Easy Strawberry Milk Recipe for Toddlers - Kids Eat in Color (2024)

Strawberry milk is a classic–and for good reason. It’s sweet, tart and, on a hot day, it hits just right. This strawberry milk recipe takes less than 10 minutes to whip up and makes the most refreshing and kid-approved glass of homemade strawberry milk.

Milk for toddlers & kids

Milk can provide many nutrients for kids, including vitamin D.

We recommend toddlers ages 12-24 months consume no more than 16 oz. of milk per day. Kids who fill up on milk may miss out on other important nutrients. Note: There are strategies that can help to reduce your toddler’s milk intake if they are refusing to drink anything but milk.

These days, milk can be a confusing topic for parents. With so many different kinds of milk available for purchase, including raw milk, it can be hard to know which kind is best for kids. To learn more, read about the best milk for toddlers from a pediatric dietitian.

If your family prefers plant-based milk, read our article about the best non-dairy milk for toddlers.

Strawberries for kids

Many kids love strawberries! But if yours doesn’t, it’s OK. Our guide can help you teach your child to eat strawberries.

Sweet strawberries are a key in this strawberry milk recipe. The sweetness of your strawberries will depend on their ripeness.

Strawberries can be found all year long, but in California, the peak harvest season runs from spring to fall.

Health benefits of strawberries for kids

Strawberries may look small, but they are anything but little when it comes to the nutrients they provide.

Strawberries are a good source of vitamin C. Among other things, vitamin C helps with the absorption of iron.

Related: Curious about iron and kids? Learn tons of iron-rich foods for babies, toddlers and kids.

Strawberry milk recipe ingredients

Making your own homemade strawberry milk for special occasions is easier than you think!

For this strawberry milk recipe, you’ll need:

• Half a pound of strawberries (8 oz. or 6-7 strawberries)
• 2 tablespoons of maple syrup
• 2 cups of milk

Prefer chocolate milk? See our homemade chocolate milk recipe.

How to make homemade strawberry milk

Here’s how to make your own strawberry milk without a blender.

1. First, chop the strawberries in quarters.
2. Combine the strawberries and maple syrup in a pot on medium heat.
3. When the strawberries become soft (about 2-3 min), mash them with a potato masher.
4. Let them simmer for 2-3 more minutes, then pour into a bowl to cool.
5. Once cooled, pour mashed strawberries into milk and shake well.

Next up, try this strawberry chia pudding recipe. Kids will love it!

Tips for making the best strawberry milk for kids

If you find that your strawberries are not as sweet as you would like for your homemade strawberry milk, feel free to add additional tablespoons of maple syrup to up the sweetness of your milk.

After making the strawberry milk recipe, be sure to shake it well to fully incorporate the mixture since it will have bits of strawberries.

Some picky eaters may prefer a smoother texture of milk. In this case, you can strain the mixture to remove the strawberry chunks.

Alternatively, you can process the mixture in a blender or food processor, then strain if desired.

For older kids or more adventurous eaters, you can top off a glass of homemade strawberry milk with extra strawberries on top.

Dealing with a picky eater? Check out our top tips for the parents of picky eaters.

How to store homemade strawberry puree

If you only want to make 1 cup of strawberry milk, you can also save half of the strawberry puree.

The puree stores well in a sealed container in the refrigerator for 4 days.

Once you are ready to make the strawberry milk recipe, you can pour the remaining puree into a cup of milk, stir well and enjoy!