What should parents do if their kids “don’t like” water or milk?

Change takes time. We see these recommendations as a “gold standard” that families can work toward when making beverage choices. For example, making even one healthier choice each day–to swap one sports drink for water—can make a significant difference in building healthy habits that can last a lifetime. 

If your child doesn’t like plain water, try adding sliced fruits like orange, lemon, or berries to add some flavor. Frozen berries can even double as ice cubes. 

If your child doesn’t like plain milk, try having them meet their daily nutrient needs through other items in the dairy group, like unsweetened yogurt or cheese. They can just drink more water to meet their hydration needs. 100% juice is another option that kids and teens can enjoy in moderation. 

Why is there an upper limit on water? Isn’t it always healthy to drink water?

Typically, kids don’t drink enough water. Our recommendations are set to help kids and teens avoid dehydration, so the upper limit isn’t a true maximum. Rather, it’s more of a guidepost to help families gauge whether their child is hydrated. How much water your child needs will depend on the climate where they live, how much physical activity they’ve had that day, and how many other beverages they’ve had like juice or milk.

What about sparkling water?

While plain, carbonated water may be okay for kids and teens in moderation, flavored water, with or without carbonation, is not recommended because it has a lower pH which can have negative impacts on oral health. In addition, flavored water is commonly sweetened with non-sugar sweeteners or added sugars, which can be harmful to kids’ health.

This seems like a lot of milk to drink. Why are dairy equivalents provided? What are they?  

Our recommendations look at beverages within the context of the whole diet. So they include how much dairy a child should be eating or drinking in a day, but not all dairy needs to come from milk. Dairy equivalents mean kids can also get their daily dairy intake from foods like cheese or unsweetened yogurt. Nutritionally, 8 fluid ounces of milk is equivalent to about 1 cup of yogurt or 1.5 ounces of cheese. If your child drinks less milk, and meets their dairy needs through foods, they should drink more water to avoid dehydration. 

Does it matter what type of plain milk?

The expert panel generally recommends fat-free (skim) or low-fat (1%) milk because they have more nutrients and fewer calories and saturated fats. But there may be situations when a higher fat content of milk, like 2% or whole, is appropriate. Parents can check with their pediatrician or dietitian to determine the milk type best suited to a child’s nutrient needs.  

What if a child is lactose-intolerant?

If a child is lactose intolerant, consider lactose-free dairy products, such as lactose-free milk or yogurt. These products provide the exact same nutrients as milk, but the lactose—or milk sugar—has already been broken down so it won’t bother their stomach.

Why is there a limit to juice? Isn’t it supposed to be healthy for kids?

100% juice provides nutrients like vitamin C, but we recommend kids limit juice to focus more on eating whole fruits and vegetables. Juice lacks the dietary fiber found in whole fruits and vegetables, which kids and teens don’t get enough of each day. Juice also doesn’t give kids a feeling of “fullness” like whole fruits and vegetables do. If accessing fresh, frozen, or canned fruits and vegetables isn’t possible, a little bit of 100% juice at meal or snack times is okay.

I thought plant-based milk alternatives were supposed to be healthy. Why are they in the limit category? 

Plant-based milk alternatives are not nutritionally equivalent to cow’s milk. This means if you’re serving them as a milk substitute, kids and teens are likely missing out on important nutrients they need for optimal growth and health, such as calcium, vitamin D, and potassium. Flavored varieties are also often high in added sugars, which can be harmful to kids’ health. 

There are times when plant-based milk alternatives may be appropriate, like when a child is allergic to milk, is vegan, or doesn’t drink milk due to cultural or religious practices. In these cases, parents should talk to their pediatrician or dietitian about finding an alternative that is most nutritionally similar to dairy milk, such as soy or pea milk, for their child. 

Why is flavored milk in the limit category when chocolate and strawberry milk are provided in school lunches?

In 2023, the U.S. Department of Agriculture considered an added sugar limit on school meals and eliminating flavored milk from high schools to reduce the amount of added sugar in school meals. Despite strong science supporting the reduction of flavored milk in schools, flavored milk is still allowed in elementary and middle schools. However, starting in fall 2025, flavored milks in school meals can contain no more than 10 grams of added sugar per 8-ounce serving. These shifts show that USDA is also concerned about the amount of added sugars in flavored milk.

Why are added sugars bad for you?

The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend that people consume no more than 10% of their daily calories from added sugar, which equals a maximum of 50 grams a day. But many of today’s popular drinks are full of added sugars, with flavored milk, soda, and sports drinks being some of the top contributors in the diets of kids and teens.

Just two sugary drinks a day can nearly double your recommended added sugar limit! For example, one cup of chocolate milk contains about 20 grams of added sugar—it's about the same for a lemonade. By swapping out a lemonade and flavored milk with beverages like water or plain, pasteurized milk –which have no added sugars and are recommended for a healthy diet—you can significantly reduce your added sugar intake.

What if a drink’s label says sugar-free? Is that ok to drink?

Drinks that are advertised as “sugar-free” or “zero sugar” often contain non-sugar sweeteners, which are not recommended as part of a healthy diet. We need more research on how non-sugar sweeteners affect kids, but research in adults shows that they don’t help manage body weight and may increase risk of diet-related chronic diseases such as type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. 

What if kids play sports? Are sports drinks appropriate to give them electrolytes?

Sports drinks are often marketed as having performance-enhancing benefits. But the truth is, they are not needed for most kids. Sports drinks are only appropriate for athletes or people engaging in prolonged, vigorous physical activity, or for when activities are performed in high temperatures and humidity. Water is still the best option for the average child or adolescent engaging in routine physical activity for less than three hours, or high intensity activity (like running), lasting up to one hour in normal weather conditions. 

Sports drinks also contain additives and supplements that are understudied. These additives may include non-sugar sweeteners, caffeine and other stimulants, prebiotics, probiotics, and vitamins and minerals, which may not be listed on the nutrition facts label or ingredient lists. 

Why can’t kids and teenagers have caffeine? 

While most adults can safely consume caffeine in limited quantities, kids and teens have smaller bodies and rapidly developing brains, making them more susceptible to the negative effects of consuming too much caffeine. Evidence shows that consuming caffeine can lead to poor sleep quality, (including delayed sleep onset, more sleep disturbances, and shorter sleep duration), increased blood pressure, and mental health issues (including depressive moods, anxiety, stress, and self-harm) in kids and teens. Even small amounts of caffeine, like a cup of coffee, can have negative side effects. 

Most caffeinated drinks popular with kids and teens also have large amounts of added sugars, non-sugar sweeteners, multiple stimulants (such as caffeine and taurine), and other additives. These ingredients are not recommended in isolation and are particularly cautioned against when combined.