calcium source for child on dairy free diet who reacts to supplements

[WhenIsTheGeneralElection]

Hi,

I wondered if anybody might have idea about calcium sources for my son? He reacts badly to milk and cheese, and vitamin supplements do weird things to him.

The only fortified food he can eat is readybrek, and he has 150g made into biscuits every morning, which gives 2g calcium. That is 50% more than RDA.

DS is growing a lot at the moment and has got epic cheese cravings, which I take as an indication that he needs more calcium.

I just wondered if anybody might have good ideas of where I could get some if fortified food is not an option.

He loves fish, and I have heard that whitebait is good for calcium but it might be hard to eat enough for it to count.

If it's not calcium that he's looking for I wonder if there is anything else nice that solves cheese cravings?

Thanks!

What is his bad reaction? Have you seen a dietitian?

Pumpkin seeds?
what kind of reaction does he get?

try solgar calcium u-cubes

Tofu, sweet potato, broccoli, kale, white beans, eggs...lots of foods have some calcium, the issue is whether he would eat enough to replace dairy.

Chickpeas - would he eat houmous?

Almond milk.

Any fish where the bones are eaten so yes whitebait for eg. Also tinned salmon as you can mash the bones and flesh together.
Has this been medically diagnosed and has he seen a registered dietitian?
Absorption of calcium needs vitamin D. A lot of fresh vegetable sources of calcium are difficult for the gut to absorb it because of the presence of phytates.
Flour is fortified with calcium so bread is a useful source.

His cheese cravings are probably because he likes cheese. It's tasty stuff.

Sorry I'm not in the UK but here we have a brand of tuna called John West, they make a calcium fortified tuna that has 100% of your recommended daily intake of calcium. Not sure if it's available where you are?

DS is growing a lot at the moment and has got epic cheese cravings, which I take as an indication that he needs more calcium

But surely by that logic, his cheese craving may just as likely be indicative of a need for more fats, protein, or a number of other vitamins? How can you know it is calcium he's lacking?
Have you seen a dietician for the dairy reaction? I would want that fully investigated before striking groups of food from his diet.

There are plenty of dairy-free foods with calcium, if it is indeed that which is missing. Dark leafy greens are a good plant-based source, or tinned sardines for a meatier option. It needs to be combined with vitamin D for absorption.

Of course, he may just be a fan of a cheese board, which is driving his cravings...

I have a 12 year old son who has been dairy intollerant his whole life, plus he is vegetarian to make things more awkward! I would suggest lots of green vegeatables and salad plus plant based milks. Here is an amazing and easy ice cream recipe which he will hopefully love...
Vegan Strawberry Ice Cream.
Ingredients:
2 cups of fresh or frozen strawberries
1 can of full-fat coconut milk
1/2 cup of granulated sugar
1 tsp of vanilla extract
Instructions:
Wash and hull the strawberries, then chop them into small pieces.
In a blender, combine the chopped strawberries, coconut milk, sugar, and vanilla extract. Blend until the mixture is smooth and creamy.
Pour the mixture into an ice cream maker and churn according to the manufacturer's instructions. This should take about 20-25 minutes.
Once the ice cream is done churning, transfer it to a container and freeze for at least 2 hours or until firm.
When ready to serve, let the ice cream sit at room temperature for a few minutes to soften before scooping.

Tinned sardines and salmon. Yoghurt (you said he reacts to milk and cheese, does that include yoghurt) - but look also for calcium content in non-dairy yoghurts. Cereals, tofu, non-dairy milks like oat milk are usually fortified.

Thank you very much, this is really helpful. I can't go into the rest of the medical detail because it is complicated but we are in the queue for a dietician and I think you might be right about cheese just being tasty. :-)

Blackstrap molasses.