Nutrition Facts Dairy Ways to Increase Your Calcium Intake With Dairy By Shereen Lehman, MS Shereen Lehman, MS, is a healthcare journalist and fact checker. She has co-authored two books for the popular Dummies Series (as Shereen Jegtvig). Learn about our editorial process Shereen Lehman, MS Reviewed by Reviewed by Barbie Cervoni MS, RD, CDCES, CDN on January 20, 2021 facebook twitter linkedin instagram Barbie Cervoni MS, RD, CDCES, CDN, is a registered dietitian and certified diabetes care and education specialist. Learn about our Review Board Barbie Cervoni MS, RD, CDCES, CDN Updated on January 20, 2021 Print Calcium is essential for strong bones and teeth, and it's also necessary for your nerves to function and your muscles to contract and relax properly. You get that calcium from the foods you eat. While there are many non-dairy foods that are rich in calcium, dairy is such an excellent source of calcium that it qualifies as a food group. According to the United States Department of Agriculture, you need about three servings of dairy every day. The downside of dairy is that it can be high in saturated fat. And although experts argue about whether or not saturated fats are bad for you, they're not something you need, so choose non-fat and low-fat milk and dairy products to keep fat and calories at bay. Ready for some calcium-rich and delicious tips? Here are 13 ways to use dairy products to get plenty of calcium every day. Choose several low-fat servings of these dairy foods each day to easily meet your calcium needs, and get some extra protein too. 1 Drink Milk More Often Verywell / Alexandra Shytsman Drinking a tall glass of cold milk is probably the most basic way to consume dairy. One 8-ounce serving of milk has almost 300 milligrams of calcium, which is close to one-third of what you need every day (most adults need about 1,000 milligrams of calcium per day). If it is possible and within your budget, choose organic cow's milk. Some studies have suggested that this type of milk has higher concentrations of omega-3 and conjugated linoleic acid. 2 Add Cheese to Your Veggies Verywell / Alexandra Shytsman Adding a little cheese to green vegetables accomplishes two things. First, you're upping your intake of calcium, and second, you're adding a lot of flavor (so it's perfect for picky eaters). Adding cheese to veggies is easy, just sprinkle shredded cheese over the top of hot cooked vegetables. Take care of serving sizes, one serving of shredded cheddar cheese is only about 1/3 a cup and adds about 200 milligrams calcium and 170 calories to your meal. Another option is to make a cheese sauce that's made with cheese and milk for about 225 milligrams calcium per 1/3 cup serving. 3 Make a Smoothie Tiina Geir / Getty Images Drinking a smoothie made with milk or calcium will contribute to your daily calcium intake, plus you'll benefit from all the vitamins, minerals and fiber that come with all those healthy fruits and veggies. A basic fruit smoothie includes fruit, yogurt, ice, and milk, juice, or a milk-alternative (such as a nut milk). There are many creative and delicious smoothie recipes. Be careful with smoothie recipes that call for extra added sugar or syrup because there's really no need for the extra empty calories. 10 Healthy Fruit Smoothies, All Under 300 Calories! 4 Eat Cottage Cheese Verywell / Alexandra Shytsman Cottage cheese is a fresh soft cheese made with curds mixed with milk. One cup of low-fat cottage cheese has around 140 milligrams of calcium and about 160 calories. Serve cottage cheese as a side dish or on toast or a bagel (instead of full-fat cream cheese). Cottage cheese also pairs nicely with most fruits and berries. 5 Yogurt with Granola and Berries for Breakfast Jennifer K Rakowski / Getty Images Low-fat or non-fat Greek yogurt is loaded with calcium and protein so when you combine it with crunchy granola and juicy pomegranate arils you have the perfect healthy breakfast. I like Greek yogurt best because it has a smooth, creamy texture. Raspberries, blueberries, or sliced strawberries will work just as well and they're all are all excellent sources of vitamins, minerals, and fiber. 6 Make Herbed Feta Appetizers William Reavell / Getty Images Here's a simple and healthy appetizer idea. Place 1-inch cubes of herbed feta cheese on skewers and add olives, cucumbers, and mint leaves. Each one has about 84 milligrams of calcium and about 50 calories. Or serve feta cheese chunks in a bowl with olives and slices of pita bread. 