more calcium for my kids!

[Span]

I keep worrying about how much calcium my children consume.

They only have substitute milk on their breakfast cereal which isn't much because they won't finish what is in their bowl as they don't like it. This also applies to chocolate milk too.

I am encouraging (but practically forcing ) them to have a warm chocolate drink before bed to up their intake, but they just don't like it and I am getting worried. I have tried all kinds of milks but non of them are any more agreeable. They both have probably half a tea cup of milk (one has rice milk the other has chocolate soya milk) on their breakfast.

Does anyone know of a supplement suitable for children which I can maybe add to bread (I cook my own)? or sprinkle in/on meals?

We have green veggies 3/4ish times a week, but it is still only a couple of tablespoons a time because I am busy trying to squeeze all the other 'essential' foods into them! (How do other parents fit it all in? 6 pieces of bread a day how?)

If I start adding supplements though, could I be doing more harm than good? (they take a general vitamin which contains 100% RDA vitamin B12 so that's not a problem.) They are aged 4 & 5.

[Pob]

Some of the Alpro yoghurts have added calcium.
You can use some fortified soya milk in smoothies.
The chilled Alpro drinks - chocolate and tropical flavours have calcium in (chocolate has other vitamins, too). The tropical one reminds me of the probiotic yoghurt drink.

[Span]

Thanks Rob.
They do like the yoghurts, but 2 kids on a couple of yoghurts a day could lead to a very expensive habit Not to mention, how long before they get sick of eating them!

Tropical flavoured Alpro where can I try that, I've never seen it?!?!

[Pob]

I found it in a 500ml bottle with the chocolate one near the chilled soya milk in Sainsbury.
That will cost more than the yoghurts probably, though

[Pilaf]

Buy some vegan multis. And try to make soyamilk and other milk substitutes more appealing to them in any way you can, because at their ages, calcium is important.

[grail]

Span, how about smoothies with soy/nut milks? I bet you could pass it off as a shake.

Maybe make one that's really yummy and then tell them that if they are good they could have another. Reverse psychology may be your best friend in this regard.

Figs are also a good source of calcium, and kids seem to like them.

[ConsciousCuisine]

Span, it's nice to see a parent so interested in thier children's health

I keep worrying about how much calcium my children consume.
I am encouraging (but practically forcing ) them to have a warm chocolate drink before bed to up their intake, but they just don't like it and I am getting worried.

I would definetly stop giving them chocolate milk before bed and move that treat to another time of the day.

Does anyone know of a supplement suitable for children which I can maybe add to bread (I cook my own)? or sprinkle in/on meals?

There are many good vegan calcium supplements available in the US and I am sure there are many in the UK as well. I am not familiar with those widely available in the UK. I would give a supplement (not sprinkle it on foods, as it would alter the appearance/taste/texture of the food) if I had small children with small appetites.

We have green veggies 3/4ish times a week, but it is still only a couple of tablespoons a time because I am busy trying to squeeze all the other 'essential' foods into them! (How do other parents fit it all in? 6 pieces of bread a day how?)

If I start adding supplements though, could I be doing more harm than good? (they take a general vitamin which contains 100% RDA vitamin B12 so that's not a problem.) They are aged 4 & 5.

I would offer the green veggies every day. If you are happy with your general supplement, stay with it and add in a calcium/magnesium/zinc/D supplement to ensure they get enough of those nutrients. This way, there will be little chance of overdoing it, but without knowing the exact type of supplemetn you currently give, I can't say with certainty.

I personally do *not* try to fit in what the general guidelines suggest, especially when it comes to bread! I focus on the most nutrient-dense foods I can offer my daughter and leave the rest as "treats".

Post in the "What did your vegan child/ren eat today" thread and look at it to get ideas from other vegan parents!

Above all, relax and don't use food as a reward or a punishment. Trust that they are fine ad you are a good parent who is doing the best for the children! Your anxieties and feelings in general transfer to your children and color thier views on food and can quickly become a power struggle, which you *don't* want!

