Milk, water and fruit juices are the recommended drinks suitable for a toddler. For milk, one cup (around 240ml) will provide approximately 300mg of calcium (a 1 to 3 year old require around 700mg daily). Hence, one to two cups a day will provide sufficient amount of calcium without affecting his/her appetite for regular meals. An alternative to milk would be soy milk. Most has the same amount of calcium as cow milk. As for juices, choose those that are made of 100% juice and give these in moderation. Keep to approximately half a cup (around 120ml) as juices are still considered high in sugar content. For some varieties, make smoothies by blending milk with fruits such as raspberries and/or oranges, or yogurt with bananas and/or strawberries. You can choose to add some crushed ice and/or other combination of fruits and vegetables. My friend loves making smoothies once in a while for her 18-month old son (who also loves drinking them). She uses either milk or yogurt with a combination of berries (for sweetness) and vegetables (for vitamins and other good nutrients). But she doesn’t do it everyday as it is quite filling and she doesn’t want to affect her son’s appetite for regular meals. Some drinks to avoid would be soda and caffeinated drinks. Sodas are void of nutrition yet high in sugar. Caffeinated drinks such as iced tea, coffee, sports drinks, vitamin water may cause jitteriness, headaches and concentration issues for your toddler.
Explore the toddler's taste buds by venturing into many other drinks. But always keep in mind about the sugar level for the kids. Personally i am giving my toddler a cup of Milo everyday. You can also give Soy milk as an alternative to Cows Milk.
my baby is a 2 year old also and i give him dutchmill since he like the taste..
I would give Ribena or Milo.. no sodas or citrus drinks..
thanks