Milk and dairy products are an important of a child’s diet. They are good sources of energy and protein and they contain a wide range of vitamins and minerals.

They are rich in calcium, which growing children and young people need to build healthy bones and teeth.

Skim milk powder, ometimes called dry or non fat milk is just as nutritious as fresh milk, but keeps longer and costs less. Skim powder provides bone-building nutrients such as protein, calium and vitamin D and A.

However, children below the age of 2 years shouldn’t drink skim milk or milk from skim powder because it doesn’t have enough fat for health growth.

Babies below 1 year shouldn’t be given condensed milk, evaporated milk, dried milk or any other drink referred to as milk such as rice, oat or almond drinks.

Children should be given full fat milk untill they are 2 years old because they may not get the calories or essential vitamins they need from lower-fat milks. Children under the ages of one and three years need to have around 350mg of calcium a day. About 300ml of milk [just over half a pint] would provide this, according to DR AISHA RASHID LUKWAGO OF CLINIC ON AIDS RESEARCH NAMASUBA.

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