A minister says there are no plans to give children dairy-free nursery “milk.”
Cows’ milk is available through the national Nursery Milk Scheme but childminders, councils and day care providers cannot make a claim for dairy-free alternatives.
“Plant-based drinks are currently not covered by the legislation on the Nursery Milk Scheme, which only allows reimbursement to be made for cows’ milk and infant formula based on cows’ milk,” Ashley Dalton said.
Responding to a written question tabled by Neil Duncan-Jordan, the Labour MP for Poole, the health minister added: “The Government does not currently have plans to provide dairy-free alternatives as part of the Nursery Milk Scheme.”
Ms Dalton said her department was reviewing a probe into plant-based drinks, published by the Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition and the Committee on Toxicity earlier this year.
The committees found “typical” almond, oat and soya drinks may contribute to higher intakes of dietary fibre and vitamin D, “which would be beneficial in all age groups”.
But replacing cows’ milk with plant-based products carries nutritional “risks”, including by raising consumers’ intake of sugars and lowering infants’ access to some minerals and vitamins.
“Whole or semi-skimmed cows’ milk are preferable to plant-based drinks for children aged one to five who consume animal products,” the organisations found, with fortified and unsweetened almond, oat and soya drinks “acceptable” alternatives.
Fortified and unsweetened versions of almond, oat and soya drinks were found to be “preferable to water in meals and snacks where other children would usually consume cows’ milk”, with soya “preferable as their main alternative to cows’ milk, because it usually contains higher amounts of protein than either almond or oat drink”.
Children aged under five are entitled to one third of a pint of milk every day they attend a childcare setting for two or more hours.
