The amount of milk you or your child needs changes significantly from infancy through adulthood. Newborns start with just 1 to 2 ounces of formula per feeding, toddlers need about 2 cups of dairy daily, and most people from age 9 onward should aim for 3 cups of dairy per day. Here’s a detailed breakdown by age group.
Newborns Through 12 Months
Babies under 12 months should only drink breast milk or infant formula. Cow’s milk is not appropriate before a child’s first birthday. In the first days of life, formula-fed newborns typically take 1 to 2 ounces per feeding, every 2 to 3 hours, for a total of 8 to 12 feedings in 24 hours. Breastfed babies feed on a similar schedule, though the exact volume per session is harder to measure.
Over the first few weeks and months, babies gradually stretch the time between feedings to every 3 to 4 hours and take more at each session. By 6 to 12 months, most formula-fed infants eat about 5 to 6 times per day, with solid foods filling in alongside formula or breast milk. The key at this stage is following your baby’s hunger cues rather than forcing a rigid ounce count.
Ages 12 to 23 Months
At 12 months, you can introduce cow’s milk for the first time. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend 1⅔ to 2 cup equivalents of dairy per day for children aged 12 through 23 months. That dairy total includes milk, yogurt, cheese, and fortified soy beverages, so your toddler doesn’t need to get it all from a cup of milk.
Whole milk is the right choice at this age. Toddlers need the fat for brain development, so stick with pasteurized, unflavored whole milk fortified with vitamin D. One important limit to keep in mind: no more than 24 ounces (3 cups) of milk per day. Toddlers who drink more than that are at risk for iron deficiency anemia because milk is low in iron and can interfere with iron absorption. If your toddler fills up on milk, they’re less likely to eat iron-rich foods like meat, beans, and fortified cereals.
Ages 2 Through 8
Children in this range need about 2½ cup equivalents of dairy per day. After age 2, you can transition from whole milk to low-fat or fat-free milk, since children at this point are getting enough fat from the rest of their diet. Again, “dairy” here counts yogurt and cheese too. One cup of yogurt or 1½ ounces of hard cheese counts as one cup equivalent of dairy.
Ages 9 Through 18
This is the age range with the highest dairy needs relative to body size. Children and teenagers ages 9 through 18 should get 3 cup equivalents of dairy per day. This matters because adolescence is when the body builds the vast majority of its bone mass. The calcium, vitamin D, and protein in dairy all contribute to stronger bones during this critical window.
Lactose intolerance sometimes begins to surface during this period. The most common form involves a gradual decline in the body’s ability to break down lactose, and symptoms often first appear in late adolescence or early adulthood. If your teenager starts experiencing bloating or stomach discomfort after drinking milk, yogurt (especially Greek yogurt, which is lower in lactose) or lactose-free milk can help them still meet their dairy needs.
Adults 19 and Older
The recommendation stays at 3 cup equivalents of dairy per day for all adults, whether you’re 25 or 75. The guidelines specify fat-free or low-fat options for adults, since full-fat dairy adds saturated fat without additional calcium benefit. Three cups of milk, or an equivalent mix of yogurt, cheese, and fortified soy beverages, covers the calcium and vitamin D most adults need for bone maintenance.
For adults watching their weight, dairy’s role is modest. A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials found that increasing dairy intake led to a small reduction in body weight (about half a kilogram) during short-term, calorie-restricted diets. But in longer-term studies without calorie restriction, dairy didn’t produce meaningful weight loss.
What Counts as a “Cup” of Dairy
When guidelines say “cup equivalents,” they don’t mean you need to drink three glasses of milk. One cup equivalent equals any of the following:
- 1 cup (8 ounces) of milk or fortified soy beverage
- 1 cup of yogurt
- 1½ ounces of hard cheese (like cheddar or Swiss)
- ⅓ cup of shredded cheese
So a child who has a cup of milk at breakfast, a cheese stick at lunch, and yogurt as a snack has roughly hit the 2½ to 3 cup target without drinking milk three times a day.
Plant-Based Milk Alternatives
If you or your child can’t tolerate dairy or prefers plant-based options, soy milk is the closest nutritional match to cow’s milk. It contains about 3.2 grams of protein per 100 mL, compared to 3.6 grams in cow’s milk. Other alternatives fall far short on protein: almond milk has just 0.7 grams, oat milk about 1 gram, and rice milk only 0.2 grams per 100 mL.
Calcium levels in fortified plant milks are often comparable to cow’s milk, landing around 120 mg per 100 mL when fortified. The catch is that fortification rates vary widely by brand. An audit of plant-based milks found they were significantly lower in protein, zinc, iodine, phosphorus, and several B vitamins compared to cow’s milk. If you’re relying on plant-based milk as your primary dairy substitute, choose one that’s fortified with calcium and vitamin D, and make sure you’re getting enough protein from other sources. For toddlers specifically, the CDC and dietary guidelines recognize only fortified soy beverages as an acceptable alternative to cow’s milk.
Quick Reference by Age
- 0 to 12 months: Breast milk or formula only. No cow’s milk.
- 12 to 23 months: 1⅔ to 2 cups of dairy daily. Whole milk. Max 24 ounces of milk per day.
- 2 to 8 years: 2½ cups of dairy daily. Low-fat or fat-free milk.
- 9 to 18 years: 3 cups of dairy daily. Low-fat or fat-free milk.
- 19 years and older: 3 cups of dairy daily. Low-fat or fat-free milk.