[Tigerlily]

I also heard almonds are a good source of calcium too, and same with seasme seeds. Maybe they would like those for a nice snack?

[Lyns]

I like the little lunchbox-sized cartons of alpro soya, can't remember what they're called, but you can get them in different flavours, banana is my favourite. But this might also add up to be quite expensive.

[Span]

Thanks all, very helpful.

What's the best milk to disguise? With the greatest nutritional value? I find soya milk has a very strong flavour (so I'm not too keen), is sweetened better, and a little easier on the palette? Or is there just as much goodness in the rice milk?

Neither are to keen on smoothies which hasn't been much of a problem (until I need to sneak milk in that is) because they both happily eat a wide variety of fruits.

Thanks CC for your kind and helpful words, it helps alot Any tips on getting them to eat greens every day without it becoming a battle? Its hard enough for the several days I do serve them. Is there a fruit that is 'higher' in calcium to encourage?

Would milk on cereal(i.e. not much) + a yoghurt + a teacup of chocolate milk = enough calcium a day?

Also, should I be giving them orange juice at meal time? I do this to help iron absorbtion, but am I right in thinking it prevents calcium absorbtion?

[NorVegan]

Do you remember vitamine D? VEG1 is a ok mulitivitamine that contains vitamine D and vitamine b12.

I think Solaray brand is in UK? I use the Cal:Mag. It is vegan capsules that you kan open and sprinkle in what ever they want

[Pob]

I find the Granose/Morrisons added vitamin unsweetened soya milks to have the least taste. I had no problem with them and was drinking them "neat" very soon after turning vegan and switching to soya milk. If anything they remind me too much of milk when I drink them cold with a bourbon biscuit.

Porridge, custard, cheesy sauce, blancmange are all good places to hide a decent amount of soy milk. If you have a breadmaker you can make bread with soy milk instead of water. Include wholemeal and softgrain flours and there is some more calcium there.

[Maisiepaisie]

You could add some powdered milkshake to Soya milk. I use Alpro sweetened. I made some of this for my brother who is 13 and an omni. He loved it and was surprised when I told him it was vegan.

[tabitha]

Dont know if its any good or in what quantities but Tropicana do orange juice with added calcium. My youngest is a nightmare also. Hes not vegan (although I have tried) but is a real junk food eater - always getting colds. Mind you tonight he had roast parsnips, carrots, onions, garlic and mash potato and he ate it. I was so pleased, until he explained that he didnt really like it and only ate it because I am ill and he didnt want to burst my stitches (appendix) by making me cross!!

[feline01]

Any tips on getting them to eat greens every day without it becoming a battle? Its hard enough for the several days I do serve them. Is there a fruit that is 'higher' in calcium to encourage?

I read this on another veg message board (www.vegfamily.com), a woman made a smoothie everyday containing 3 bananas, several kale leaves and an orange. She said her kids drink it up and they particularly like the weird green color. I'm going to try it this summer when I'm back to picking organic kale.

What about oatmeal/porridge made with soy, almond or rice milk? Or puree kale and add to pasta sauce and serve over pasta, rice or other grains.

[Yoggy]

Chocolate almond milk is SO good! Everyone I've shared it with says it tastes just like regular chocolate milk, only better. And it's fortified with the same amount of calcium as an equal sized serving of cow's milk. There's also calcium fortified orange juice which has the same amount of calcium, as well as vitamin D to help with calcium absorption.

[Span]

Thanks everyone, you have all been a great help

Tabitha, I buy the Tropicana calcium fortified orange juice, but am worried it isn't vegan. I will need to mail them I think to ask. Its expensive though to use daily for 4 people

Rob. I think, judging from the response, soya milk is a unanimous choice, although I have always been a little worried at the bad press too much soya gets, like dangerously high estrogen esp. in young boys. I may stick to calcium enriched rice milk. What does everyone think of this? (http://www.organicconsumers.org/Organic/soyaisbad.cfm)

I make bread with wholemeal flour and whole grains (pumpkin seeds, sesame/poppy seeds, hazelnuts etc.) but I usually put it on a timer to cook during the night. The book advises against using milk on the timer setting because the milk could go off while its waiting, or is that just cows milk? Would soya/rice milk be ok?

