acid reflex and its the only thing that works for me as tablets was given my nasty side effects)some times more

the 8 y old is on 8 pints just for him and we buy a 4 pinter for the 14 y old and my partner to share

thats 8 4 pinters per day,milk is either 99p or £1.09(depending on what supermarket we go to)

ive even got 12 pints frozen for emergencys

Tollshunt - what about the environmental issues with dairy farming? The fortifying of cows milk? What’s the difference between that and other environmental impacts?

tor8181

You as a family of 4 get through 32 pints of milk a day???

WE get through at least 16 pints a week! I just watched DS drink a large glass (probably about two thirds of a pint) and that was on top of the large glass he had before school, the milk in his cereal and a smallish glass when he came home.

Better milk than juice and pop!

we still go through lots of milk, goodness know how really since there' only three of us properly at home, and I only drink black coffee

I'd say we buy at least 2 semi skimmed 4 pinters a week and probably 3 blue whole milk, as ds drinks it ...he's 21!

When they were all at home, with cereals and glasses of milk we'd go through a six pinter easily most days.

Be grateful your son is drinking milk.
Children need to have calcium while their teeth & bones are growing to make sure they're strong & (hopefully) prevent osteoporosis is older age. To gripe about him drinking milk really does not reflect well on your partner

BobTheDuvet

i do, i am up 24 hours most days though as disabled kids dont sleep

tbh its my medicine really as if i dont drink it my stomach acid has a chance to produce to much and it comes up in thick clumps

the bottom of my esophagus is permanently open so acid is always coming up and im sick constantly,tablets dont work as i had bad side effects on a few different ones,whatever is in the whole milk(semi skimmed dont work) stops the acid from coming up by coating the top layer of my stomach or mixes with the excess acid and neutralizes it

i always have a 4 pinter by my side where ever i go

i take it to the cinema with me,anywhere really
i even have a bit of paper ive laminated signed by my doctor to say its medically needed and apart from water its the only thing i drink

i dont drink tea,coffee, soft drinks or alcohol

God I can't get my head around this post and the amount of milk which is being drank ... children aged 6 -12 should have 1,600 - 2,200 calories a day. A glass of milk has over 100 calories in it ... if a child is having 4 or 6 glasses a day that's a lot of calories. Surely having a balanced diet is more healthy?

And no one has told me if half drank glasses are being left ... I seriously need tips on this.

BobTheDuvet

its ok not offense was taken

im used to shock and questions as i know its not normal

its usually the cashiers at the supermarket that asks

Your DH is U

We go through 16-20 pts a week for 3 of us. My 9 year old DS drinks around 1pt/1.5pt a day, plus cereal. We use milk in tea, cooking, drink it & cereal. I encourage my ds to drink milk & water over squash/pop etc