Dairy Facts

Dairy facts and general information about dairy products.
dairy

Kids Cooking Activities Teaching Materials

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Where do Dairy Products Come From:

All dairy products come from milk.
Dairy products include milk, cheese, and yogurt.

Why we Need Dairy Products:

Dairy products provide calcium and this is especially important in women and children.
Why do kids need calcium?

Strengthen bones
Help prevent osteoporosis later in life
Keeps mouths healthy

How much Dairy Products Do We Need:

Kids Daily Calcium needs:

Birth to 6 months 210 mg
6-12 months 270 mg
1-3 years old 500 mg (about 1 1/2 glasses a day)
4-8 years old 800 mg (about 2 1/2 glasses a day)
9-18 years old 1,300 mg (about 4 1/2 glasses of milk)

I don't know about your house but I have one child who doesn't like milk or cheese. After reading this information and realizing how much he is lacking I'm going to have to come up with new ways to introduce dairy.

Dairy Facts

What is One Serving of Dairy:

Here are some of the Natural Institutes of Health ideas for one serving: dairy products including cheese, milk carton

Fruit or plain yogurt
1 Cup Orange juice with added calcium
1 Cup Ricotta cheese
1/2 Cup Low fat or fat free cheese 2 ounces
Milk 1 cup
Soybeans 1 Cup
Cheddar cheese 1/2 Cup
Tofu with added calcium 1/2 Cup
Cheese pizza 1 slice
Raw broccoli, 1 stalk
Cooked broccoli, 1 cup
Bok choy, 1 Cup
Spinach, cooked 1/2 Cup
Frozen yogurt vanilla 1/2 Cup
Macaroni and cheese 1 Cup
Almonds 1 ounce
1 tortilla corn or flour

Some Things You Can Find Dairy Products in:

Ice cream
Frozen yogurt
Milk based pudding
Hard or soft cheeses
Cream cheese
Cottage cheese
Yogurt plain or flavored
Yogurt drinks
Milk, soy milk, flavored milk

Try these Food Trivia Worksheets
cheese trivia

Dairy Cooking Ideas

How to Make Homemade Butter

Making homemade butter is a fun kitchen science activity that shows how cream changes when it is shaken. To start, you will need whipping cream that has been warmed to room temperature and a small jar with a tight-fitting lid, such as a baby food jar. Pour about one tablespoon of whipping cream into the jar, place the lid on tightly, and begin shaking. Kids can take turns shaking the jar, which makes this a great group activity. At first the cream will become thick like whipped cream, but if you keep shaking, the fat in the cream will begin to separate from the liquid. Eventually the fat clumps together and forms a small ball of butter while the remaining liquid becomes buttermilk. Once the butter forms, pour off the excess liquid and add a pinch of salt if you like. This simple experiment helps kids see how the fat molecules in cream stick together when agitated, transforming liquid cream into solid butter.

You will need:

Whipping cream at room temperature
Small jar

Pour a Tablespoon of whipping cream that has been warmed to room temperature in a small jar such as a baby food jar.
cream for making homemade butter

Place the lid on and shake continuously. Take turns with other family members or friends.

shaking homemade butter

Keep shaking until the cream forms into a ball. Pour off the excess milk and add a little salt to your homemade butter if desired.

The fat in the cream when you shake the jar comes together forming a ball of butter.

Making Butter Science Results:
When you shake the jar, you are forcing the fat molecules in the cream to bump into each other repeatedly. Cream is an emulsion, which means tiny fat droplets are suspended in liquid. As the jar is shaken, the protective membranes around the fat droplets break and the fat begins to stick together. This process is called churning. As more fat droplets join together, they form a solid clump of butter and separate from the watery liquid, which is buttermilk. This simple experiment helps kids see how physical movement can change the structure of food and turn a liquid into a solid.

How Do You Make Yogurt?

Yogurt is made by using milk and a store bought plain yogurt (because you need live cultures). Then cooking and incubating the mixture for several hours. Learn how to make homemade yogurt.

How Do You Make Cottage Cheese

Cheese is made from milk. You start the process by heating milk and then adding other ingredients. Then letting it stand 12-18 hours.
Learn how to make homemade cottage cheese.

cottage chesee