And Feline01, I love the idea of puree'd kale, I could sneak that in all sorts of places Thank you

[Pob]

I think the soya milk should be OK overnight, assuming your kitchen isn't too warm. I have a carton of soya milk on my desk all day and it's still OK by the end of the day.

[RockyRaccoon]

Hmm. My daughter hasn't been convinced by soya or rice milk either. Until recently the only drink she liked was the fresh Aplro chocolate milk. I'm not too keen on her having too much though because of the sugar. My supermarket stopped stocking it anyway, so i had to find a substitute. Well I came up with a smoothie she'll drink gallons of. It's so easy too: blend together soya milk, frozen banana, cocoa powder and a drizzle of maple syrup. It took some trial and error to get the balance of ingredients right to disguise the soya milk without it being too bananaey, but we've mastered it now and she drinks it everyday.

She also has a soya yoghurt for lunch, and broccoli with her tea EVERYDAY! She's not bored of them yet, and ah well, I'll cross that bridge when I come to it.

I too worry whether my daughter is getting the right balance of nutrients, but I TRY not to let it bother me TOO much, as long as she is eating a variety of foods, and enough to keep her running around (which is a struggle because she prefers to be running around than eating!). I'm just glad that she's not a junk food and fizzy pop addict.

Span, from what I can see you are doing a wonderful job of addressing their dietry needs. Keep it up and you'll have no problems.

[Span]

Thanks RockyRacckoon. It can be a real pain because of our boys not liking milkshakes or smoothies, they must be the only children I know who don't!

I have been to the health shop today to get them some chewable calcium tablets with vitamin D in them too. I have been so worried about it, and I think it doesn't help because there are no immediate signs of a deficiency, only in 15 years would I realise that I had crippled them. They take 400mg a day now which I think will be ok, as veggies will be the only other main source, and that is usually a mixture of colours, so only a small amount of green. I think I will give them the tablet at tea time so I can judge how much they have had during the day and if many yoghurts etc. have been eaten, I will reduce the tablet to half.

Thanks ever so much for your help, I really appreciate it. Is there any way of finding out a childs (or anyone's) cacium levels? Or other nutrients for that matter?

[grant]

Can you make tahini, Span? Here's a recipe:

http://www.recipezaar.com/92742


There's lots of calcium in sesame seeds.

[Lentil]

I guess I should point out that my kids aren't vegan (yet!!! I'm working on it!) but I am.

Before you all start beating yourselves up too much about what their diets are lacking in, think about all the rubbish most other kids are fed - and I mean rubbish! And what's worse is that most parents don't (want?) to know any better. You care about your children's health and that it a great thing

I'll have a think about "practical" ideas and try to post again later

[twinkle]

I've heard that it takes 8-10 times of tasting something to like it sometimes. If you try making a lot of different things with greens in (raw in salads, steamed, in stir fries, pureed in a bean dip) I bet after a while they'll get used to the taste and even start loving it. You could also try putting strongly flavoured vinegrette's over lightly steamed veggies - I sometimes notice parents don't try to give their kids strong flavours because they assume the children won't like them, but I for one used to love garlic, chilli, etc. and my cousin's young children did too.

As someone else suggested, tahini is a good source of calcium - you could either make hummous with it in (seeing as it's a traditional ingredient anyway) or I have a sweet chocolate sandwich spread recipe with tahini in that I could post if you like.

Oranges have a small but useful amount of calcium in them - I think you'd have to eat about 20 oranges to get the recommended daily allowance, but if they like oranges then obviously they have other good stuff in them as well, and it's worth remembering that they are adding to the calcium intake.

