0-6 months  DRINK:

Young infants need only breast milk or infant formula to get enough fluids and proper nutrition.

AVOID:

Infants younger than 6 months should not drink:

• Juice
• Milk
• Flavored milks (e.g., chocolate, strawberry)
• “Transition” or “weaning” formulas (sometimes called toddler milks, growing up milks, or follow up formulas)
• Plant-based/non-dairy milks (e.g., almond, rice, oat)
• Drinks with caffeine (e.g., soda, coffee, tea, energy drinks)
• Low-calorie sweetened drinks (e.g., “diet” or “light” drinks, including those sweetened with stevia, sucralose, or other low-calorie sweeteners)
• Sugar-sweetened drinks (e.g., soda, fruit drinks and fruit-flavored drinks, fruit-ades, sports drinks, energy drinks, sweetened waters, and sweetened coffee and tea drinks)

6-12 months DRINK:

• Infants between 6 and 12 months should still rely on breast milk or infant formula to meet most of their daily nutritional needs. Breast milk and/or infant formula also provide all of the fluids a baby needs during this time.
• Once solid foods are introduced, which is typically around 6 months, try adding in a couple of sips of water during meal times. It helps babies develop cup-drinking skills and learn to like the taste of water, which takes time.

AVOID:

Infants younger than 12 months should not drink:

• Juice
• Milk
• Flavored milks (e.g., chocolate, strawberry)
• “Transition” or “weaning” formulas (sometimes called toddler milks, growing up milks, or follow up formulas)
• Plant-based/non-dairy milks (e.g., almond, rice, oat)
• Drinks with caffeine (e.g., soda, coffee, tea, energy drinks)
• Low-calorie sweetened drinks (e.g., “diet” or “light” drinks, including those sweetened with stevia, sucralose, or other low-calorie sweeteners)
• Sugar-sweetened drinks (e.g., soda, fruit drinks and fruit flavored drinks, fruit-ades, sports drinks, energy drinks, sweetened waters, and sweetened coffee and tea drinks)

These drinks can be big sources of added sugars in young children’s diets and provide no unique nutritional value beyond eating a balanced diet and sticking to water and milk. And, avoiding these kinds of drinks at a young age helps to create and maintain healthy habits down the road.

LIMIT:

100% Fruit Juice

• Children 12 to 24 months old should drink no more than ½ cup (4 ounces) of 100% fruit juice per day. Adding water to 100% fruit juice can make a little bit go a long way.
• As much as possible, children should meet their daily fruit intake (about 1 cup for 1-3 years and 1½ cups for 4-5 years) by eating fruit in fresh, canned, or frozen forms without added sugars, rather than by drinking juice, as this is the best option.
• If this is not possible, then a combination of whole fruit and 100% fruit juice is okay, as long as a child does not drink more than the upper limit of ½ cup per day.
• This is because juice, even 100% fruit juice, can contribute to dental cavities, and if kids drink more than is recommended, it can have other negative health impacts such as weight gain.

AVOID:

Children 12 to 24 months old should not drink:

• Flavored milks (e.g., chocolate, strawberry)
• “Transition” or “weaning” formulas (sometimes called toddler milks, growing up milks, or follow up formulas)
• Plant-based/non-dairy milks (e.g., almond, rice, oat)
• Drinks with caffeine (e.g., soda, coffee, tea, energy drinks)
• Low-calorie sweetened drinks (e.g., “diet” or “light” drinks, including those sweetened with stevia, sucralose, or other low-calorie sweeteners)
• Sugar-sweetened drinks (e.g., soda, fruit drinks and fruit flavored drinks, fruit-ades, sports drinks, energy drinks, sweetened waters, and sweetened coffee and tea drinks)

Plant-based/non-dairy milks are not recommended as a full replacement for regular milk. Evidence indicates that, with the exception of fortified soy milk, many plant-based/non-dairy milk alternatives lack key nutrients found in cow’s milk. Even when these milks have extra nutrients added to them, our bodies may not absorb those nutrients as well as they can from regular milk. Unsweetened and fortified non-dairy milks may be a good choice if a child is allergic to dairy, lactose intolerant, or is in a family that does not eat dairy products. Be sure to consult with your health care provider when choosing a plant-based/non-dairy milk. It is important to ensure that your child’s diet has the right amounts of key nutrients found in milk, such as protein, calcium, and vitamin D, which are essential for healthy growth and development.