7 Have a Smoothie Bowl for Breakfast Westend61 / Getty Images A smoothie bowl is similar to a smoothie you drink except that it's thicker, so you use a bowl and a spoon instead of a glass and straw. Take any basic smoothie recipe and add more ice or something substantial like dry rolled oats or a big spoonful of peanut butter. You can use more yogurt (and more calcium) to thicken your smoothie bowl, too. Smoothie bowls are often made with fresh berries that are not only for good nutrition but also for the gorgeous colors. Make your smoothie bowl a work or art by topping it with nuts, seeds, granola and dried or fresh fruit. 8 Add Parmesan Cheese to a Salad Rick Poon / Getty Images Parmesan cheese is a hard, dry cheese that's lower in fat and calories than most other types of cheese. One ounce of Parmesan cheese has about 300 milligrams calcium and just over 100 calories. (Use the real thing — the powdered, grated stuff in the green can isn't anywhere as tasty.) Add Parmesan slices to a green salad. It's a perfect topping for a Ceasar salad or a simple, but delicious, arugula salad. 9 Have a Caffe Latte Whitney A. Brandt / Getty Images A caffe latte is a coffee drink made with espresso and steamed milk, and they're available at coffee shops that seem to populate almost every city block. Coffee alone might have health benefits, and when you add the milk, you're also getting a healthy dose of calcium. Keep your caffe latte lean and healthy by ordering nonfat milk and skip the flavored syrups that just add empty calories. 10 Serve Cheese and Fruit Kabobs Thomas Firak Photography / Getty Images Grab your favorite fresh fruits and cheese and skewers and make these cheese and fruit kabobs. Choose something like cheddar or Swiss cheese or some type of cheese that won't crumble or fall off the skewers. Combine a variety of cheese and fruits or stick with something simple like apples and cheddar cheese. 11 Make a Yogurt Parfait Brian Macdonald / Getty Images A parfait made with yogurt, fresh berries, and chopped nuts or granola looks and tastes decadent, but it's really very good for you. The yogurt is loaded with calcium, and the berries have all those vitamins and minerals. For something different, how about a tropical yogurt parfait made with pineapple chunks and toasted coconut? Or maybe yogurt layered with peaches and chopped pecans and almond. 12 Make a Caprese Salad Allison Achauer / Getty Images A Caprese salad is a simple and delicious salad made with tomatoes, mozzarella cheese, and basil, usually topped with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Mozzarella cheese is lower in calories compared to other types of cheese because it's lower in fat. One ounce has more than 200 milligrams of calcium and less than 75 calories. 13 Make a Cheese and Veggie Sandwich GMVozd / Getty Images There's nothing unusual about adding cheese to a burger or turkey sandwich, but loading a sandwich with veggies and cheese is a great option, too. Choose whole grain bread, crunchy cucumbers, cool tomato slices, baby spinach leaves and a slice or two of your favorite cheese for a healthy and delicious lunch. A Word From Verywell Calcium is so important that you need to eat calcium-rich foods every day. Dairy products are high in this crucial mineral and although dairy products are often high in saturated fat, as long as you choose wisely, milk and other dairy products can be part of a healthy diet. Should You Take a Calcium Supplement? Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Get nutrition tips and advice to make healthy eating easier. Sign Up You're in! Thank you, {{form.email}}, for signing up. There was an error. Please try again. What are your concerns? Other Inaccurate Hard to Understand Submit Article Sources Verywell Fit uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. Benbrook CM, Davis DR, Heins BJ, et al. Enhancing the fatty acid profile of milk through forage-based rations, with nutrition modeling of diet outcomes. Food Sci Nutr. 2018;6(3):681-700. doi:10.1002/fsn3.610 Additional Reading National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements. "Calcium Dietary Supplement Fact Sheet." United States Department of Agriculture Agricultural Research Service. "National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference 28."