I would recommend Dr Stephen Walsh's 'Plant Based Nutrition and Health' as it has chapters on nutrition for children, and a lot of detailed info about nutritional needs in general. You might also get some good info from the fact sheets on the Vegan Society website, though I find that a bit difficult to navigate sometimes.

[Lentil]

Ok, I've had a look and it seems that the following things are rich is calcium:

Green leafy vegetables
Sesame seeds
Broccoli
Dried figs
Pulses
Almonds
Spinach and watercress

If your kids are anything like mine, spinach and watercress are right off the menu! Mind you, most of them wolfed it down in sag aloo the other night

How about alternating the green veg you offer? It sometimes works that although they don't really like any of it to start off with, if offered a range of foods, they'll end up eating the "least worst" and it builds up from there.

Also, as mentioned before, hummus is excellent - I put it in their sandwiches (and even sneak watercress in with it too sometimes), use it as a dip and put it in wraps with shredded lettuce and grated carrot in their lunchboxes. Figs would be good as a "pudding" too. You could put together a mix of dried figs and almonds ..

How about almond milk? Never tried it but I'm guessing it must be naturally rich in calcium.

The trick I've found is to be really enthusiastic about food yourself - whatever it is, let your kids see you eating (and enjoying!) it and *really* enjoy it - build it up to be great, "oh you've just *got* to try this!", etc. (You get the picture LOL!) Sometimes it works, it's worth a try.

I was finding it really hard to get any raw veg into them so one night I made homemade bean burgers in a bun, made lots of wedges and bought a couple of dips. I gave it to them, put across as a "treat", with a plate of raw carrots, cucumber and celery to share between them. The result? They polished off all the carrots and cu and asked for more .. long term, they still see it as a treat and now they come and pester me for raw carrot while I'm preparing them for dinner, they'll argue over the last bit of cucumber .. but they all hate celery hehehe

As someone else mentioned too, it's worth keeping on trying. Put it on their plates even if you think there's no hope of them ever eating it as it gets them familiar with something new. Eventually, they'll try some (hopefully) and it may be something they even end up liking

Hope that helps a bit

[archaeopteryx]

I buy the Tropicana calcium fortified orange juice, but am worried it isn't vegan. I will need to mail them I think to ask.

Could I ask if you discovered if the Tropicana+Calcium is vegan or not?
Has anyone discovered if the Tropican+Calcium is in fact vegan?

I just discovered that Jacobs fig rolls are not vegan.

[herbwormwood]

I keep worrying about how much calcium my children consume.

Do they like hummus? If so, toast pitta bread and cut it up into small pieces and let them use their fingers to dip and scoop into the hummus dish with the pitta bits. Hummus has lots of calcium. You can make your own if they like it.

[Span]

If only herbwormwood! One of them used to eat hummus, but now neither will. Its such a pain because they have always been vegetarian, but only (fairly) recently converted to vegan. There are a lot of new things to 'insist' they eat, and although they are getting better, some things just don't work. As adults, we know what we have to eat, even if we aren't too keen, but trying to persuade kids is a whole different head ache!

Thanks for the idea though.

[herbwormwood]

These websites have some useful stuff to get children to eat more fruit and veg:
http://www.dole5aday.com/
http://www.dh.gov.uk/PolicyAndGuidan...ormation/fs/en
http://www.food.gov.uk/interactiveto...ashstreetdiet/
http://www.sustainweb.org/grab5_pr_links.asp

[archaeopteryx]

After two attempts I finally have an answer from Tropicana re: products suitable for vegans - here is the reply - I hope they know what they're talking about -

Thank you for your e-mail enquiry

All of our Tropicana Juices except Tropicana MultiVitamins and Tropicana Fibre are suitable for a vegan diet.

Thank you for taking the time to contact us we trust you will enjoy Tropicana Juices.

Regards

Consumer Care Team

[cookey]

Span -I'm wondering why you are worrying so much about calcium intake? If you give your kids a generally balanced diet they will get all the nutrients they need. Why is it this particular one that worries you so much? Has someone expressed concern about your children not getting enough in a vegan diet?
I've fed my kids vegan all their lives and they are now 8 and 6 and very healthy. I don't obsess about particular nutrients but make sure they have a good range of different types of food. I know that there have been studies that show that too much animal protein can limit the absorbtion of calcium anyway, so I'm sure you're kids are much more healthy than most children.

[DoveInGreyClothing]

As an omni kid, my mum worried about me getting enough calcium since I was never keen on dairy. (Only as a teenager going vegetarian I made the mistake of eating it again and growing to like it, then went vegan and discovered I was mildly intolerant, since my eczema and IBS improved).

I was made to drink a milkshake every night at one point, which I usually gave to my brother(!) when she left the room, and yougurts to school that I gave to the other kids!

My only sources of calcium were the occaisional green leafy veg, milk chocolate and ice cream! Not exactly healthy! Thing is, never done me any harm at all, I'm a strapping 5'7 with all my own teeth!

Get a supplement if you are worried, but I'm sure they'll be just fine.

These days I get my calcium from porridge or natural soya yogurt mixed with cereal, tahini, hummus, nuts, and green leafy veg.

[Span]

Thanks all for your input.
Cookery - I suppose I worry more about this specific nutrient because if I cock it up now, I won't know if i've damaged them until they are much older, by which time it's too late. And I always struggle to know how much is enough! Eating greens 2/3 times week (and it's only a tablespoon or two at a time) just doesn't seem enough! I know a lot of the trouble comes from brainwashing since a very early age, but because there is no way of knowing, I fret a bit sorry it's my job. They take a multi vitamin for most others inc. B12.

But since looking into this further, I notice some doctors are now switching there stance on this. They say it is not too much meat and dairy that is the problem ( and lack of ostio related illness in eastern countries) but that it is their lack of calcium full stop. No supplements, no nothing. Keeping calcium as low as possible is the best way to go!?!?!?!?

So of course this only adds to my panicy confusion ho hum

[herbwormwood]

Are you worried about calcium intake as regards their future bone density?
If so... you should know calcium is not the only nutrient necessary.
Calcium on its own is useless, you need other things with it for it to work.
Magnesium and boron. Magnesium in particular.
Veggies are good sources of magnesium.
Vitamin D (very important). Your kids can get this from sunlight during the months April to October.
Exercise. Running around and playing outside will build bones during childhood.
Keep them off cola and other similar caffienated drinks as this can leach calcium out of bones. Try to prevent them from develping coffee and tea habits as the caffiene in these does also leach calcium from bones.

[Tigerlily]

Can you still absorb Vitamin D from sun with sunblock on? What about inside while lying in front of a big window on a sunny day?

[herbwormwood]

http://www.vegansociety.com/html/foo...n/vitaminD.php

for more on vitamin D. I think you would have to go outside without sunblock.
That factsheet says go outside. It does not mention about sunblock, but sunblock blocks the suns rays, and it is the action of the suns rays which make our bodies produce vitamin D.
But of course you would have to be careful not to do it for too long. I think 10 minutes daily would suffice. Or even start with just a few minutes and build up gradually to 10.
The sun reaches its peak in June and July at midday, so it would be wise to bear this in mind in order not to be burned or risk skin cancer.
There is more info on http://www.vegansociety.com/ and maybe you could email them. They are very helpful. But for building childrens' bones, it is important to have weight bearing exercise, so lying in front of a window would not build their bones whether vitamin D was absorbed or not!
Running around and playing outside would be better.

[Tigerlily]

I guess 10 minutes a day can't hurt. I'm still paranoid about getting wrinkles and damaging my skin. I don't want to be 50 years old and look like leather (like so many women I have seen).

[blue husky]

Hi Span

A great way of getting green veggies and soya milk down them is to blend them into a tomato pasta sauce. My daughter will only drink 'sweetened' soy milk, it helps to drink it through a straw and also if you have to nesquik milk shake powder is suitable for vegans, which comes in a variety of flavours. Also try different brands as they can really differ, we like tesco and solihil, and Holland and Barret (sweetened versions). Also soya milk can be used to make vegan macaroni cheese. Have you tried the vanilla soy dessert? when heated is like a perfect custard yummmmm. Eat sugary based things with or after a meal as this helps prevent tooth decay.

Calcium requirements - age 0 -1yr 525gms calcium, 1 - 3yrs 350mg, 4 - 6 yrs 450gm, 7 - 10yrs 550gm, 11- 18 (male) 1000gms and female 800mg, adults 700mg, pregnant 700gms(under 19 - 800mg), breast feeding 1350mg. If your are not being exposed to sunlight then vit D is advisable eg babies and children under 5 and people who cover up in sunlight.
2 large slices of white or brown bread (72gms) 72mg, same but wholemeal is 39gms, 1 large orange (210gms) is 70mg, small can baked beans(150gms) 80mg, 3 tbsps boile dlentils 26mg, 1 tbspn sesame seeds 8omg, 2 tbspn kidney beans 50mg, 7 dried apricots 52mg.

hope this is helpful, it is the guidelines Health Visitors hand out to parents. Vegan society does great books on children being vegans - definetely worth investing in.

[blue husky]

sorry that was meant to say ' vit d 'supplement' is advisable if.... (vegan society do a good version Veg1 suitable for chilren too. Be careful of vit D supplements (if I have it right way round) D2 is not animal dervived but D3 (the more common one) is.

[chickendude]

Please note, however, that Vitamin D3 can by synthetically derived, and Vitamin D2 can be animal derived (from various fish oils and animal fats), although I believe D2 is typically plant-based. I forget where I read it, but there was some orange juice manufacturer enhancing their juice with the synthetically-derived D3 vitamin; if I can find the link again I'll post it.

So again, it's always best to check with the manufacturer if the Vitamin D is vegan. And many juice companies fortify their juices with Calcium Lactate, which often is not vegan.

To incorporate more calcium into your childrens' diets, I would try to encourage them to drink juices fortified with (vegan ) calcium, as those often contain up to 25% of the RDA amounts, which is a solid start.

Good luck and I hope everything works out for you!

[Span]

Thanks ever so much for all this help!

With regard to the vitamin D absorbtion and sun block. I read an article recently (if I can find it I'll post it) which tells how people are becoming more serverely ill due to lack of vit D. Cancers are more prevalent as are muscle problems and that possible skin cancer (which is no where near as life threatening as others, and can usually be successfully treated) should not be the deciding factors on sun exposure. They fear that some may not be sensible about it and take *living on a sunbed* as Ok, when clearly it is not, so are reluctant to *out* the benefits of the sun!

Thanks for the examples of food amounts blue husky. I read a similar thing but the quantities were sooooo high for such young children! The vegetarian society said that children aged 4-6 should have 6 slices of bread!? or 3 cups of cooked cereal/grain/pasta or 4.5 cups of ready to eat cereal!! That's not including the beans, soya milk, fruit, veg and fats in a day too. I would struggle to eat that much, not to mention kids with a small appetite!

They now take a chewable calcium supplement with vit D. As part of the anticaking agents, it has vegetable source magnesium Stearate. Is this able to be absorbed like normal magnesium? and is it enough? as their general multivit doesn't contain magnesium. Now I've got something else to worry about!

[rianaelf]

bananas are a good source of magnesium

[Span]

Oooh thanks rianaelf

[rianaelf]

You are welcome!
Alfalfa is a really excellent source of vitamins, minerals and amino acids. The sprouted seeds are the best fro amino acids and the leaves for minerals. Both have lots of vitamins. You can get the powdered leaf and add a teaspoon per person in soyamilkshakes with banana and anythink else you feel like putting in

[mn_nurse]

Uh...tofu? It's easy to mix into things in small amounts if your kids don't like it. White beans are good, too. Oh, and the amounts of calcium required for children listed previously is incorrect...at least according to American sources. Perhaps they have different recommendations in the UK.
Ages 1-3: 500 mg calcium
Ages 4-8: 800 mg calcium
Ages 9-13: 1300 mg calcium
This is according to the new 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans and the American Academy of Pediatrics concurs with this.

And, yes, typically children (particularly young ones) need to try things about 8-15 times before they like it.

[blue husky]

[ Oh, and the amounts of calcium required for children listed previously is incorrect...at least according to American sources. Perhaps they have different recommendations in the UK.]

The amounts previously listed were correct in accordance with British Government Guidelines.

[herbwormwood]

I would be wary of giving healthy people calcium supplements as an excess of calcium can lead to kidney stones and bone problems.
A balanced and well informed vegan diet should provide sufficient quantities of calcium.

[moonshadow]

right now, xylia's still fairly young (16.5 months), and not eating loads...

but, each day she gets either a bowl of alpro plain yoghurt with sprouted flax (the current box is has blueberry bits in it) or porridge made with alpro soy milk (i get the fridge kind, as i can't stand the uht kind).

we make our own soymilk for baking, and as soon as we find a good calcium supplement to add to it (haven't started looking yet...), we'll use that in her porridge.

she eats a fair bit of tofu, too.

we use tahini a lot, too, which has a fair bit of calcium in it. found in things like hummus, which she adores.

she adores raw brocolli (but doesn't go near it steamed....).

she eats whatever we're eating otherwise. i think we eat a reasonably balanced diet, and she's doing well, so i'm happy.

i would like to find a vitamin for her, but i'm thinking i'll wait until she's two.

[herbwormwood]

right now, xylia's still fairly young (16.5 months), and not eating loads...

but, each day she gets either a bowl of alpro plain yoghurt with sprouted flax (the current box is has blueberry bits in it) or porridge made with alpro soy milk (i get the fridge kind, as i can't stand the uht kind).

we make our own soymilk for baking, and as soon as we find a good calcium supplement to add to it (haven't started looking yet...), we'll use that in her porridge..

In baking and cooking soya flour and chick pea (Gram) flour can be added.
These are naturally high in calcium.
They do not have the risks associated with artificial calcium supplements!
Also do not allow growing children to become hooked on fizzy drinks and caffienated drinks as they leach calcium from the bones.

[Korn]

Here's something I just came across:
Calcium Supplements Fail To Prevent Bone Fractures In Children

Science Daily — Calcium supplements have very little benefit for preventing fractures in childhood and later adulthood, concludes a study in the British Medical Journal

Children taking such supplements are have only small improvements in bone density, which are unlikely to reduce fracture risk, says the study carried out by researchers at the Menzies Research Institute in Australia and other approaches could be more beneficial such as increasing vitamin D concentrations and eating more fruit and vegetables.
Osteoporosis is a major public health problem, particularly in women, and low bone mineral density is an important risk factor for osteoporotic fractures. Bone density worsens for women after the menopause, so intervention in childhood to maximise peak bone mass by improving factors such as diet and physical activity can minimise the impact of bone loss related to age.
The researchers analysed the findings of 19 different studies involving 2,859 children collectively aged between three and 18. They included randomised trials of calcium supplementation in healthy children that lasted at least three months and which measured bone outcomes after at least six months of follow-up.
They found there was a small effect on total body bone mineral content and upper limb bone mineral density -- children taking the supplements only had 1.7% better bone density in their upper limbs than children not taking the supplements.
However, there was no effect at important sites in the body for fracture in later life -- namely the hip and lumbar spine. After children stopped taking calcium supplements, the effect persisted at the upper limb, but disappeared for total body bone mineral content.
The authors conclude: "The small effect of calcium supplementation on bone mineral density in the upper limb is unlikely to reduce the risk of fracture, either in childhood or later life, to a degree of major public health importance. It may be appropriate to explore alternative nutritional interventions, such as increasing vitamin D concentrations and intake of fruit and vegetables."

[Yoggy]

I like the last sentence! I've never heard of a calcium study that suggests fruits and vegetables, they always seem to push milk and yoghurt.